The Roberson golf team.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Lance Jaynes
Roberson
Jaynes and the Rams won the Mountain Athletic Conference championship and six consecutive regular-season matches. Prior to this season, the team had not won a match of any kind in four years. Junior Matt Sharpstene was the MAC Player of the Year and 4-A Western Regional champion. Other All-MAC players for Roberson were Doug Gow and Fletcher Himan.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Sharpstene
Roberson
Junior
Sharpstene was the Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year and 4-A Western Regional champion. He maintained a stroke average of 72.6 for 18-hole matches, culminating with a sixth-place finish at the NCHSAA 4-A tournament. Sharpstene has committed to play college golf for West Virginia.
ALL-WNC TEAM
Chris Akers
Christ School
Senior
Akers was an All-Carolinas Athletic Association selection who maintained a stroke average of 74.5 for 18-hole matches. Akers shot even par or under in four matches, with his low round (68) coming from the blue tees at Broadmoor Golf Links. Akers has signed to play college golf for East Carolina.
John Freeman
Christ School
Senior
Freeman was an NCISAA 3-A all-state selection who placed sixth in the season-ending event with a two-day score of 146. His stroke average for 18-hole matches was 74.2.
Thomas Garbee
Christ School
Senior
Garbee was the Carolinas Athletic Association Player of the Year and maintained a stroke average of 75.8 for 18-hole matches. He shot four-under at the CAA tournament and had four rounds of par or under par. Garbee has signed to play college golf for Navy.
Carson Ownbey
Christ School
Sophomore
Ownbey was an All-Carolinas Athletic Association selection who maintained a stroke average of 74.7 for 18-hole matches. He was an NCISAA 3-A all-state selection and named to all-tournament teams for the North State High School Challenge and Southern Cross Tournament. Ownbey has committed to play college golf for Charlotte.
Candler Rice
Carolina Day
Senior
Rice was an All-Carolinas Athletic Association and NCISAA 2-A all-state player who had a stroke average of 36.4 for nine-hole matches. He has signed to play college golf for Berry (Ga.).
Grant Shuler
Swain County
Junior
Shuler was the Smoky Mountain Conference Player of the Year and the NCHSAA 1-A runner-up. He shot a 36-hole total of 148 (76-72) at the state tournament and qualified with a 75 at the 1-A Western Regional tourney.
Will Tamplin
Asheville Christian Academy
Junior
Tamplin was an NCISAA 2-A all-state selection who maintained a stroke average of 75 for 18-hole matches.
HONORABLE MENTION
Asheville Christian Academy: Joel Mire and Austin Bruder.
Brevard: Andrew Ellis, Will Byrd and Austin Nale.
Christ School: Michael Freeman and Aaron Graham.
Hendersonville: Kelton Mills, Parker Gunn, Ian Trace and Zack Stevens.
Murphy: Zack Mock.
Owen: Garrett Miller, Lucas Adams and Aaron Wald.
Pisgah: Nick Boone.
Roberson: Fletcher Himan and Doug Gow.
Swain County: Jack Cornblum.
Tuscola: Isley McClure, Davis Reynolds, Sam Cox and Danny Planchock.
West Henderson: Parker Gillespie.
ABOUT THE ALL-WNC TEAMS
The Citizen-Times All-WNC teams are compiled by staff writer Andrew Pearson after nominations are requested from area coaches. Only nominated athletes are eligible for selection.
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