HUNTINGTON Ƶ Hit them while itƵs hot.
Jack Michael and Cabell Midland High SchoolƵs golf team did just that Tuesday, winning the Duke Ridgley Invitational in a heat index of 103 degrees at Guyan Golf & Country Club.
Michael, a junior, took medalist honors with a 2-under-par 69 on the 6,523-yard course. Cooper Ward of Shady Spring finished second, one stroke back. Hunter Freeman of Ironton, Cam Fallon of Parkersburg South and Tyler Beard of Shady Spring shot 71 apiece to tie for third.
ƵThe score was pretty solid,Ƶ Michael said. ƵI grinded out there. It wasnƵt the prettiest, but I managed to keep it decent.Ƶ
Cabell MidlandƵs team of Michael, Alex White (73), Carson Sergent (74) and Wyatt Maynard (76) shot 216 to win the team title. Shady Spring was second at 224. Hurricane and Parkersburg South tied for third at 226. Ironton was fifth at 230 and George Washington sixth at 232.
ƵWe really couldnƵt have drawn it up any better,Ƶ Knights coach Matt Stead said. ƵWe had a lot of scores in the 70s. ThatƵs what we always shoot for. We know if we can get two or three of those together, weƵre going to have a good score.Ƶ
Four Cabell Midland players on the B and C teams shot in the 70s. The Knights C squad, led by a 76 from Parker Roberts, shot 236, good for seventh in the 20-team field. Cabell MidlandƵs B team, paced by 79s from Cooper Childress, Bryson Mabry and Jackson Foster, shot 237 to place eighth.
Gallia Academy at 241, Winfield 245, Spring Valley 249, Wahama 250, Hurricane B 251, Parkersburg 251, George Washington B 252, Fairland 261, Huntington High 271, Spring Valley B 290 and Chesapeake with no score rounded out the field.
ƵJackƵs Jack,Ƶ Stead said of Michael. ƵI hate to say that, but heƵs done it so long we just expect greatness, and he does, too.Ƶ
Michael said he wondered for a while how many golfers would make it through the round in the intense heat. The temperature reached 95 degrees.
ƵIt was brutal,Ƶ Michael said. ƵItƵs tough. You have to keep yourself from cramping. I started cramping right at the end. I thought I drank enough water for a family of four, but I guess I didnƵt.Ƶ
Stead said he encourages golfers to hydrate two days before a tournament.
ƵThe only thing you can do is hydrate,Ƶ said Stead, whose Knights play twice more this week, including at the Capital City Classic on Thursday in Charleston. ƵIt doesnƵt start on the course. It starts the day before, two days before, preparing yourself for this. We have a whole week of this coming up. They have to keep on drinking water and Gatorade preparing for these conditions. ItƵs not going to get any easier.Ƶ
Freeman said he was pleased with how he played.
ƵI think I hit it pretty well,Ƶ Freeman said. ƵI made a few mistakes, but I was pretty happy with the way it ended. I rolled the ball pretty well today, made some long putts and kept my confidence up.Ƶ
Freeman, too, said the heat was challenging.
ƵIt was tough,Ƶ Freeman said. ƵI just tried to stay hydrated and have fun.Ƶ
Ridgley was a sports writer at The Herald-Dispatch from 1919 through 1958. He was known for his column ƵDiamond Dust.Ƶ Ridgley died in 1962.
