The Mountain Eight Conference Men’s Golf Championship is underway.
After visiting two of the state’s top courses in Tobacco Road and Pinehurst, the Panthers spent the next two weeks preparing for the postseason. After their last matches of the regular season and Round 1 of the conference tournament, Franklin ended the week in third place.
After returning home from Pinehurst April 2, the team returned to action April 9 in a two-team match at Sky Valley with Rabun Gap.
Freshman Bryce Bradley turned in the low round overall, traversing nine holes in 39 strokes at three over par. Freshman Oakley Brooks and sophomore Zaeden Chavis were hot on Bradley’s heels, tying for second at 41 (+5).
Senior Tanner Jones tied for fifth overall at 45 (+9), while another trio of Panthers (Reid Willis, 47; Braylen Dulicai, 48; Peyton Hurst, 48) finished back-to-back in seventh and eighth. As a team Franklin’s top four scores added up to 166, well ahead of Rabun Gap’s 188.
On Tuesday, April 14, they traveled to Highlands Falls for their last regular-season match, an 18-hole tournament practice round with five other Mountain Eight teams. At the site of the championship’s third and final match April 27, Brooks (78, +8) and Jones (79, +9) finished back-to-back in fourth and sixth a few strokes off the lead (74).
Dulicai placed 11th overall at 86 (+16), followed closely by Bradley (15th, 88) and Willis (19th, 89). As a team Franklin’s top four scores added up to 331 strokes, good for second place overall behind Pisgah. Tuscola (340) and Brevard (341) were hot on the Panthers’ heels, with East Henderson (354) and Smoky Mountain (361) bringing up the rear.
Two days later they traveled to Connestee Falls in Brevard for the first 18 holes of the conference tournament. There Brooks and Jones reversed their results from the previous round, with Jones placing fourth overall (78, +6) and Brooks finishing sixth (80, +8). Pisgah Black Bears claimed the top three spots, led by senior Jonah Smith at 75 (+3). Three more Panthers also nearly placed back-to-back, with Bradley finishing 15th at 86 (+14) and Willis/Hurst tying for 18th with 88 (+16).
As a team Franklin’s top four scores added up to 332 strokes, tying West Henderson for third. Playing in their own back yard, Brevard (330) narrowly edged out the Panthers and Falcons to finish a distant second behind Pisgah (311).
The Panthers returned to action after press time April 21, traveling to Springdale in Canton for Round 2.