User:Lancelovesgolf101/Rockingham County High School Men's Golf

Rockingham County High School has had a men's golf program for many decades. However, the RCHS men's golf team has only begun to experience post-season success in the past decade. For at least the past decade, RCHS has been placed in the 3A league for men’s golf.

2005 Season: In 2005, the RCHS Cougar golf team qualified for the Regional Championship for the second time in school history, the first time being in 2004, and finished fourth in their regional tourney narrowly missing qualification for the state-wide tournament. The top three teams from each region are given a bid to the North Carolina State Championship. After the 2005 season, the head coach for the RCHS varsity golf team, Jeff Page, left RCHS. Stepping in and filling his shoes would be Mike Williams, an RCHS alumni himself who played golf at RCHS and then at Elon University. While Mike Williams inherited a talented group, his personal experience with competitive golf along with his sincere desire to help his kids develop as people contributed to RCHS' success in golf over the following years.

2006 Season: In 2006, the Cougars first made it known that they would be strong by absolutely dominating the County-wide Tournament of Rockingham County. In the one day tourney, RCHS was led by Junior Lance Dunlap and his two-under round of 34. RCHS’ worst individual score of 38 was still a shot better than the best score of any of their opponents. The Cougars team score for the day, 143, was the lowest nine hole score in RCHS history. Next, the RCHS men's golf team decisively won their conference's regular season, marking the first time in RCHS golf history that they had won their conference. Throughout conference play, Sophomore Braden Cox led the team and was eventually recognized as the overall low scorer in the conference with the Conference MVP award. RCHS had three golfers awarded with All-Conference Honors for the 2006 season. Only the top ten individual performers from the conference are awarded All-Conference honors. After winning their conference tournament, led by Junior Lance Dunlap's medalist round of 72, the Cougars marched on to easily win their regional tournament, defeating the second place team by double digits. 2006 Senior Dusty Roberts was medalist for the regional tourney with a score of 72. The RCHS golf team’s top three finish qualified them for the State Championship, which was another first in RCHS history. At the 2006 NC 3A State Championship Tournament, the Cougars finished 7th, led once again by the performance of Senior Dusty Roberts who posted a two day total of 149 to finished 13th individually in the tourney. Roberts’ play throughout the 2006 season earned him the team MVP award.

2007 Season: Dusty Roberts was the only Senior golfer on the 2006 team, so many people had high hopes for the team of 2007. These hopes took a slight blow when Braden Cox decided not to play golf for RCHS his junior year because of his father's rapidly declining health. Cox's father would eventually pass away during the 2007 golf season. However, RCHS still had a lot of talent and it showed throughout the season. RCHS once again won the County-wide tournament against county rivals Reidsville, Morehead, and McMichael. The Cougars ran away with the Conference’s regular season title, with five RCHS golfers receiving All-Conference honors. In the 2007 conference tournament, RCHS posted its best 18 hole score of all time, 297, led by Junior David Sechrest's medalist round of 70. Sechrest’s stellar play throughout conference earned him the Conference MVP award. At the regional tournament, the Cougars played relatively poorly compared to their conference play, but still won the tournament, led by the play of Junior Randy Brill who posted 76 for the tourney. The Cougars returned to the State Championship hoping to improve on their 7th place finish from the previous year. On the first day of the two-day State Championship, RCHS had five of their six golfers post scores of 78 or better. Senior Ambrose Evans was the low man for RCHS that day with a score of 75. The Cougars team total of 305 gave them the first day lead at the 2007 NC 3A State Championship. However, RCHS would not enjoy the second and final day of the tourney as much. Opponents Hickory and Forestview posted sub-300 scores on the second day to slip ahead of RCHS in the overall standings. On day two of the tourney RCHS was led by Senior Lance Dunlap and Sophomore Richard Crouse who both posted scores of 75. But they were the only RCHS golfers who broke 80 on day two and the team’s score for the day ended up being 311, giving them a two day total of 616. This gave RCHS a 3rd place finish in the 2007 NC 3A State Championship. RCHS Sophomore Richard Crouse finished 12th individually in the tournament with a two day total of 153. While it wasn’t what the Cougars had been hoping for after leading the tournament for a day, no one could be disappointed in the season as it was by far the best season in RCHS golf history. David Sechrest was awarded the team MVP award for his quality play throughout the 2007 season.

