FORT MILL – The 2020 boys golf season has started with Fort Mill opening the season ranked sixth in the state in 5A, while Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge both try to establish themselves as well this season in the hunt for a spot in the state tournament in May.
Fort Mill took advantage of that sixth-place ranking as they beat both Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge in one of their first meetings of the year and the only meeting scheduled between all three teams this season. The teams will all meet in head-to-head matches later on this season. The Jackets shot 143 as a team at the par 36 Springfield Golf Course and was led by Anthony Clark, who shot a 32 to lead all three teams as medalist. Nation Ford shot 174 on their home course and was led by a 41 from John Moss. Catawba Ridge shot 195 and was led by Nolan Will with a 41 as well.
Fort Mill
The match for Fort Mill was a start to what they hope is a state championship season, according to head coach Judd Dye.
“We are optimistic that we should compete for a state championship come May,” Dye said.
The 5A state championship will be played nearby at the Rock Hill Country Club, which will benefit the defending state champion Rock Hill Bearcats, as it is played on their home course. Fort Mill hopes to be able to overcome that if need be.
“It is a golf course they are familiar with,” Dye said. “But we play there a lot as well. Playing there is better than going to play at a place, you haven’t been.”
Fort Mill will play at Rock Hill Country Club against Rock Hill in April as part of the Fleischer Invitational and then in a dual match in the same month. The Jackets, who play their home matches at Tega Cay Golf Club, will be defending their title in the HV3 Invitational and will also play in the Bengal Invitational this month.
The Jackets return most of its players from last year including the majority of their starters such as Griffin Tarver and Mike Wheeler. Fort Mill did lose their No. 1 player in Cam Cappuzzo from last year’s team due to graduation, but Dye said the team is deep this season.
The Region 3-5A tournament and the Upper State tournament will both be played at Chester Golf Club this year for Fort Mill and Nation Ford, as they each try to earn a spot in the state championship.
Nation Ford
For the Falcons, Nation Ford could have a tough year with a very young team, said head coach Matt Savage.
“We are a young team and we are playing against some good talent,” Savage said.
On their roster, Nation Ford has just two seniors in John Moss and Logan Johnson, to go with three freshman, two eighth graders and four seventh graders.
“We are hoping that come middle of the year to get in gear and be playing our best golf by the end of the year,” Savage said.
Nation Ford will be playing in the same tournaments as Fort Mill, to go along with other non-region matches against South Pointe and Catawba Ridge as well. The top three teams from the Upper State match qualify for the state tournament and each region will qualify an individual from a non-qualifying team. Savage hopes to qualify for the tournament, but if not wants the Falcons represented in some way.
“The goal is to at least have an individual qualifier for state,” he said. “Getting to Upper State would be a good accomplishment for us.”
Catawba Ridge
For the Copperheads, the boys team has nine golfers on it this spring have big goals for the season.
“We look good,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Mickey Joslin. “I am excited about it.”
Joslin said the team has a couple sophomores to go with a couple eight graders and a junior in their top five.
“We are thinking about the future and the next couple years,” Joslin said. “Our goal is to go as far as we can. The golfers are good golfers and they have an appetite to win.”
Catawba Ridge, who plays their home matches at Fort Mill Golf Club, has six home matches this season. They will also be playing in just one tournament in the Magnolia Invitational later this month as well, according to their schedule.
The Copperheads will be playing at the Region 4-3A championship at the Camden Country Club and if they can make it to the Upper State tournament, it will be played at Boscobel County Club in Pendleton. The 3A state tournament will be played at Three Pines Country Club in Woodruff this year.
Mac Banks: mbanks@comporium.net, @MacBanksFM
