Patton takes over WCHS golf program
The Warren County High School golfers hit the links this fall in an unfamiliar position — they’re under the tutelage of a new head coach.
McMinnville Country Club professional Hank Patton took over the program during the off-season, replacing Keith Maxwell — who retired after a coaching career of over two decades.
While he’s a rookie to the high school coaching ranks, Patton is no stranger to the game, obviously, and came into his new position familiar with many of his players, having served as the MCC pro and worked with the middle school golf program for the past several years.
“I’ve worked with most of these kids over the years, either on the middle school team or out at the course, and I want to take this talent and expand on it,” Patton said at the announcement of his being named Maxwell’s successor.
“One thing that I don’t want to do is to let Keith down, and I truly mean that. He has done such an outstanding job in putting this program on the map, and he left this program in great shape.”
The Pioneers have no shortage of experience on this year’s boys’ team, with three seniors and two juniors leading them onto the links this fall.
Cody Durham, Alex Self and Josh Eckart are the Pioneers’ senior players, while Andrew Brock and Grant Bullen make up the junior class. Sophomores include Aaron Gribble, Will Stern and Brandon Hodges.
Brock reached the boys’ region tournament during his sophomore campaign, after carding a 76 at the district tournament at Murfreesboro’s Indian Hills Golf Club. He struggled somewhat against the region field, however, returning to the same course but turning in an 85 that he’ll be looking to make up for this year.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Pioneers’ lone senior — Tori Ritz — will be shooting for a return trip to the state tournament, where she last appeared as a sophomore. Ritz, who carded an 87 in the region tourney last year and joined Brock and Lauren Bewick on the all-region team, already has one individual victory to her credit as of this writing, having captured first place in the Murfreesboro Invitational preseason tournament by carding an 86 at Champions Run.
The first Warren County home action of the season is scheduled for today, when White County travels to the McMinnville Country Club for a 3:30 tee time.
2005 Schedule
Date Opponent Course
8/1 Murfreesboro Inv’l Champions Run
8/8 Stan McNabb Lakewood (Tullahoma)
8/15 Cookeville Early Bird Cookeville CC
8/19 White County MCC
8/22 Brentwood Inv’l Old Natchez
8/25 Blackman, Siegel MCC
8/29 DeKalb County MCC
9/1 Riverdale, Siegel, Oakland Indian Hills 9/6 WCHS Invitational MCC
9/8 White County Sparta CC
9/15 Oak., Smyr., La Vergne Stones River
9/19 DeKalb Co. Smithville
9/20 Tullahoma Willowbrook
9/26 District Tournament (boys) Old Fort
10/3 Regional Tourn.
(girls teams, boys qualifiers) Old Fort
10/11-12 State Tournament Old Fort