WHEELING Ƶ The rivalry between Hurricane and Cabell Midland went up another notch on Wednesday.
This time it was on the golf course, specifically the Jones Course at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, where the Knights put the finishing touches on the Class AAA state championship and made Hurricane, for the second year in a row, the runner-up.
Both coaches Ƶ the KnightsƵ Matt Stead and the RedskinsƵ Sam OƵDell Ƶ acknowledged that intensity will likely continue in the future, with the youth on their teams likely to factor into the stateƵs landscape in 2025.
ƵThis Hurricane-Midland rivalry is going to go on for a while,Ƶ Stead said after the Knights won their first state championship since 2016. ƵItƵs going to be fun for the next three years. Especially, for the next three years, itƵs going to be back-and-forth and neck-and-neck.Ƶ
While Jack Michael graduates from the KnightsƵ state championship team and Hurricane loses two seniors, Kellen Pauley and Josh Gooden, both of whom were All-State selections, key returners and freshmen stepped up for both teams.
Stead said that aside from MichaelsƵ first-place finish, the player who impressed him the most was Midland freshman Wyatt Maynard, who finished one stroke behind WinfieldƵs Stephen McDavid for a tie in eighth place and a spot on the All-State team.
Other than the loss of Pauley and Gooden, Hurricane will return OƵDellƵs two sons Ƶ Carson, a junior, and Parker, a freshman Ƶ to a cast of other players who the coach said made great strides this season.
Hurricane freshman Isaac Hayes didnƵt play in the state tournament, but Sam OƵDell said after a rough first half of the season, Hayes led Hurricane in scoring average over the final month.
With Carson OƵDell, the two freshmen and depth among the other returning players, who had to step their play this season to replace the graduated Savannah Hawkins, the Hurricane coach said he is hopeful for the future.
ƵI think weƵll have a good chance,Ƶ Sam OƵDell said. ƵIƵll be excited for next year.Ƶ
ƵThatƵs what makes both of us good,Ƶ Stead said. ƵWe compete against each other. We want to be good and itƵs nice to have that local rival to push you, so itƵs going to be fun.Ƶ
Hole-in-one
The youngest of the OƵDell brothers had the highlight of the tournament. During the second round, Parker OƵDell produced the only hole-in-one of the two-day event.
The shot came on the par-3 11th hole.
ƵIt was 163 (yards) that plays a little downhill,Ƶ said Parker OƵDell, Ƶso, not much wind, hill, an 8-iron. Right when I hit, it was pretty solid and it was all over the pin.Ƶ
OƵDell said the ball hit the pin and deflected away from the hole, so he turned his attention away. What he missed was the spin on the ball that got it to run back to the cup and in.
ƵIt hit and we thought it lipped out, so I went back to my bag,Ƶ OƵDell said. ƵI realized it went in. It was a cool moment.Ƶ
Sam OƵDell, attending to another player one hole over, got the news of the shot soon after.
ƵI heard it,Ƶ said Sam OƵDell, who was on the 10th hole at the time and heard the crowd reaction. That was followed by Parker running to tell his father what he had done. ƵI told our (athletic director) Jeff Null that it was pretty cool, but that it was even cooler that he wanted me to know about it.Ƶ
Sam OƵDell, who has had his share of hole-in-one shots, said what makes it so difficult in competition is regaining the concentration to compete on the next tee.
Indeed, Parker OƵDell followed that with an 8 on the par-4 12th hole.
Bridesmaids, not the bride
HurricaneƵs distant second-place finish was the second for the Redskins, who were runner-up to Washington at the state tournament in 2023.
The 2024 tournament, however, was a good showing by multiple teams from the Kanawha Valley.
In Class A, Charleston Catholic was runner-up to champion St. Marys. In Class AAA, George Washington coach BJ Calabrese said he knew early that everyone in the large-school class was playing for second place behind Cabell Midland, but it appeared as if the Patriots might contend for runner-up.
Calabrese watched as GW slipped from third to fourth behind University. Then the Patriots were passed by 2023 champion Washington and three birdies in the second round by defending individual champion Tommy Evans.
The Irish found themselves in a better position as coach Charlie JordanƵs team found itself in position to win the championship.
ƵWe were expecting to be in contention this year,Ƶ Jordan said. ƵThe boys after (Tuesday) were a little behind, but they fought back really hard.Ƶ
Jordan said after the tournamentƵs first day Catholic was in fourth place, but focus coming into the second day had the team six strokes off the lead through nine holes of play.
Max Wilcox, who shot 103 through his first 18 holes of the tournament, led the charge on the second day and finished with an 81 in the second round. Wilcox took 22nd place overall in Class A.
