By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Zach Wilson of Western Alamance heated up in the cold.
Wilson shot 2-over-par 37 in the season’s third edition of the All-County boys’ golf competition Tuesday at Alamance Country Club.
Playing with temperatures in the 40s and a chilling, whipping wind, Wilson made the best of the situation.
“I was just managing the course really well,” he said. “It was so windy and cold.”
Wilson, a senior, said the conditions were the toughest he had encountered in competition.
The individual runner-up was Eastern Alamance’s Gryffin Brehler with 39. Williams’ Blake Saunders had 40 and Eastern’s Max Brehler and Williams’ Christos Katsoudas both posted 43s.
Western won the team competition with 175 to tighten the All-County standings. Williams, the host school, was second with 178, followed by Eastern at 181 and Southern Alamance at 184.
Long-time Williams coach Tommy Cole said he couldn’t recall colder conditions for a match. “And the wind,” he said.
“It was super windy and we all managed to play decently well and pulled off the win,” Wilson said.
It was the second time this week that Wilson was medalist for a match. He shot even-par 35 on Western’s home course, The Valley Golf Course, on Monday when the Warriors defeated Rockingham County and Williams.
“We were excited to go play at Alamance (Country Club) because we had just beat Williams,” Wilson said. “I think we were excited, just a little cold.”
Wilson had seven pars and two bogeys in the round.
“I want to win every match I can to give me some momentum going into the conference,” Wilson said.
In the All-County competition, each of the four teams is home for one nine-hole match before an 18-hole round to cap the competition. Cummings and Graham don’t have full teams and aren’t participating.
Through three matches, Williams is the team leader at 512, followed by Southern (527), Western (540) and Eastern (551).
The teams played at The Valley Golf Course in Week 1 and at The Challenge Golf Club in Graham the next week.
Wilson has had earlier rounds of 40 and 37. Brehler had a pair of 38s the first two weeks, while Katsoudas had 38 and 41. Southern’s top golfer has been Lacy Carroll with 42, 41 and 49.
The next match comes next Wednesday at Mill Creek Golf Club in Mebane. The 18-hole final match is set for March 28 back at Alamance Country Club.
