Eagles take second as team, but Williams emerges individual state champion

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on May 15, 2008 3:54 PM

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PINEHURST -- Senior Eric Williams emerged the individual state champion and Wayne Christian ended up second overall during team competition in the 2008 N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association Class 1-A men's golf championships.

Williams used a second-day, 18-hole total of 70 to edge Cape Fear's Bill Herring by one stroke -- 146-147 -- to claim medalist honors. The Eagles, however, couldn't overcome an 18-stroke deficit after day one in team competition and relinquished its state title to Kerr-Vance Academy.

Kerr-Vance compiled a 36-hole total of 602, while Wayne Christian fashioned a 619. It was the Eagles' sixth consecutive, top-three showing in six tournament appearances.

Cape Fear Christian claimed third at 678, followed by Cresset Christian (686), Statesville Christian (690), Northeast Academy (705), Terra Ceia (725) and Greenfield (726).

Williams, who has signed to play basketball at Mount Olive College, earned all-state recognition. Teammates Matt Davis (156) and Hayden Gardner (157) also garnered all-state accolades. Davis shaved eight strokes off his first-day score.

Taylor Gardner rounded out the Eagles' scoring with a 160. Davis Taylor and Andrew Radford also participated in the tournament for Wayne Christian, which compiled a 57-11 team record.

"It was disappointing to the players and coaches not to bring home the state title again this year, but looking back over the season, the Eagles still had a very successful year," said Wayne Christian coach Hal Davis.