2008 Season: Once again, the Cougars had high hopes for the 2008 team as only two golfers, four year starter Lance Dunlap and Ambrose Evans, were graduating in 2007. The Cougars also expected Braden Cox to come back to the team for the 2008 season. However, in the fall of 2007, Senior David Sechrest was involved in a car wreck that proved fatal. Sechrest’s death was a tragic loss that had an effect on not just the RCHS golf team, but the entirety of Rockingham County High School. The Cougar golf team dedicated their entire 2008 season to their fallen teammate and his legacy. The golf shirts for the 2008 season even had “C-Crest” stitched on one of the sleeves, as “C-Crest” was a common way for people to write David Sechrest’s last name. RCHS would play well that season, but they struggled against county and conference rival Morehead, who eventually won the regular season conference title, with RCHS finishing second. However, the Cougars were still able to land four golfers on the list of those receiving All-Conference honors. At the 2008 conference tournament, the RCHS golf team showed some heart as they won the tourney over Morehead. Junior Richard Crouse led the charge for the Cougars with his medalist score of 70. RCHS would carry their momentum into the regional tournament where they would finish second with a team score of 299 and defeat conference and county rival Morehead, who finished 4th and missed the 2008 State Championship. The Cougars counted two 74s, by Juniors Richard Crouse and Daniel Tatarski, 75 by Senior Braden Cox, and 76 by Sophomore Dallas Page. This gave RCHS a bid to the 2008 NC 3A State Championship, marking the third straight year that RCHS had qualified for the state tourney. However, at the State Championship all of the RCHS golfers struggled to post the types of scores they had at the regional tourney. Junior Richard Crouse became ill between the first and second day of the tourney and was not able to compete on day two of the tournament. RCHS eventually posted a two day total of 671 to finish 9th in the State Championship. After the end of the season, Senior Braden Cox and Junior Richard Crouse were named Co-MVPs for the 2008 season. Graduating seniors from the 2008 team would be Braden Cox and Randy Brill.

2009 Season: Although RCHS would have Richard Crouse, Daniel Tatarski, and Dallas Page returning for the 2009 season, there were still questions about RCHS’ depth for the upcoming season. For the previous four years, RCHS had possessed about 6-8 golfers who had to compete for the top six starting positions, all of whom could post scores in the 30’s on nine holes and the 70’s on eighteen holes. However, it appeared that they might not have six starters who could do that for the coming 2009 season. Luckily, two newcomers to RCHS, Freshmen Caleb Keck and Broc Howerton, were able to transition relatively well from middle school to high school golf. The Cougars experienced some success in the pre-season, posting a couple of rounds in the 150’s, but then fell off a bit and consistently finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in conference play. RCHS still managed to have three golfers receive All-Conference Honors for the year. At the regional tournament, RCHS played better than they had throughout most of their conference season, posting a team total of 312. The Cougars were led by Junior Dallas Page and his strong round of 73. However, the team’s play wasn’t quite good enough as they finished 4th at the regional tournament, with only the top three teams receiving bids to the State Championship. However, Dallas Page’s round of 73 was good enough to earn him an individual berth to the 2009 NC 3A State Championship. At the State Tournament, Dallas posted a two total of 162. Senior Richard Crouse and Junior Dallas Page were eventually recognized as team Co-MVPs for the 2009 season.

2010 Season: After the 2009 season, Richard Crouse and Daniel Tatarski graduated. Once again, many followers of the RCHS golf program were worried whether or not RCHS would have the talent and depth needed to compete at a high level again in the 2010 season. Senior Dallas Page and Sophomore Caleb Keck were expected to be the leaders for the upcoming season. When the 2010 season began, the Cougars were not on their A-game and didn’t play well for most of the pre-season. However, once conference play began, the Cougars started posting scores relatively similar to the scores of the 2006 and 2007 RCHS golf teams. However, the 2010 Cougars were consistently finishing 3rd and 4th in conference play. Their conference was being dominanted by powerhouse Williams, with previous individual state champion Robert Register, Northern Guilford, and Morehead. Both Williams and Northern Guilford were consistently posting scores in the 140s on nine holes. By the end of the difficult conference play, RCHS managed to finish 4th in the conference, just high enough to receive the conference’s last bid to the regional tournament, and have two golfers play well enough to earn All-Conference honors. At the 2010 3A Mideast Regional tournament, RCHS once again played very well and overachieved their fourth place conference finish. The Cougars defeated both Williams and county rival Morehead to finish 4th in the tourney with a team score of 312. The Cougars were just one shot off of finishing 3rd in the tourney and receiving one of the region’s three bids to the State Championship. While much of the team was disappointed in missing States by one stroke, the Cougars still finished the season on a great note. RCHS is set to lose starters Dallas Page and Ryan Julian to graduation. However, RCHS will have four returning starters, Caleb Keck, Broc Howerton, Jesse Wall, and Alan Prytle. If a few more solid golfers can step up and join this group for the upcoming 2011 season, RCHS will surely experience another year full of success.