On a beautiful evening in Tryon, the Polk County High School golf team held its awards banquet at Tryon Country Club.

Every player on this year’s squad, as well as many of their parents, attended the event, which featured a meal of smoked chicken, cooked and prepared by Marty Chupp using his special recipe, as well as green beans and macaroni and cheese from Southern Manners and sweet tea and Strawberry Delight from Kathy Miller, mother of assistant coach Chandler Miller.

Following the meal, players and coaches took turns addressing the crowd, noting the team’s growth this season after returning only one player from last year’s team.

The team showed much improvement over the course of the season, capping the year with a fifth-place showing in the Western Highlands Conference tournament. In the first 18-hole match of the year, the Wolverines shot a team score of 414. By season’s end, the team had recorded an 18-hole best of 375.

Mitchell Yoder made the biggest jump of any player, going from a novice golfer to playing as the team’s sixth player conference tournament.

The lone returnee, junior Gabe O’Brien, showed great leadership during the season, earning the Captain’s Award for his efforts.

O’Brien, Josh Chupp and Dillion Overholt all qualified for the 2A West Regional. Each also had the lowest score in at least one match for the team. Overholt showed the most consistency during the season and finished with the lowest average, earning the team’s Most Valuable Player award.

The next tier of players for the team consisted of Blake Rackley and Nick Wilson, two freshmen with great potential. Austin Jackson, Isaiah Akers and Yoder competed for the number six spot on the team and each showed potential when given the opportunity to participate.

Zack Bayne and Devin Panchyshyn started the season as newcomers to the sport, learned the game and improved enough to help the team by the end of the season.

With no seniors, the Wolverines expect to be more competitive next season.

The team would like to thank the following:

Tryon Country Club for allowing the team to practice, play matches and hold the postseason banquet at the club, with special thanks to Gerald Weathers and Buddy Manson; Bright’s Creek (practice and playing matches) and club pros Brian and Jessie Stewart and staff (you’re awesome!) for their instruction during the season;

William Deck and Meadowbrook Golf Course for playing and practicing at their facilities.

Also, the following courses on which the team played away matches: Links of Tryon (Campobello, S.C.); Village Green Golf Club (Gramling, S.C.), Black Mountain Golf Club -2 (Black Mountain, N.C.), Mountain Air Country Club – 2 (Burnsville, N.C.), Grassy Creek Golf and Country Club (Spruce Pine, N.C.), Asheville Municipal Golf Course (Asheville, N.C.), and regionals at Maggie Valley Club and Resort (Maggie Valley, N.C.).

From head coach Pat McCool, special thanks to assistant coach Chandler Miller and Jeremy Yoder as well as the administration, teachers and the bus garage. The team only had one student that drove to practice at the beginning of the year while practicing at three different golf courses and finishing practice at different times depending on the weather. Thanks to all the parents for their help and patience.

From head coach Pat McCool, special thanks to Andy Rhinehart, who can write a story out of a couple of statements and a picture. Wow!

– article submitted
by Pat McCool