By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

JACKSON SPRINGS, N.C. — South Rowan senior Parker Chavis stood at the 17th tee box, a 189-yard par 3, trying desperately to keep his emotions in check. Two holes to go in the 3A state championships on Foxfire’s Red Fox Course, and he was tied for the lead.

“The nerves were really starting to set in,” Chavis said. “Then I mis-hit a 5-iron on 17, and that was that.”

A bogey on the 17th put Chavis down a stroke, and Wilson Fike’s Bryson Boyette finished things off with a birdie on No. 18 for a two-shot victory over Chavis, who parred 18, and Lee County’s Dalton Mauldin.

Chavis, who shot 1-over for the tournament (72-73 — 145), held a one-shot lead after Monday’s opening round.

“I gave it all I had the last two days,” Chavis said. “I thought I handled the pressure well for the most part, and this state experience is going to be help me tremendously in my college career.”

Chavis, who signed with Pfeiffer University, bogeyed No. 5 and No. 6 before getting a stroke back with an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-4, 413-yard No. 7 hole.

He made his second — and final — birdie of the day on No. 12, a par-3, to get back to even for the round and the tournament.

“I made a really long putt on  12, really the only putt that fell for me all day,” Chavis said. “I was in position to make a lot of putts, but I lipped a couple and left a few more a hair short.”

After that birdie, Chavis parred the next four holes before his setback on 17.

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East Rowan finished at 633 (57-over) for fourth place in team scoring. The Mustangs, runners-up in 2015 and 2016, finished behind Marvin Ridge (615), Burlington Williams (627) and Tuscola (630).

East’s Nick Lyerly shot 76-74 — 150 and tied for seventh. Lyerly made three birdies on Tuesday, including back-to-backs on 13 and 14,  but he couldn’t overcome a triple-bogey 7 on No. 2, a 408-yard par-4.

Lyerly won the state title as a sophomore in 2015 and finished fifth last year.

East’s William Garland had a stellar tournament, shooting 77-75 — 152 to tie for 11th. Garland made two birdies on Tuesday.

East’s Bryson Sprinkle made one birdie on Tuesday and shot  81 after an opening 73 put him in contention. He tied for 18th.

Austin Miller shot 86 for East’s fourth counting score on Tuesday. Alex Miller shot 88.

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Salisbury junior Alex Antosek made four birdies on Tuesday at Beacon Ridge in West End and shot 2-over 74. His round included four bogeys and a double bogey.

Antosek, who shot 80 on Monday, was tied for 16th going into the second round. He moved up to a tie for fifth at 10-over 154.   It was a remarkable comeback after he began the tournament struggling.

“It was funny,” Antosek said. “I was 5-over for the first three holes, and then I was 5-over for the rest of the tournament.”

Antosek started Tuesday’s play on No. 10. He made his first birdie on No. 14, trickling in a putt from 20 feet.

Antosek ran into rain on No. 18, but he made a swinging putt for a birdie.

“That was incredible in the conditions,” Antosek said.

On the No. 5 hole, a short par 4, Antosek struck  his second shot within 5 feet and made the putt for birdie.

He rescued his round when he avoided potential disaster on No. 8. He scrambled for a bogey after his tee shot went out of bounds.

Antosek finished the tournament with a birdie on No. 9. He hit a wedge from 97 yards out within 4 feet of the cup and knocked down the putt.

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Davie County’s Wesley Sink shot 80-77 — 157 to finish 13-over in the 4A State Championships held at Pinehurst No. 6. He tied for 42nd.