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Loudoun County captures Region II golf crown
The Loudoun County Raiders added a 2-foot gleaming silver trophy to their case Oct. 6, winning the Region II golf championship at Old Trail Golf Club in Crozet.
The Raiders were two shots better than host Western Albemarle and six in front of defending regional champion Briar Woods. The Falcons finished first during the Dulles District's regular season.
"I'm about to pinch myself," County coach John Laycock exclaimed. "They played solid all day. It was a joint effort from everybody."
It was the Raiders' first appearance in the regional golf tournament in six years.
A trio of sophomores carded County's best rounds, led by Brantley Kushner's 2-under 70. It was the first under-par competitive round in Kushner's life, according to Laycock.
"He hit the ball great," Laycock praised. "He didn't miss many fairways or greens."
Kevin Cook and Andrew Brenneman each shot 73, while senior Michael Walker added a 76 for County's final total.
Cook has registered one of County's four best rounds in every outing this season.
"There's not a big difference between No. 1 and No. 4 on our team," observed Laycock, who lauded his players for their consistency. "They play in tournaments all summer, they take lessons, they work on their mental approach to the game."
Laycock said that by the time the tournament progressed to the back nine, the top three contenders already had separated themselves from the pack.
The Raiders had only a practice round Sunday to familiarize themselves with Old Trail, Western Albemarle's home course.
"The course played relatively benign. It was there for the taking," said Laycock, who will take his Raiders back to Crozet Oct. 13-14 for the Group AA state tournament.
"If the wind were blowing, it would be a much harder course."
Laycock knows the upcoming state meet will be a bigger challenge.
Blacksburg High School returns every member of a team looking for its third-straight state title. The Bruins crushed the field by 32 strokes in last year's state meet, despite rain shortening the event from 36 to 27 holes.
The Warriors of Western Albemarle will aim to avenge their defeat on their own links at the hands of the Raiders.
"We think we can be competitive," Laycock said. "But we're in a whole different situation now. We just need to do what we did today."
Also qualifying for the state meet was Briar Woods' Michael Birmingham, whose 68 was the third-best total on the day. Freedom's Tyler Blake (70) and Broad Run's Kevin Yerks (71) also qualified for the Group AA tournament as individuals.
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