MT. CLARE, W.Va. (WV News) — Of all the high school golf teams that play regularly at Bel Meadow Golf Club, Lincoln might be the one that has mastered the course the most.In a match against South Harrison, Preston and Grafton under less than ideal weather conditions Tuesday, the Cougars delivered their third first-place team finish at Bel Meadow in less than two weeks, shooting a combined 136 between their three best individuals.Rain earlier in the afternoon and for part of the beginning of the competition led to the difficult conditions the teams had to overcome.“Rainy, wet, soggy, grass all over the ball,” Lincoln coach Andy Sorine said. “Just tough conditions for the kids to get footing, and the ball was just always wet. But overall, they’ve got to play in this, and if it happens in the regional, they’ll have to play in this.”Preston’s Briar Manko was the low individual medalist of the day with a 41 over the nine holes, but three of the next five best scores came from Lincoln. Pierce McBee led the way with a 42, followed by Hailey Boyce (46) and John Lopez (48).Experience worked to the Cougars’ advantage. McBee is one of just two juniors on the team roster, and everyone else — including Boyce and Lopez — is a senior.“It’s our practice course, our home course,” Sorine said. “They’ve been out here for three years now, and this is (the seniors’) fourth, so we should have a home court advantage. That’s what it’s all about, home court advantage, and I think we got it today.”After Manko and McBee, Jace Lancaster of Liberty was the next-best individual, shooting a 44. As Liberty’s only golfer on the afternoon, he did not factor into the team results. The only other golfers who shot below a 50 were Grafton’s Dustin Keener (47) and Wyatt Poling (49).Preston came in second in the team standings with a 146, just ahead of Grafton’s 147. South Harrison took fourth with a 158.“It’s up and down in golf sometimes, just like life,” Sorine said. “You’ve got your good days and bad days, but I think our kids being senior-oriented pulled us through today a little bit.”
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