By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
After Stephen Loy sensed there would be interest in girls’ golf at Graham, he was determined to make it happen.
Loy is the first coach for girls’ golf at the school.
“This is groundbreaking for these young ladies,” Loy said.
Tuesday’s Alamance County match at The Challenge Golf Club was the team’s first competition.
Graham’s initial team consists of five juniors and one freshman, clearly in the novice category, Loy said.
There have been donations of clubs, pulling carts, and red-and-black golf bags.
“I’m so grateful,” Loy said. “I truly appreciate the outpouring of contributions. I feel like I’m living in a Disney movie.”
Graham athletics director Kyle Ward said Loy discussed the possibility of forming a team near the end of the past school year. Ward said he appreciates the support shown from various community businesses and individuals in helping on short notice.
“We kind of threw it together,” Ward said. “We just wanted to get it going.”
Loy said the Red Devils weren’t ready for the county’s first meet last week, but will enter other ones along with the intention to play a full Mid-Carolina Conference schedule.
“We’re helping them to learn the ropes,” he said.
Graham placed last among six teams Tuesday, 10 strokes behind fifth-place Eastern Alamance. Marely Torres Reyes recorded 62 for the Red Devils’ top score.
Loy, 57, is an exceptional children inclusion teacher specializing in math. The 1985 Graham graduate is in his fourth year on the school’s teaching staff.
He’s spent several years as swimming and diving coach at Eastern Alamance, and remained involved with that school assisting with golf through the last school year.
Ward and Loy said they hope this leads to reinstating the Graham boys’ program. That season comes in the spring, though the Red Devils haven’t fielded a team in recent years.
Graham won’t be the host team for any matches this year, so it doesn’t need a home course. Arrangements have been made for practice sessions at I-85 Golf, which is a range in Haw River.
Ward, who had filled in on an interim basis as boys’ coach years ago, said the Red Devils bounced around when it came to home venues.
They used what was then called The Challenge at Hideaway Farm because of connections to the Waggoner family, though that facility has undergone several ownership changes.
Then Graham teams had both Quarry Hills Country Club and Shamrock Golf Club as home courses – and neither of those courses exist anymore.
Also Tuesday, Southern Alamance was the team winner with 122 for a 20-stroke advantage on runner-up Williams.
Gabbie Morehead of Williams and Eva Grace Robinson of Southern Alamance both shot 4-over-par 40s, while Southern’s Riley Bush and Madison Kingery and Western’s Ashtyn Whitfield were all a stroke back.
Morehead shoots 36
Teams from Alamance and Rockingham counties competed last Thursday at The Valley Golf Course, where Williams was the host team.
The individual medalist was Morehead, who posted 1-over 36.
Southern Alamance won the team competition with 130 as Bush and Robinson recorded 43s, sharing the individual runner-up spot with Reidsville’s Alina Amos. Kingery was next with 44, while Williams’ McKinley Metts and Southern’s Sydney Crawford both had 48s.
Western Alamance was led by Whitfield’s 49, Eastern Alamance’s Alana Griggs had 54 and Southeast Alamance’s top score came from Zoey Lambert with 57.
