ROCKINGHAM — Where the sport of golf can sometimes frustrate its players, that wasn’t the case for the Richmond Senior High School boys’ golf team and head coach Keith Parsons this spring.
The Raiders and their first-year head coach wrapped up their 2019 campaign ahead of spring break last month, but sophomore Jonathan Rich, the team’s No. 1 golfer, enjoyed an extended run when he made it to the NCHSAA 4A Midwest Regional tournament.
Rich’s score of 83 (+11) during his Regional round was five strokes off from making the cut to qualify for states. But for Parsons, Rich’s success was a reflection of the strong group of underclassmen that made up the team in 2019.
With no seniors on the team, the Raiders’ 12-man roster was comprised mostly of sophomores, seeing six 10th graders carries the bulk of the weight. Joining Rich were regulars Jacob Puckett Jaxon Mabe and Carter Richardson, all of whom just missed out of making the Regional tournament.
“We got all we could out of this season, and with so many sophomores – and no seniors – it was easy to think what we might look like next season and beyond,” Parsons commented. “All the returners improved from their previous efforts, and I saw most everybody improve at least something in his game from the beginning of the year.
“Having the opportunity to use the facilities at Foxfire was so great, just as it was for the girls’ team,” he added. “It enables us to see some difficult holes while playing, and gives us the chance to practice putting on perfect greens.”
Richmond finished in fifth place in each of its six regular-season matches, remaining consistent on the course, while also closing the gap between fourth-place Scotland High School. The Raiders’ best round score was 349 between the top four golfers at Pinecrest Country Club in Lumberton on March 25.
Rich posted a new personal best score twice this season, shooting a 77 (+5) in the season opener at Bayonet at Puppy Creek and in Richmond’s home match at Foxfire a week later. Junior Noah Altman, one of two juniors on the team, also shot a career best round at Foxfire, posting a 92 (+20).
Puckett and Richardson remained consistent contributors as well, with Puckett tying his career low round from his freshman year twice with a 92 (+20). Rich, Altman, Puckett and Mabe qualified for each of the team’s matches.
“Jonathan had a spectacular season. The best part might be that he wasn’t satisfied,” Parsons said. “He knows what his potential is and he plans to do all he can to reach it. Carter is someone I didn’t know before the season, and he was our second-best player over the course of the season.
“Having five players consistently qualify helped us get a rhythm to the match,” he added. “And it helped all of them be a little competitive with each other, in a good way. I liked how we had a mostly steady progression to our season, how we seemed to get better each week.”
Parsons, who is wrapping up his first school year as a history teacher at Richmond, also coached the girls’ team in the fall. His biggest takeaway with the boys’ team was the enjoyment the dozen players brought to the sport.
“The one thing I enjoyed about the team was how well everyone got along with each other,” he said. “Golf is such an individual sport, but when you get teammates pulling for each other, it makes it special.
“That was a big part of our consistency,” he continued. “Guys really didn’t want to let down the other players, so it helped hold everyone accountable.”
With every golfer set to return in 2020, the future for the Raider golf team looks bright. Moving forward, Parsons hopes the team will continue to compete in the SAC and climb the ranks in the standings next spring.
