The Charlotte Observer’s 2024 high school boys’ golf preview
Here is The Observer’s 2024 preview for boys’ golf teams in the area:
Teams to watch
Ardrey Kell: The Knights return several key players from a team that was 4A West Regional runner-up and finished seventh at the 4A state championships. They include senior Benjamin Chase (74.0 average) and juniors Jack Pelletier and Michael Switzer, who give the Knights the firepower to be a contender in the conference, region and state.
Charlotte Catholic: The Cougars are loaded with four starters back from a team that won the 2022 N.C. 4A state title and finished fifth in 2023. Junior Will Hartman, a Vanderbilt commit, is the No. 1 junior golfer in the country, according to the American Junior Golf Association. He played on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup team in Rome, Italy in July 2023. Hartman won the 4A state title as a freshman and will look to repeat this year. Charlotte Catholic junior Will Guthrie, a Georgia commit, along with seniors Cornell Beans and Aidan Klaus give the Cougars the depth to compete for conference, regional and state championships.
Charlotte Christian: The Knights are looking to build on last season, when they won their first CISAA conference title in school history. This year, Christian returns plenty of experience players, including all-conference seniors Connor Natwick, a Sewanee signee; Oliver Tobin, the CISAA conference champion last year; and juniors Stokes Greene and Alexander Paschall.
Charlotte Latin: The Hawks have the rare luxury of returning four sophomores from the defending NCISAA Division I state championship team. One of those 10th graders, Aston Lee, is the defending state individual champion. Returning with Lee is all-state sophomore Henry Holland as well as sophomore Griffin Cheatwood.
Nation Ford: The Falcons get four of five starters back from a team that won the Region III 5A title for the first time in school history and finished fifth at the state tournament last year. This year, senior Ben Wakefield, a University of Chicago football commit, returns with juniors Harrison LaPointe, Justin Wosje and sophomore Carter Smith.
Pine Lake Prep: The Pride return a veteran lineup with seniors Cooper Mizelle (finished fifth at 2A state championship) and Matthew Utz, along with junior Aiden Penhall (2A West Regional champion). Pine Lake Prep is the favorite to repeat as Catawba Shores’ 1A/2A conference champs and will try to win a second straight 2A Western Regional championship.
Other golfers to watch
Seamus Bogan, Gaston Day: The Spartans’ senior, a Morehead State commit, was NCISAA Division III state runner-up last year and has led the Gaston Day boys’ golf team to back-to-back state titles.
Cooper Burris/Talan Harrison, Northwest Cabarrus: Burris, a UNC Wilmington commit, returns after winning the 2023 3A Midwest Regional championship and finishing sixth at the 3A state meet. Harrison, a South Carolina commit, is a two-time South Piedmont conference player of the year. He finished 11th at the 3A state tournament last season.
Jude Carper, Hough: The Huskies’ junior is the reigning Queen City Athletic conference player of the year and tied for fourth at the 4A West Regional and 4A state tournament as a sophomore.
Zach Hendricks/Holden Turner, West Lincoln: The Rebels’ senior duo anchors a team that returns all eight players, including six seniors.
George Hinton, Providence Day: The Chargers’ senior, a Bates College (Maine) commit, is back to lead the school.
O.T. Mitchell, Catawba Ridge: The Copperheads’ senior finished eighth at the 4A state tournament as a junior and will team with senior Hunter Warren to build on a team that was 10-1 last year.
Charlie O’Shea, Charlotte Country Day: The Buccaneers’ senior, an Appalachian State commit, will lead a younger Charlotte Country Day team.
Joseph Royster, Lake Norman Charter: The Knights’ senior pairs with sophomore Will Palmer to give Lake Norman Charter two returning state tournament qualifiers.
Colin Salema, Providence: The Clemson commit was N.C. 4A state runner-up last year.
Jordan Williams, Legion Collegiate: The Lancers’ senior, a Southern University commit, averaged a 74 last season. He traveled with Steph Curry Golf Tour this past summer and looks to carry that momentum into final high school season with classmate Aiden Cherikos (80 average), also playing a key role.
Notes
▪ Charlotte Latin sophomore Griffin Cheatwood won the Myers Park men’s club championship last September, becoming the youngest player, at age 15, to win the tournament in the 100-plus year history of the event.
▪ Sun Valley will be rebuilding with new head coach William Gay who will take over for longtime coach Bill Vivian (retired). Seniors Will Calhoun and Brady Turriff, a pair of football stars, will be Guy’s key golfers.
▪ Myers Park coach Jason Lockwood, in his 15th year as head coach of the program, will have an entirely new starting lineup this season for one of the state’s most accomplished programs.
