Wednesday at the annual Coalfield Conference Golf Tournament played on the Cobb Course at Glade Springs resort, patience was not only a virtue, it was a crucial component to success.
Plagued by rain and lightning which forced a two-hour delay that shortened the event from 18 holes to only nine, the cream still rose to the top.
Tourney favorites Greenbrier East and Shady Spring captured the AAA and AA titles, respectively, while Wyoming East walked away with an eight-shot win in the highly competitive single-A division.
The Tigers have not only dominated Class AA this season, they have more than held their own against the big schools as well.
With all four golfers coming in under 40, Shady Spring edged the Spartans by two shots for the overall crown.
“At the start of the season, I pretty much had this tournament, the regional and the state tournament on the priority list,” Shady Spring head coach Greg Daniel said. “Everything else was just kind of practicing. These are the tournaments that you look forward to now.”
Senior Jack Williams paced the Tigers with a 37, followed by Cooper Ward with 38. Tyler Beard and Grant Winkler checked in with a 39, giving Shady a three-person score of 114.
“Everyone of the players has been a (low) medalist at one time or another this season,” Daniel said. “I love that part of it. I have had teams before where we knew it was important for one or two guys to have to shoot well. It takes the pressure off of your No. 1 and No. 2 player with four players that can score low. If they mess up for nine holes or 18 holes, they will have somebody come in there and pick them up that day.”
Nicholas County (127) finished runner-up in AA, followed by James Monroe (131) in third and Independence (138) in fourth place.
Maddox Smallwood shot 39 for the Grizzlies, while Evan Prendergast had a 43 and Drew Johnson ended with a 45.
Isaac Hutchison from Greenbrier East was the overall low medalist for the day and the only player in red figures with a two-under par 34.
The defending AAA Region 3 co-champion had his round to three-under par and was on fire before the lengthy delay.
“The putter was rolling today and everything seemed to come together when it needed to,” Hutchison said. “I was chipping green-side on 17 when play resumed. I managed to get up and down through all of the water on the green. On 18 I didn’t hit a great tee-shot, but I found it and ended up taking a (bogey) on that hole.”
The individual title added to the string of low medalist honors for the standout sophomore, just ahead of regional play Monday.
“I have put a lot of work in this summer and my game is really coming together,” Hutchison said. “My ball striking is getting good and the putting is also coming.”
Isaac Cantrell shot 40 for the Spartans (116) and Nate Dolin carded a 42 in the wet conditions.
Princeton (126) took runner-up honors amongst the big schools. Dylan Canterbury tied for the lowest round of the day behind Hutchison with a 37, while Blake Blankenship had a 42 and Joseph Flanigan shot 47.
Woodrow Wilson (131) was third led by Tyler Stover with a 38 and Oak Hill (145) finished fourth.
Freshman Talan Muscari sparked the Wyoming East title run with a 38 followed by senior Zach Hunt and freshman Broc Johnson who both shot 42 to give the Warriors a team total of 122, third best over all classes.
Pocahontas County (130) was second behind East. Dillon Dunz shot a 42, while Bailey Zickafoose had a 43 and Warren Burns added a 45.
Reagan Friel, also from Pocahontas County, grabbed low medalist honors in the girls individual tournament and Maggie Asbury from Liberty was runner-up.
Class AAA All-Coalfield Conference
Isaac Hutchison, Nate Dolin, Isaac Cantrell, Seth Napier, Greenbrier East
Dylan Canterbury, Blake Blankenship, Princeton
Tyler Stover, Drew Gallaher, Woodrow Wilson
Max Lopez, Oak Hill
Class AA All-Coalfield Conference
Tyler Beard, Cooper Ward, Jack Williams, Grant Winkler, Shady Spring
Maddox Smallwood, Nicholas County
Carson Coen, James Monroe
Hunter Moore, Independence
Joshua Lafferty, Liberty
Class A All-Coalfield Conference
Talan Muscari, Zach Hunt, Broc Johnson, Wyoming East
Dillon Dunz, Bailey Zickafoose, Pocahontas County
Jacob Brown, Midland Trail
Xavier Honaker, Christian Dillon, Summers County
