Published: November 07, 2009 08:39 pm      

Spartans celebrate Virginia state golf championship

PEARISBURG, Va. — Oh, what a feeling.

One year after falling one spot short and watching a regional rival accept the state golf championship trophy, the Giles Spartans were determined that wouldn’t be their fate in 2009.

It wasn’t.

“The feeling from winning state, it was amazing,” Giles junior golfer Caleb Tilley said. “It was a lot different than going and sitting in a chair and watching somebody else go up there and pick that championship trophy up.”

For the second time in seven years, the Spartans are Group A state golf champions, defeating Galax by 14 strokes, one year after finishing second to the Maroon Tide by 11.

“It was pretty emotional that last day, a lot of emotions were running through there,” said Giles junior golfer Tanner Carbaugh, who also finished fifth as an individual. “Everybody was just proud of one another, everybody contributed to the team and we pulled out the state championship.”

Giles, which also won the state golf title in 2002, was determined not to finish second again. The drive for the ultimate prize began on the bus ride back from that ‘08 disappointment.

“I felt like we could do it, and coach also said the same day we came home with that second place trophy that he thought we could do the same thing, but come out one spot better,” Tilley said.

They did.

“I think finishing second motivated us and we were focused on coming in first this year, and everybody put in the hard work,” Carbaugh said. “We knew the competition was going to be tough, all the way from districts to state, we were always having to play good rounds to win, nothing was given to us.”

For coach W.R. Johnston, who has led Giles to both golf titles, it was a matter of setting a goal and then working to achieve it.

“It was one of our goals from the beginning when we started in August,” said Johnston, whose brother-in-law is Virginia Tech golf coach Jay Hardwick. “The truth of it is, two years ago we started talking about it and we knew we had a three-year window at that point based on the personnel and everybody that was on the team at the time.

“Last year we were state runner-up so at the beginning of this season this was definitely one of our goals and we worked really hard to make sure we would get the opportunity to be at the state as a team.

“We had high hopes and high expectations, but we weren’t cocky about it, we weren’t overconfident. We knew we had a challenge ahead of us but we definitely knew we had a chance.”

The Group A state tournament was held on Oct. 19-20 at Independence Golf Club in Midlothian, Va. Giles qualified by finishing second in Region C to Galax after winning the Three Rivers District regular season and tournament titles.

In cold and windy conditions that even included a frost delay, the Spartans overcame a slow start and fired a four-man 314, which was good enough for first place in the eight-team event and a nine-stroke lead over that same Maroon Tide.

“We got off to a really tough start the first day, but they got it straightened out on the back nine and brought it back,” said Johnston, whose Spartans averaged 303 for most of the season. “I was real proud that they were able to shoot what they did on that back nine and bring that 314 in.”

Carbaugh led the Spartans with a 77, while Tilley, Trevor Myers and Michael Carbaugh shot 79s. Chad Robertson and Tyler Meredith rounded out the six-man Giles squad that played at state for Giles.

“I just kind of kept my emotions to myself and pulled myself together and turned it around on the back,” Carbaugh said. “I knew if I played good on the back I could still help the team out and pull out a good number.”

That nine-stroke lead was nice too.

“You’re always happy with a lead, but we really felt like we would really have to shoot well the second day,” Johnston said. “We didn’t want to come up short just lounging around saying we’ve got it so everybody understood we had to play well the second day.”

They did just that. Carbaugh shot a 74 to finish with a 151 and in fifth place, while Myers also had a 74, tying for sixth with a 153. The second day 308 was Giles’ third straight low score in the state tournament going back to ‘08.

“I don’t think I will forget anything about this team, out of every team I have played on I think this is one team that put it together and we all had the same chemistry,” said Tilley, who credited the team’s success to Johnston’s efforts as coach.

Carbaugh’s cousin, Michael (79-78, 157, 9th) and Tilley (78-92, 161, t16th) also finished among the top 16 golfers in the event. Robertson had a two-day total of (92-85) 177, while Meredith (90-88) shot a 178. Neither score counted on the team tally.

Giles finished with two-day total of 622, with the last stroke being a birdie putt by Myers on the final hole.

“They were pretty excited, I guess when you’re a player and you hear a coach say you have this opportunity and it’s just a matter of how hard you’re going to work, and then when it happens, it’s got to be a pretty good feeling,” Johnston said. “Several of them came up to me and said ‘Coach, you said we could do it’ and they just worked really hard, they were tickled, every single one of them that was there.

“Even the ones that I called as soon as we finished, I called the four players that we had back home, I called them and they were excited too. It’s a great experience, they were excited.”

For Giles, it was the Spartans seventh team title in school history, including three in football and two apiece in golf and cross country.

What lies ahead in ‘10? Even though Myers, Michael Carbaugh, Robertson and Chris Collins will be lost to graduation, the Spartans are optimistic with the potential of the state participants that do return, along with Jacob Hudson, Casey Lucas, Kory Wilson, Breanna Farmer, Gunar Frazier, Taylor Dudding, Kyle Chafin, Blake Martin and Andrew Epperley.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do, we’ve got some personnel that is going to be able to step in and fill some shoes and how well they fill them is going to be determined by how hard they work between now and next August,” Johnston said. “I feel like we’ve got potentially people that are willing to work hard that we could maybe put ourselves in a position to have the opportunity to play at the state again.”

Giles is known has a football school, but golf hasn’t been forgotten. The entire team has been treated like what they are; champions.

“Everybody at the school has been so nice, they have supported us the whole year,” Johnston said.

“The pep club has done things for us and the students and faculty and the administration is always patting us on the back so we’re real tickled, they’ve been great support.”

Carbaugh added, “It just feels good to be recognized, the school was very supportive when we got back. That night we got a police escort to the school and lots of parents and fans were here and that was at 12 o’clock that night. They’ve decorated the school so it’s been pretty nice.”

They’d love to do it again. Carbaugh, who Johnston calls “Mr. Consistent” has already started preparing for another season. His goal isn’t just a team title, it’s also the individual crown in ‘10.

“I will definitely never forget this team, it’s definitely been fun,” Carbaugh said. “I think we have a good shot at winning state again next year too as long as everybody puts the hard work into it.

“This will be fun to remember 20 or 30 years down the road.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com