Golf - Northwestern District tournament

FRONT ROYAL — The Sherando golf team might not have performed as well as its rivals in their last competition together prior to Tuesday’s Class 4 Northwestern District tournament, but it got it done when it mattered.

The Warriors qualified for their third region tournament in four years by placing third at the tournament played on the par-71, 5,692-yard layout at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club. The competition was played on the Red and White nines. Only the top three teams and the top six individuals outside of those teams moved on to the Region 4C tournament, which will take place at Fauquier Springs Country Club on Monday.

On Sept. 11, Sherando finished behind Class 4 district schools James Wood (318, tied for sixth) and Handley (10th) at the 16-team Skyline Invitational, which also took place on the Red and White nines. Sherando shot a 346 to place 13th.

But on Tuesday, the Warriors (330) improved their score by 16 strokes to finish ahead of James Wood (fourth with a 336) and Handley (fifth, 339). Kettle Run and Fauquier each shot a 315 to tie for first, but Kettle Run was declared the winner. Tournament officials made Kettle Run’s regular-season championship the tiebreaker. The Cougars were already assured a region berth for winning that district regular-season title.

Fauquier’s Bryce Leazer won the individual title with a 4-over 75. Kettle Run’s Jacob Rader was second with a 77.

Sherando coach Joe Knight said he was “kind of dismayed” after the results of the Skyline Invitational at SVGC, which also serves as the Warriors’ home course.

“Obviously, we didn’t play very well,” Knight said. “We had a heart-to-heart talk with the team. Early on in the season, one of our goals, if it was at all going to be possible, was to try and make it out of the district and at least make it to regionals as a team. Stop thinking about just individuals, and start thinking about getting out as a team and moving on.

“Today really was kind of a team effort. We did what we had to do today.”

Each of Sherando’s four scoring golfers shot better than last week. Parker Gregg tied for the best local individual score with an 80, which was nine shots better than his score from last week at the Skyline Invitational. Brandon Nice and Caleb Dotson each shot 83 after shooting 85 and 84, respectively, last week, and Gregg announced Gavin Eanes’ score of 84 loudly with pride once it was relayed to him. Eanes shot an 88 last week.

“I’m really tickled to death with Parker Gregg’s performance,” Knight said. “He’s steadily come on during the year. He’s progressing with his game and has worked really hard on his short game and his putting. Gavin Eanes, the same thing. Those boys worked really hard on their game, and I’m just really happy with how the day turned out for them.”

Gregg said he wasn’t thinking about last week’s tournament when he took the course.

“It’s a new round,” said Gregg, a junior. “I’m just trying to play my game. I knew that I could go low, and I did.”

Gregg was pleased that he hit his tee shot to within three feet on the par-3 Red No. 3, which was every player’s third hole of the day. Gregg missed that birdie putt, but otherwise he was much stronger with the putter than he is normally.

“It was a tough putt,” Gregg said with a laugh.

“I hit my iron shots really well, and I hit my approach shots on target. I putted really well. I two-putted on almost every hole, so I was really happy about that. I always have a lot of three-putts, and I only had one today.”

The Colonels will advance four individuals in Jackson Lynch (tied with Gregg for the lowest local score with an 80), Jacob Karen (85), Drew Johnson (85) and John Greene (86), who won a playoff with a bogey on Red No. 2 to get the final individual qualifying spot over Handley’s Cody Williams.

James Wood came in hoping that it would advance to regionals for the second straight year though.

“I didn’t expect to shoot what we did last week. The conditions were a little more difficult,” said coach David Oates of a course that was made tougher by the rain in the past week that made the rough thicker.

“But we’ve been trending so well the past few weeks. The practice scores have been phenomenal, and we’ve had great scores in the past couple of matches. We were hoping to go to regionals, but congratulations to Sherando for their performance. They played well.”

Lynch was 2-under through four holes and one-under through seven, but then had a seven on the par-4, 346-yard Red No. 8.

“That kind of crushed my momentum,” Lynch said. “But 80 was a really good score for today. The rough has always been tough, but it was really thick today because of the rain. Being in the fairway helped me out a lot.

“I’ll go to regions as an individual and hope for the best there, but it’s disappointing we’re not going as a team.”

Handley qualified two individuals in freshman Jack Thome (82) and Braxton Duvall (84). Williams (86) and Brennan Smith (87) also had counting scores for the Judges.

“We didn’t do what we should have done in a couple spots here and there, but that’s how golf goes,” Handley coach Troy Mezzatesta said. “It’s a tough game.

“[Thome and Duvall] are two kids who have shown a lot of promise throughout the year, so I’m happy for them. Jack showed he has that intensity to grind out on a tough day, and that bodes well for the future. Braxton had rounds of 78 and 79 earlier this year. He had some doubts in his swing for a while, but he put the time in to get better. He was the first alternate for regions last year, so it’s great to see him go this year.”

Millbrook placed sixth with a 366 and was led by Tyler McGuire (90), David Allamong (90) and Austin Allamong (91). Liberty was seventh with a 385.

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