Hawks earn 4-A state berth

CLAYTON -- Holly Springs' golf team celebrated Monday's berth in the 4-A state golf tournament as exuberantly as the Chicago Cubs might if they ever win another World Series.

The difference is that the Cubs last won a World Series in 1908; Holly Springs High School has only been around for two years.

"Words cannot express how happy we are and how proud I am," Golden Hawks coach Bobby Fulghum said.

Southern Pines Pinecrest -- led by top-two individual finishers Russell Burke and Jack Fields -- rolled away with the regional title at 6-over-par 294 as a team, 12 strokes ahead of Holly Springs.

Wilmington Hoggard picked up the third and final team bid to states, finishing a shot behind the Golden Hawks.

Burke won the individual title with a 2-under-par 70, while Fields won a playoff for second individually.

Junior Thomas Bass and freshman Grant Houser each shot a 75 to pace Holly Springs, which also picked up a 76 from sophomore Brendan Ray and an 80 from another sophomore, Nick Zurowski.

Bass, the Golden Hawks' most experienced golfer, bounced back from a 42 on the Deer Run nine at Riverwood to shoot a 3-under 33 on the back side (the Riverview nine).

"We just showed up today with the mind-set that we're tired of being wide-eyed," Fulghum said. "As young as we are, there have been times where we were just glad to be somewhere.

"We were focused and came to compete today."

The Golden Hawks, whose lineup doesn't feature a single senior, finished tied with Smithfield-Selma for second in the Greater Neuse River 4-A Conference during the regular season.

Picking up individual state berths were:

* Purnell Swett's Jon Dial, who, like Fields, shot a 71.

* Garner's Sam Stephenson, who carded a 74.

* Fayetteville Britt's Justin Reynolds (75), who topped John Cole of Fayetteville Cape Fear on the fourth playoff hole.

Greater Neuse champion Clayton was sixth, and Smithfield-Selma was 13th.