Southern Wayne freshman Hunter Merritt hits out of the sand trap on hole No. 2 at Lane Tree Golf Course during the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A east regional Monday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Hunter Merritt, right, and a playing partner go over scorecards before they tee off on hole No. 2 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Joseph Strange watches his tee shot on No. 2 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Joseph Strange reacts after missing a putt on hole No. 1 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday afternoon. Strange shot an 83 during the N.C. High School Athletic Association east 3A regional. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Hunter Merritt lines up his putt on No. 18 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Joseph Strange walks toward the green on No. 18 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday afternoon. Strange parred the hole and completed the back nine at even-par 36. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Hunter Merritt watches his putt roll into the cup on No. 2 at Lane Tree Golf Course on Monday afternoon. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
GOLDSBORO — Metal clubs clinked inside his golf bag as Southern Wayne’s Joseph Strange walked up the hilly 18th green at Lane Tree Golf Club on Monday afternoon.
He found his ball, marked it and stepped off to the side.
Strange knelt and studied the rolling line while his playing partners putted out. When it was his turn, he took a deep breath and hit a slow roller toward the cup.
A murmur of “go ball” came from the group following Strange.
Seconds later, he pulled the ball out of the cup, marked his card and grinned as he headed toward No. 1. He finished the back at nine even-par 36 with the challenging front nine awaiting him during the 2023 N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 3A East Regional golf tournament.
Strange eventually carded an 18-hole round of 83 and missed the cutoff to qualify for next week’s state championships at Foxfire Resort and Golf Club.
“Joe got off to a great start,” said Saints head coach Frank Stauffer. “He had a couple of tough holes [on the front nine] where he struggled, but through it all he continued to play hard and never gave up.”
Teammate Hunter Merritt fired a 90.
“Hunter experienced some tough breaks early [but] he never let that stop him,” Stauffer said. “He played hard every hole and for him to finish today in the windy conditions on top of the pressure of the regional tournament, to post the score he did was fantastic.
“I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of both of these boys.”
J.H. Rose senior Luke Mosley claimed the regional’s individual title with a sparkling 6-under 66. Jacksonville junior Tyler Jones turned in a 1-under 71, followed by First Flight freshman Blake Austin (even par).
Rose’s Jack West, Fike’s Ethan Boyette and North Brunswick’s Ethan Trexler each shot a 1-over 73.
Mosley and his teammates returned to Greenville with the team championship in tow, too. Currituck County wound up second, followed by West Carteret.
Stauffer is looking forward to next season.
“I’m so proud of this entire team,” Stauffer said. “They all never gave up all season and have improved so much. I had such a great time with these young men this season and I’m extremely excited for the future of Southern Wayne golf.”
