Polk claims fifth at state 2A golf tournament

Polk County’s boys golf team once again ended its season as one of the top five teams in the state.

The Wolverines matched their fifth-place showing at last year’s state 1A tournament with a similar finish in this year’s 2A event, claiming fifth as the two-day tourney concluded Tuesday at Foxfire Resort and Golf Club in Pinehurst.

Polk County posted a team score of 351 on Tuesday to finish the two rounds with a total of 692, 38 strokes behind champion East Surry. The Cardinals recorded a 326 Tuesday to break a first-round tie with Midway and win the team title by 11 strokes.

Clinton finished third, with West Davidson in fourth, just two strokes ahead of Polk County.

Evan Jones led the Wolverines with an 80-84–164 effort, followed by Casey Beiler (86-85–171), Avery Harden (88-89–177) and Reilly Yoder (87-93–180). Jones finished tied for 20th in the individual competition.

Yoder delivered the best stretch of play Tuesday for Polk, closing his round with four consecutive pars.

All four Wolverines are slated to return next season for another state championship run.

East Surry earned the seventh team state championship in school history and its first since 2008. The Cardinals were led again by Bradley Davis Jr. who entered the day at 75 (+3) just one shot in back of the overnight leader, Drew O’Neal from Beddingfield.

Davis matched his +3 round from the first day on the final day to put up a superb 6+ total for the tournament, but Midway’s Logan Atkins posted the only even-par round of the tournament in the final round to pair with his opening 76 to win by two shots over his counterpart from East Surry.

Atkins went out in 35 on the opening nine, draining two birdies and carding just a single bogey on the front nine. After an opening bogey on the par-4 10th hole, he steadied the ship and knocked in pars all the way home to post an even-par 72 and take the tournament.

East Surry also got outstanding rounds from the rest of its scoring foursome to solidify the victory on the final day of the event. Chase Harris shot 78 (+6) thanks to a pair of matching 39s on the front and back nine. Connor Key and Anderson Badgett contributed an 86 and an 87, respectively.