Recent Broughton High graduate Richard Fountain played the golf round of his career Thursday when he shot a 12-under-par 59 at Carolina Country Club, tying a club record held by former Broughton star and Wake Forest University All-America Webb Simpson.
Fountain had 11 birdies, one bogey and an eagle.
"I have never experienced anything like it," Fountain said.
He made a 40-foot putt for birdie on No. 5 and chipped in on No. 8 for a birdie. His eagle putt at No. 10 was from 10 feet.
"I think I played 5 through 12 in 9 under," Fountain said. "I had shot a couple of 64s on the same course, but it reached the point that I expected every putt to drop, because they were."
Fountain has accepted a golf scholarship to Davidson University. He was a three-time All-Cap Seven 4-A selection at Broughton.
"I was in a slump much of the high school season this spring," Fountain said. "But I'm out of it now."
Simpson, who has had four top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and has won almost $1.8 million in the past two years, called Fountain a couple of hours after he finished his round.
"It was really nice of Webb to call," Fountain said. "It really meant a lot to me."
Leesville on top: The Leesville Road boys are the preseason top-ranked 4-A boys cross country team in the state, according to Milesplit.com, but Pride coach Mark McLamb notes that last year's preseason top-ranked team didn't finish among the top five in the N.C. High School Athletic Association championships.
"So much depends on the kids taking the season seriously and working to get better," McLamb said. "Our kids may have improved, but so have the kids who we are running against."
The Pride is expected to be led by Andrew Bynum, Christian Klute, Aaron Smith and William Hoese.
Broughton, Leesville Road's Cap Eight rival, also is expected to be strong. Sanderson, another Cap Eight team, won the championship last year. (Heritage becomes the eighth member of the conference this fall.)
Taylor at Central: Brian Taylor will report to Harnett Central for football practice Monday, according to his mom, despite any rumors to the contrary.
There have been a lot of rumors about Taylor, who rushed for 1,000 yards and passed for 2,000 yards last year while leading Central to the state 4-A championship game and a 15-1 record.
Central football and baseball coach Marc Morris resigned in the spring to become the coach at Johnston County's Cleveland High, but Taylor is looking forward to his senior year at Central, according to his mother.
He also was a starter in basketball and baseball for the Trojans.
Hepp heads to Japan: L.J. Hepp, who left Panther Creek High to work in the University of South Carolina basketball program, has been named coach of the Oita Heat Devils of the Japan Basketball League.
Hepp signed a three-year deal to lead Oita, the Cary News reported. Former N.C. State and Enloe graduate Mike Bell played for Oita last season.
Dutch turns pro: Former Clayton High hurdles star Johnny Dutch is going pro.
The nine-time high school state champion and the reigning NCAA 400-meter hurdles champion at South Carolina will forgo his senior season at South Carolina and become a professional track and field athlete.
He was an eight-time All-America selection at South Carolina. He is expected to sign with Renaldo Nehemiah of Octagon, a sports and entertainment management and marketing company based in McLean, Va.
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