NCHSAA women's East golf regional held at Goldsboro Municipal GC

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By Ryan Hatchett
Goldsboro News Argus

GOLDSBORO - Some days the breaks do not fall in line.

The game of golf can ebb and flow like the tide, and that was certainly the case at the N.C. High School Athletic Association Classes 1-A/2-A/3-A women's eastern golf regional at Goldsboro Municipal Golf Course on Monday.

Defending state champion Union Pines won the 18-hole event with a team total of 244. Southern Lee (257), Topsail (276) and Pittsboro Northwood (291) also advanced to next week's state tournament at Foxfire Golf Club.

Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference team champion Southern Wayne finished 10th in the standings with a 322 team total. Eastern Wayne followed with a 333.

"We wanted to move on as a team, but today was a tough day for a lot of players," said Southern Wayne head coach Michael Wiggs. "It was cold, and that probably made the scores a little higher than usual, but we aren't going to use that as an excuse."

The Saints' Taylor Reaves fired a 94 and qualified as an individual for the state tournament. Taylor Scott carded a 107 and Darian Edwards fired a 121 to round out the Saints' scoring.

"Taylor gets to move on for the second straight year and I am really happy for her," said Wiggs. "I am proud of all my girls. They really came along this season. Some days it's just not your day."

Two-time ECC player-of-the-year Jasmine Reeves will make a return trip to the state tournament. The Eastern Wayne standout battled through some early trouble en route to a round of 89.

"I hit my driver pretty well all day, and even putted better than I have been," said Reeves. "I just couldn't hit my irons."

The junior plans on fine-tuning her game before the season's final tournament.

"I would love to shoot in the low 80's," said Reeves. "I have played there before, so I know the course a little bit, and I think I can score there."

Reeves also admitted that the cold weather and early tee time (9 a.m.) may have altered her game.

"I decided to switch balls due to the cold weather," she said. "I also had to play in long sleeves and pants for the first time. Wearing layers always affects my swing."

Sydney Stocks shot a 121 and Hannah Grantham recorded a 123 for the Warriors.

"I think Jasmine's biggest problem today was with leaving iron shots short of the target," said Eastern Wayne head coach Scott Waller. "The grass was wet early in the day, and the conditions were pretty tough, especially on the first nine."

Princeton's only regional qualifier Christi Mileski earned a berth in the state tournament with a round of 86 on Monday. Charles B. Aycock's lone entrant Lauren Larison carded a 116.

Havelock High School's Jennifer Crow captured the individual regional title with a round of 78. Crow bested Union Pines' Amanda D'Ostroph on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

Samantha Gilder (Union Pines) finished third overall with a round of 80.

"Today turned out to be a nice day for golf, even though the scores might not reflect that," said Waller. "Goldsboro Municipal was in great shape, and it was pretty fair for everybody."