WCHS sends two to region: Seniors Brock, Boyd advance through district

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Warren County’s Ty Boyd eyes his shot as he follows through off the tee on “Billygoat Hill,” the 17th hole at the McMinnville Country Club, during Monday’s District 7-AAA golf tournament. (Rob Nunley photo)

Boys golfers from District 7-AAA converged on the McMinnville Country Club Monday for their district tournament, and although the Pioneers missed out on a shot to advance as a team, WCHS will send two individuals to next week’s region championships.

Seniors Ty Boyd and Barrett Brock advanced to the region, which will be played at the country club Monday morning.

“This is really gratifying for them, and at least they’re going to have something to remember about their senior year,” said WCHS golf coach Keith Maxwell. “This is a good way for them to finish up.”

The top three teams out of the seven-member district advanced, along with the top five individuals on the remaining four squads.

Boyd turned in a score of 77, after making the turn in 39 and coming in with a 38 on the back nine. Maxwell noted the senior told him to expect big things if he was to compete in the district.

“He told me three weeks ago, if he qualified for the district, he was going to do something good,” Maxwell said. “He did that today.”

Brock, who only qualified for four tournaments this season before earning a spot in the field for the district, finished in a three-way tie with an 83, and had to go to a sudden-death playoff with Riverdale’s Casey Fones and White County’s Ryan Sims. Sims was eliminated on the first hole of the playoff, sending Fones and Brock to the region tournament.

“Barrett was a really pleasant surprise,” Maxwell said. “He’s kind of struggled this year, but he played really well today when it mattered most.”

Murfreesboro Oakland finished first as a team, with Phillip Pettitt leading the way for the Patriots with a 73.

Teammates Spencer Provow and Zack Primm each had a 75, and Adam Wilcock had an 80 for a team total of 303.

Cookeville’s 310 qualified the Cavaliers for the second team spot in the region.

The Cavs were led by West Fox with a 74, and Jarred Dunn with a 76.

The final team spot went to Lebanon with a 326, with Cody Crawford and Dustin Shorter leading the way with a pair of 81’s.

The Pioneers finished fifth as a team, with Boyd’s 77 and Brock’s 83 the low team scores.

Alex Self shot an 84, while Alex Guthrie had a 95. The Pioneers’ fifth golfer, Cody Durham, had to withdraw due to a discrepancy on his scorecard.

Other individual golfers joining Boyd and Brock at the region will be Blackman’s Austin Bowling and Graham Austin, as well as Riverdale’s Fones.

The Lady Pioneers will compete in their own region tournament Friday at the country club, beginning at 10 a.m.