Fall sports preview -- Golf

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 15, 2004 7:27 AM

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Charles B. Aycock

Coach: Gary Hales, second season

Last season: 30-16

Playoffs: One golfer, Kelli Forbis, qualified for the state tournament

Gone: Madison Howell, who graduated

Back: Forbis, Morgan Lane and Brooke Newell

Outlook: Forbis will anchor a solid Aycock squad that has experience, but Hales is concerned about the team's lack of consistency from last season. If Lane or Newell can shoot consistent low scores with Forbis, the Falcons should contend for Eastern Carolina Conference title honors.

Eastern Wayne

Coach: Scott Waller, seventh season

Last season: 74-3, 35-0 in conference play

Playoffs: Conference champions, eastern 3-A regional champions, third in state 3-A championship tournament

Gone: Kristen Freeman

Back: Brittney Taylor, Ashley Smith, Megan Sutton, Heather Raczkowski

Outlook: Waller's teams are 230-75 in his seven years, but his moist successful team was a year ago. With Freeman at Mount Olive College, Waller must now count on a new team leader. That should be Taylor, the senior who finished 10th at last year's state championship tournament. "Brittney has the capability to shoot in the 70s," said Waller. "She just needs to keep improving. One of the girls needs to step up and join her." Smith should be the other low scorer, but Sutton or Raczkowski could push her, as could sophomores Janelle Archer and Cori Bell. Waller sees one weakness -- the team's lack of match experience as a whole. Charles B. Aycock and South Central should be conference contenders along with the Warriors.

Spring Creek

Coach: Brooks Daly, first season

Last season: winless - finished in second place in Wayne County tournament

Gone: None

Back: Jennifer Johnson and Hannah Lane; Amanda Smith and Paula Webber round out the team

Outlook: Daly was one of Wayne County's first prep girl golfers, playing for Southern Wayne. She now leads the Gators in a conference that only has one other girls golf team -- North Johnson. The team will play nine-hole matches for the most part and will call Sleepy Creek Golf Course home.

Southern Wayne

Coach: Mike Connelly, first season

Last season: Not reported

Playoffs: Not reported

Gone: Not known

Back: None

Outlook: It's an all-new team and an all-new coach as Mike Connelly -- who will become known as the Saints' new boys basketball coach -- begins with five underclassmen, all new to golf. Krystal Pendergraft and Trisha Blackman are juniors, while Lynn Grantham is a sophomore and Jordan Hill and Alyssa Bradshaw are freshmen.

Teams not reporting -- Greene Central, North Johnston, Princeton. Goldsboro, Rosewood, James Kenan, North Duplin, and North Lenoir do not field girls golf teams.