Salem will have one golfer in the state Group 4A tournament next week but Glenvar failed to qualify anyone for the Group 2A tourney.
Senior Garrison Conner of Salem shot even par 72 at the Blacksburg Country Club to qualify for the state as an individual. The state tournament will be held at the Glenrochie County Club in Abingdon on Monday and Tuesday of next week, October 9 and 10.
Blacksburg High won the region 4D tournament on the Bruins home course, shooting a team score of 298. Jefferson Forest was second at 310, Charlottesville had 329, Liberty Christian shot 330 and Salem was fifth among 12 schools at 335.
The Spartans’ second best score was an 83 by Brian Hutton. Daniel Poff had an 89 and Johnny Danstrom had 91 to round out the scoring.
“We would have liked to have shot better, but even if we had we couldn’t have challenged Blacksburg,” said Salem coach Thad Snyder. “They’re loaded, and they were playing on their home course.”
Conner finished third overall as Chris Zhang of Blacksburg was medalist with a 68 and A.J. Stouffer of Charlottesville was runnerup with a 71. Conner is peaking at the right time and Snyder feels like he has a chance to win the state tournament next week.
“I think he had a shot,” he said. “He’s so in control of his game right now and his preparation is solid.”
Glenvar competed in the Region 2C tournament at the Ashley Plantation last week and finished 11th among 12 teams with a team score of 409. Eddie Ball shot his lowest score of the year with a 91.
Appomattox County earned a spot in the state as a team and had the individual medalist in Jillian Drinkard. Radford was second as a team and James River was third, just three strokes behind the Bobcats with a team score of 328.
The 2A state tournament is Monday and Tuesday of next week at Heritage Oaks in Harrisonburg.
