Staff report
MOUNT AIRY — The Salisbury boys golf team won the 2A Midwest region final for the third straight year Monday at Cross Creek Country Club.
The novelty is still fresh.
The Hornets resumed their stretch of county titles and conference titles earlier this year and saw another continue with a strong performance from a senior leader.
Troy Beaver shot a 2-under 70 to claim medalist and Salisbury finished with 301 score, besting West Davidson’s 313. Beaver, also medalist at the CCC championship last week, birdied a par-3 No. 14 to go 2-under and held on to edge North Surry’s Taylor Coalson by a stroke.
“Troy’s been coming up big for us the last couple of weeks,” Salisbury coach Dale Snyder said. “He was striking the ball well all day.”
Joseph Rusher shot a 75 for the Hornets and was a tone-setter for the rest of the team. Rusher was even through 14 holes after teeing off at 8:30 a.m. Rusher finished tied for fifth.
“Our guys saw him playing well and it helped them relax,” Snyder said. “He was big for us today.”
Alex Nianouris, Alex Lee and Clark Alcorn finished with 78s. Eric Edwards shot a 79.
Lee, a Catawba signee, was 6-over through eight holes but finished even the rest of the way.
It was the first experience for the Hornets at Cross Creek. Salisbury got a practice round in Sunday and experienced a nice day weather-wise Monday.
“We fought through some tough spots,” Snyder said. “There were some tough green complexes and the greens were in some tough spots. We got focused after the front nine.”
The Hornets will defend their state title again at Long Leaf Golf and Country Club in Pinehurst next week.
“We’re in a really good spot,” Snyder said. “This is a good springboard going into the states. I’m really happy with the effort.”
Wilkes Central’s Zach Joines’s 74 included a hole-in-one on the 10th hole. Joines played alongside Nianouris, a Davidson signee.
North Surry finished third with a 330.