A.C. Flora boys hope to continue golf championship run

There have been some impressive championship streaks in South Carolina High School League history, and A.C. Flora’s boys golf championship run is one of them.

The Falcons won their sixth straight title last year to set the record for consecutive boys golf state titles, and look to extend it when the two-day Class 3A championship begins Monday at Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina.

The previous five championships came with Harry Huntley as coach. Robert Dargan, a former golfer at South Carolina, took over for Huntley and has been the girls coach the past few seasons.

“It has been an easy transition. We have gotten great support from the administration and athletics department,” Dargan said. “These kids have really worked hard. And with the success they have had over the last few seasons, they know what it takes and are willing to put the work in it to keep it going.

One of the keys in the Falcons’ title run has been their ability to bounce back. In five of their six championships, A.C. Flora has trailed after the first day of the tournament.

The Falcons return two of the top golfers from last year’s team in Dwight Cauthen and Ryan Marter. Cauthen, a N.C. State signee, leads the team in scoring average at 71.4. Marter, a junior, is second on the team with a 72.8 average.

Cauthen shot 74 and Marter 75 as A.C. Flora finished third in last week’s 3A Upper State qualifier. The rest of Flora’s rotation is made up of Ian Stewart, Ford Reynolds and John Andrews. Reynolds is just an eighth grader and was moved up to the varsity squad midway through the season.

“He is a pretty polished golfer and has been a big surprise,” Dargan said of Reynolds. “We had two tournaments on the same day, and we brought him up to play and he’s been with us ever since.”

While A.C. Flora goes for its seventh title, Gilbert’s Caleb Proveaux looks to defend his 3A individual championship. Proveaux defeated Coleman Self in the first playoff hole last year.

Proveaux tied for medalist honors by shooting a 70 at last week’s 3A lower state qualifier.

In Class 4A, Lexington, Dutch Fork and Blythewood are the Midlands teams qualified for the tournament at the Furman University Golf Club. Mid-Carolina and Pelion go for the championship in Class 2A at True Blue Plantation in Pawleys Island.

This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 11:00 PM with the headline "A.C. Flora boys hope to continue golf championship run."