GOLF PREVIEW
Five things you should know
More Knight fever?
In the previous two VHSL seasons, late 2018 and ’19, Kellam captured the Class 6 Region A championship. The Knights again could be the best Hampton Roads team competing in this COVID-delayed season, when sweaters, long pants and perhaps masks will replace the usual shortsleeved shirts and shorts of summer/early fall. Kellam coach Jason Copeland will rely on standout returnees Luis Park and Matthew Tigrett, freshman Jarell Amenio, Michael McIntosh, Allen Harris and Preston Dean.
“We should be right there with a shot to win the region,” Copeland said.
Welcome back, Williamsburg
It was frustrating for Williamsburg-James City County athletes not to have the opportunity to join their Bay Rivers District brethren in winter sports. But golf is a great way to return to competition, especially for Jamestown. The Eagles won the 2019 Class 4 state title by 19 strokes on their home course, Williamsburg National, with their best four rounds combining for a 3-under-par 285. Three of the golfers who helped produce that score graduated, including Radford University player Bobby Dudeck. But Jamestown has a solid core of players, including Whit Coggin, Mason Eggleston, Brody Clavel, Hogan Schulze and junior Austin Smith, a transfer from Las Vegas. Eagles coach Doug Meredith, who has a team of 12, said,
“Normally, I have about 20 come out and I have to make all these cuts, but February weather made that a little bit easier. I can’t even predict who the top six are going to be.”
New formats
Because of the pandemic, the Bay Rivers District’s usual plan of putting all of its teams — potentially 11 — together to compete has been scrapped for this season. For example, Jamestown’s regular season will consist of four nine-hole matches against three other teams. The region and state tournaments are planned for mid-April.
Deep Falcons
Cox, which went 10-3 in coach David Mackey’s first season, took the Class 5 Region A title and was fifth at state. Seniors Ryan Lemmon (who shared 10th individually at state), Colin Reed (tied for 28th), Thomas Edwards (tied for 46th) and Sam Eubanks (tied for 54th) give the Falcons a strong core.
Around the area Hickory,
sixth in the 2019 Class 5 state tournament, likely will be led by Luke Gareiss, a senior who tied for fifth at state. Two-time girls state qualifier Rebecca Sun, who averaged about 77 strokes per round, and Chas Funk (82) figure to boost an Ocean Lakes team that was 7-3 last season. Lafayette, despite often being overshadowed by nearby Jamestown, placed sixth in the state Class 3 tournament. Great Bridge was the Class 4 Region A runner-up and the eighthplace finisher at state, and add standout freshman Trey Marrion. Marrion won a VSGA Junior Golf Circuit event last summer at Williamsburg National. Warhill should be competitive with Logan Archibald, Sophie Persinger and Blake Wagner. Salem, in Class 5, is rebuilding with two sophomores and a freshman, according to coach Tabb Pearson. Nansemond River, 6-4 and fifth in the Class 5 regional last year, brings back Sam Wolfe (who averaged 83 strokes per round a year ago), Trenton McMillen (85), Lilian Aune (85) and Ayden Stuffel (86). The Warriors hope to compete for Suffolk’s city championship.
High 5
Luke Gareiss, Hickory
As he enters his senior season, he can build off the fifth-place finish he shared at state in 2019 and a solid summer of tournament competition. He sparked the Hawks to sixth place in the state tournament, one spot and three strokes behind Cox.
Amber Mackiewicz, Bayside
Now a sophomore, she placed ninth among 69 entrants in the state girls championship in the fall of 2019 — the best of any Hampton Roads player.
She returns to spark a Bayside team that’s coming off its best-ever record as classmate Kaleigh Dean joins seniors Cody Cotterell, Travis Ebert and Blaise Wilson in the Marlins’ lineup.
Matthew and Jonathan McEwen, Churchland
The brothers led coach Kevin Bolduc’s Truckers to a 13-0 record and tied for the Class 4 Region A individual title in the fall of 2019. At the state tournament, Matthew, now a senior, tied for sixth, while Jonathan, now a sophomore, was 18th. Both have an excellent chance to place highly again in the region and state, and they are highly accomplished golfers outside the VHSL realm. Churchland won the Eastern District in Matthew’s three previous seasons.
Luis Park, Kellam
After winning the medal and leading the Knights to the Class 6 Region A championship in the fall of 2019, Park gained the Norfolk Sports Club’s Outstanding Golfer award. He then tied for 18th at state, where Kellam placed fourth among eight teams, and hopes this year can be even better.
Matthew Tigrett, Kellam
He had a memorable first high school season in 2019, taking third place in the state Class 6 tournament with a 2-under-par 70 at Magnolia Green. Now a sophomore, he’ll be part of a formidable core.