Panthers can't close the gap

Hibriten entered Monday's conference golf match at Cedar Rock Country Club seven shots back of Hickory for the lead in the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference.

Given that Cedar Rock is the Panthers' home course, coach Larry Taylor thought his team would have a chance to inch closer to the 3-A team leading the 10-team league. But Hibriten couldn't cut into the deficit and actually lost ground. The Panthers finished nine shots back of the Red Tornadoes in fourth place.

“We've gone backwards,” Hibriten coach Larry Taylor said. “I'm not pleased at all with the way we played today. It's embarrassing to get beat on our own course and it's worse when you play bad.”

Hickory won the nine-hole event with a four-man score of 154 and had three sub-40 rounds, led by Conner Sock's 37. Newton-Conover was second with 155 (led by medalist Chandler Keel's 36) and St. Stephens third with 162. Hibriten (163) had just one round under 40 - Alex Simmons' 38 - and had three players card triple bogeys.

“We're 10 shots higher than what we should be on our home course,” Taylor said.

Also scoring for the Panthers were Drew Harris (40), Tanner Harris (42) and Sam Birckhead (43).

West Caldwell was ninth with 198 strokes. Jordan Harris (47), Alex Franklin (48), Caleb Branch (51) and Ronnie Burchette (53) scored.

Other team scores were Foard (165), Maiden (171), Patton (172), Bandys (177) and Bunker Hill (203).

Hickory leads the season tally with a score of 620. Hibriten is second with 636, followed by Newton-Conover and Foard in third with 653. West Caldwell is ninth with 762.

The CVAC teams return to action Thursday at Rock Barn. The day will include two nine-hole matches, meaning the Panthers could cut into Hickory's lead if they play well in one afternoon. Taylor's confident his team will respond and finish the season strong.

“We'll get it back where it needs to be,” he said.

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