By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
Golf is now officially up and running again at W.S. Neal High School.
The Blue Eagles played their first match in three years Monday at Monroe County where they finished second in a triangular meet. Monroe County took top honors with a score of 197 followed by W.S. Neal with 201 and Excel in third place at 206.
William Woolen led the Blue Eagles with a nine-over-par 45, three spots away from the medalist position. Blake Bradley was one spot back with a 46, while Alex Smith shot a 48. Conner Batson was the last counter with a round of 60. Other scores for W.S. Neal included Skylar Gipson with a 64 and Ryan Meier with a 66. Woolen is a junior and Batson is a freshman, while the other players are seniors.
While W.S. Neal started its meet competition about a month later than most schools, Hathcock said his squad needed that time to learn the game.
Members of the squad have been practicing two days a week, one day at the at the Country Club of Brewton and the other at Jefferson Davis Community College.
W.S. Neal is slated to play two additional regular season matches. The Blue Eagles will return to Monroe County Monday for a quadrangular meet that includes Thomasville, Excel and Monroe County. The Blue Eagles will play a home meet April 23 against Excel and Monroe County. No decision has been whether or not W.S. Neal will participate in the Class 4A Section Tournament next month at Andalusia.
look at getting in another match somewhere. We could have the situation where we don't go as a team, but we qualify individual players. Players have to have no worse than an 18-stroke handicap. William was right at 18 strokes after the first match, while Blake was a couple strokes off.”
Regardless what happens the rest of the way, Hathcock thinks a good foundation has been laid for the future.