The North Adams Green Devils finished second overall in the 2024 Southern Hills Athletic Conference Boys Golf Tournament. In no particular order, Assistant Coach Ryan Brewer, Breestin Schweickart, Connor Young, Christopher Hall, Caleb DeAtley, Carsyn Raines and Head Coach Corey Richmond. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference)
West Union third, manchester fourth
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
In professional golf tournaments, the players put in 36 holes, but they do it in four consecutive days. In the Southern Hills Athletic Conference boys golf tournament, the competitors also play 36 holes on the same course, but the event is spread out among nine days and four different courses. This year’s four rounds of the SHAC boys tournament saw the first two rounds played on September 10 (Hillsboro Elks)m September 12 (Snow Hill), September 17 (Hilltop) and September 19 (Buckeye Hills).
The Defender reported last week on the first two rounds of play and round three came to Hilltop with Lynchburg holding on to a 13-stroke lead over West Union in the team chase, while Mustangs’ senior Saxen Wilkin leading the individual race by eight strokes over Manchester’s Parker Hayslip. The third round din’t see those spots change, just the margins
The medalist for Round Three was North Adams senior Connor Young, who shot a 34 on the back nine at Hilltop. Another North Adams senior, two-time defending champion Breestin Schweicjart, struggled the first two rounds but battled back with a 35 in the third round to inch into third place overall. West Union’s A.J. Cooper shot a 37 to jump into a second place tie with Hayslip, both sitting seven strokes behind Wilkin.
In the team standings, Lynchburg still maintained a comfortable lead but North Adams leapfrogged West Union into second place, the Dragons dropping to third with Manchester hanging on to fourth.
Round Four moved to Buckeye Hills last Thursday with everyone trying to close the gaps on Lynchburg and again it was North Adams’ Young getting medalist honors bu shooting another 34, joined by Manchester’s Hayslip who also carded a 34. Wilkin and Schweickart each shot 37 to scramble the individual standings with Hayslip staying in the second spot, Young moving up to third and Schweickart dropping to fourth, with Wilkin capturing the individual title by four strokes.
Lynchburg also held on to win to the 2024 team championship, topping second place North Adams by eight total strokes. West Union stumbled a bit in the final rounds, falling to third, 18 strokes behind North Adams, while Manchester held on to the fourth place slot.
The top 15 golfers in the tournament earn All-SHAC Honors and those included: Saxen Wilkin, Lynchburg (146), Parker Hayslip, Manchester (150), Connor Young, North Adams (152), Breestin Schweickart, North Adams (155), Thomas Barnhart, Manchester (161), Nolen Wilkin, Lynchburg (162), A.J. Cooper, West Union (163), Marcus Lynch, Eastern Brown (163), Tegan Knox, West Union (165), Calen Vogler, Peebles (166), Braedon West, Lynchburg (168), Aiden West, Lynchburg (168), Caleb DeAtley (170), Sam Griffis, West Union (172), Landon McIntosh, West Union (173).
Ten of the All-Conference golfers came from the four schools in Adams County.
2024 SHAC Boys Golf Final Team Standings: Lynchburg 635, North Adams 643, West Union 661, Manchester 670, Fairfield 741, Eastern Brown 764, Whiteoak 775, Peebles 778, Ripley 883
