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With its best round in recent history, the Rockbridge County High School golf team earned its first Valley District victory of the season, winning the seven-team match on Monday of last week at Woodstone Meadows Golf Course in McGaheysville.
The Wildcats shot a 295 on the 18hole, par-65 course, led by senior Andrew McCoy, who fired a 67 to place second by one shot. McCoy trailed only Spotswood’s Jack Baugher’s 66, while East Rockingham’s Camden Clem placed third with a 68. RC head coach David Miller said McCoy, who was coming off a career-best 63 at Shenvalee Golf Resort in New Market the previous Thursday, “was amazing once again.”
Previously, the Wildcats’ best score in the last few years was a 318 the previous Monday at Greene Hills Club in Stanardsville.
Going over the match at Woodstone Meadows, Miller said it was “just a great team effort, and these kids just keep working and improving.”
In the team standings, Turner Ashby placed second with a 299, while Spotswood finished third with a 300 and East Rockingham came in fourth with a 307. Rounding out the scores were William Monroe (332), Broadway (339) and Rocktown (347).
The Wildcats’ second scorer was freshman Joe Vargas, who made a birdie and plenty of pars to shoot a 72. Completing RC’s scoring were Dean Fafatas and Harrison Tanner, both firing 78. Also competing for the Wildcats were Davis Welsh, carding an 83, and Finbar Looney, posting an 87.
Wildcats Defeat LB
The Wildcats shot a 166 to defeat Lord Botetourt’s 200 in a nondistrict nine-hole match at Botetourt Golf & Swim Club on Thursday in Troutville.
RC swept the top four individual spots. McCoy was the medalist with a 38, while Tanner shot a 39 to place second. “Both hit great shots, and both putted well on some very quick and difficult pin placements,” said Miller.
Fafatas had another strong day, firing a 42, and Joe Vargas carded a 47 to place fourth. Also competing were Looney and Bryce Bell.
The Wildcats also played Fort Defiance in a nine-hole match at The Club at Ironwood in Staunton, but the teams used it as more of a practice session due to injuries and substitutions. No scores were reported, but Miller said it “was fun to get back on that course and try and putt those greens.”
After the busy week, the Wildcats will have extra practice time and a break from competition this week and next. They’ll return to competition with a district match at Lakeview Golf Course in Harrisonburg on Monday, Sept. 9, at noon, with Turner Ashby playing host.
Their final regular-season match will be a district match the following Monday, Sept. 16, at 11 a.m. at Heritage Oaks Golf Course, with Rocktown playing host.
The Wildcats will be shooting for one of two spots in the Region 3C tournament, scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. at Heritage Oaks.
