FOXFIRE VILLAGE — Playing in familiar territory Monday, the Richmond Senior High School girls’ golf team used its home course to post its best nine-hole team score of the 2019 season.
Hosting the five other Sandhills Athletic Conference golf teams at Foxfire Golf and Country Club, the Lady Raiders’ top four golfers shot a 219 (+75). That tally was 20 strokes better than last week’s round at Pine Crest Country Club in Lumberton.
Head coach Keith Parsons noted ahead of the match that playing on the course his team has familiarized itself with the most this season should prove to work out in the Lady Raiders’ favor. His prediction proved correct, as five of his six players in action Monday set season-best rounds.
No. 1 senior golfer Hailey Miller shot a season-best 43 (+8) in what was the final home match of her high school career. She finished her round with four pars and just missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the No. 8 par three.
Pinecrest High School won its fourth-straight match, notching a 153 (+9). Following the Lady Patriots were Jack Britt High School (189, +45) and Purnell Swett High School (205, +61). Placing behind the Lady Raiders were Scotland High School (237, +93) and Lumberton High School (258, +114).
No. 2 sophomore and reigning Official Richmond County Female Athlete of the Week Kenleigh Frye took three strokes off her nine-hole score at Foxfire, finishing the afternoon with a 55 (+19).
Fellow sophomore and No. 3 golfer Kirsten McDonald was just five strokes behind Frye with a 60 (+24), taking five strokes off her scorecard from the last time out. The final Lady Raider to see her score count toward the team’s overall tally was No. 4 senior Lauren Humann, whose tally of 61 (+25) was seven strokes better than a week prior.
Also on the course for Richmond were juniors Delaney Driggers and Angeli Yang, who shot a 65 (+29) and a 70 (+34), respectively.
“I’m so happy to see our progress,” Parsons said following the fourth regular-season match. “Hailey, Kenleigh, Kirsten, Lauren and Angeli all shot season-best scores, and Delaney nearly matched her best from last week. It was a great day.
“I can’t say enough about Hailey,” he added. “Today effectively was her senior day, and golf being a bit unconventional, she wasn’t properly recognized before we started. She’s given so much to our program and she continues to be a great leader for our group. I’m glad she played so well today.”
Richmond will continue its trek toward the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s regional and state playoffs when it travels to Scotch Meadows Country Club next Monday. Groupings will tee off in Laurinburg starting at 2 p.m. in the next-to-last regular season match.
