LAURINBURG — Competing in a conference with the reigning state championship program didn’t intimidate the Richmond Senior High School boys’ golf program this spring.
In fact, it motivated the Raiders on the golf course, which yielded the team’s best overall finish in the current Sandhills Athletic Conference.
Finishing its seven-match regular season, Richmond played 18 holes at Scotch Meadows Country Club Monday. Ending the day with a team score of 341, the Raiders clinched second place in the conference standings.
"We are happy to finish second, the best we've done since joining this conference,” head coach Keith Parsons said. “Throughout the season, we have been so tightly bunched with Union Pines and Lee County. For the season, through all six matches, we beat Union Pines by five total strokes and Lee County by 14. Pretty amazing.”
Richmond collected 31 points across its six SAC matches this spring, one point ahead of third-place Union Pines High School (30 points). Earning the SAC title was Pinecrest, last year’s 4A state champion, with 42 points.
Like Parsons noted, it was the best finish for the Raiders since the current SAC was formed at the start of the 2021-22 school year. During the 2020-21 season, Richmond was also second and qualified as a team for the state playoffs in a previous conference lineup.
Richmond’s team total placed them third overall at Scotch Meadows, two strokes behind Union Pines (339). Pinecrest won the match with a final score of 305.
"We wrapped up a great season with some wonderful play,” Parsons shared. “Graham Odom continues to improve and his score was indicative of that, very solid. He hit the ball well and rolled it well with his putter. That's a great combination.
“Kevin Tabacolde had three birdies during his round and carried that momentum throughout the round. I'm sure CJ Turner left a bit disappointed with his score, and it's a great sign of how far he has come that a solid score in the mid-80s could leave him feeling that way. Grayson Robson, Drake Wallace and Landon Legrand all kept digging all day and got the most out of their efforts.”
Odom ended his first season of varsity golf with a career-low round score of 79, which led the team. His efforts put him tied for sixth overall with Joshua Groom (Pinecrest) and just six shots off Tate Brokmeyer’s round-leading 73.
Tabacolde shot an 80 to finish eighth overall and Turner was third on Richmond’s scorecard with an 87. Richmond’s final qualifying score was courtesy of Robson, a sophomore, with a 95.
Drake and Legrand, two first-year golfers, were in contention for the Raiders. They finished with round scores of 97 and 114, respectively.
With the regular season finalized, the All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team was announced. Using the average of their five lowest nine-hole scores, 13 players were selected.
Representing the Raiders on the All-Conference team were Turner (40.6), Odom (40.8) and Tabacolde (41.0). It was the first career selection for all three players.
All three Raiders also qualified for the NCHSAA 4A Mideast regional tournament. Tabacolde made the postseason for the third time in his career, while Odom and Turner will compete in the playoffs for the first time.
"We're so happy CJ, Graham and Kevin were rewarded for their fine play this season,” Parsons said. “Qualifying for the regional always is a goal for everyone in our group, and to earn all-conference honors along the way is a great bonus.
“I don't think I ever have seen the competition for the four individual spots in the regional be this competitive, and that says so much about our program and Hoke's. Hopefully all four will make a good showing at the regional."
The NCHSAA 4A Mideast regional will be played next Monday at Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines. Tee times and groupings were not available at the time of publication.
