Boy's Golf | 5/15/2024 6:35:00 PM
Cheraw, SC – The members of the Oceanside Collegiate Academy boys golf team knew going into the second round of the 2024 SCHSL Class AA championship on Tuesday they were in position to earn the programs' second state title in three years.
The Landsharks didn't let that opportunity slip from their fingers by pulling away from the field at Cheraw State Park, taking a 13-shot victory over second place Bishop England to win the state crown. OCA also won the AA state title in 2022.
"I was really happy for the boys as our whole team worked very hard this year, even when we didn't get the results we wanted early in the season," OCA had coach Rocky Catalano said. "Midway through the season, we started getting a little more competitive, and our play got much better towards the end of the season. That resulted with our best performance of the year at the state championships."
Led by senior
Vaughn McMeans and junior
Tyler Taber, who finished tied for second individually in the tournament, the Landsharks were never seriously threatened during the two-day event. It was Taber who got the team rolling on Monday with an opening round 69 while McMeans and junior
AJ Dietrich posted even par opening round scores of 72. Freshman
Chase Whittle chipped in with a two-over par 74, giving Oceanside the only team round under par (287) in the championship.
Freshman
Reed Cook made his major contribution on Tuesday in the final round, posting a one-under par 71 while McMeans put together a two-under par round of 70. Taber closed with a 73 while Dietrich finished with a second round 78 and Whittle posted an 82. The Landsharks' overall score of three over par 579 left them with a 13-stroke lead at the finish. None of the other 12 teams in the tournament finished within 50 shots of Oceanside.
Bishop England's Matthew Teegardin took home medalist honors with a six-under par score of 138 that included his tournament best round of 67 on Tuesday. He led the All-State team which included McMeans, Taber, Cook and Dietrich.
Catalano said his team should be considered one of the favorites next year, despite moving up to class AAA. The 2024 AAA championship was played at Coastal Carolina University's Hackler Course in Conway this week, with not a single team posting a round of less than 300.
"We lose two valuable seniors in
Vaughn McMeans and
Carter Allison, but have everyone else back, so we should be very good again next season," Catalano said.
McMeans has accepted a scholarship to play collegiate golf at George Mason University next year.
About Oceanside Collegiate Academy: Oceanside Collegiate Academy (OCA), located in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while earning up to two years of college credit. OCA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades
Learn more about OCA by visiting our website at OceansideCollegiateAcademy.org and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channel.
