FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – With Hurricane Florence approaching the coast of North Carolina, many of the area’s outdoor high school athletics were canceled or postponed Tuesday to avoid some of the smaller thunderstorms that Florence was pushing inland.
Some dark clouds and the threat of rain did not deter the Sandhills Athletic Conference girls golf teams from making the trip to Gates Four Country Club in Fayetteville, but for the second week in a row, the match had to be shortened to just nine holes.
Despite being a little shorthanded, Richmond managed to finish in third place for the second week in a row. Pinecrest led the way, shooting a 157. The Lady Bucs of Jack Britt followed with a 171, Richmond had a 228, and Scotland finished the day with a 246. The remaining SAC schools failed to enter at least four golfers into the match and were unable to earn team points.
The Lady Raiders were without seniors Natalie Davis and Kylie McDonald, two of the team’s veteran golfers. Davis, who shot a respectable 44 in the nine-hole season opener at Bayonet Golf Course, was sick and unable to make the trip on Tuesday. McDonald is still nursing a foot injury she sustained just two days prior to their week one match.
Junior Hailey Miller shot a 41 (+5) on the back nine which was just six strokes shy of match leader Jaclyn Kenzel (35) of Pinecrest. “One bad hole,” Miller said following the match, also on her birthday. “I just had one bad hole. I’ll blame it on Florence.”
Last week at Bayonet, Miller shot a 40 (+4) in the season opener.
Kenleigh Frye, one of three Richmond freshmen participating in the match, had a great day on the links. Her score of 57 (+21) not only placed her second on her team, but she also finished second among all of the match’s participating freshmen. Pinecrest ninth grader Chloe Morrison finished just three strokes ahead with a 54 (+18).
Fellow freshman Taylor Young shot a 64. Seniors Gabby Paone and Jessie Graham saw their first action of the season shooting a 66 and 67, respectively. Freshman Kirsten McDonald participated as an alternate and, unlike her teammates, played the front nine finishing with a 67.
Head Coach Keith Parsons feels that the team is getting some great experience and is moving in the right direction.
"Hailey had another solid day,” said Parsons. “It is great to see her consistency in the first two matches. She's handled the expectations placed upon her by me and her teammates amazingly well.
"It is great to see our three ninth graders continue to get experience, and I’m happy to have Jessi and Gabby get to compete in their first matches."
Richmond is currently scheduled to play next Monday at Pinecrest Country Club in Lumberton. Based on current weather forecasts, that match will most likely be postponed or cancelled. ROSports will update schedules as announcements are made by RSHS athletic director Ricky Young.
