BHS Golf Team Unbeaten in Big 10 Play; Kerr, Knotts to Compete in WVSSAC Girls Golf Invitational
By Chris Johnson on September 01, 2024
The Bridgeport High School golf team heads into September unbeaten against fellow Big 10 Conference schools
Despite finishing behind Morgantown last week in a tri-match at the Bridgeport Country Club, Bridgeport defeated another Big 10 team in East Fairmont for second place at the event.
The Mohigans finished with a team score of 155. They had three players shoot in the 30s led by low medalist Christian O'Dell with a 37.
The Indians' team score was 167 with Colton Gerhards finishing at 38. He was followed by Anthony Hazy at 41, Audrey Kerr at 43 and Tanner Straely and Guy Avolio each put up a 45 (only one counted toward the team points). McKenna Knotts shot a 49 for the Indians.
While BHS coach Chris Kerr is pleased with the way his team has played all season, there are two areas he said he would like to see the Indians get better – playing against a team that might be favored above them and playing at courses other than the Bridgeport Country Club.
East Fairmont finished the day at 180. Trace Tucker had the Bees' top indiviidual round at 41.
“They know Morgantown is probably the favorite in the region,” BHS coach Chris Kerr said. “They’ve never beaten Morgantown. You have to learn to play with that pressure, because they want to beat them so bad and they come in so excited.
“We have to learn to go on the road where we don’t know the course, we don’t know the bounces. This next month we have a lot of road matches and I think it will be a good test for us.”
In a tri-match with North Marion and University, Bridgeport finished first with a team score of 159, while the Hawks were runner-up at 167 and the Huskies came in third at 236.
The Indians had three players shoot sub-40s led by Straely’s 37. Kerr was one stroke behind at 38 and Gerhards was right on their heels with a 39. Rounding out the scores that went toward the team points was a 45 from Garrett Steele.
Also for the Indians, Hazy finished with a 46 and Knotts had a 48.
The Indians beat Grafton in a dual match last week. Kerr took low medalist honors with another round of 38 as BHS finished with a team score of 167. The Bearcats finished with a 173.
In addition to Kerr’s 38, the scores that went toward Bridgeport’s team total were a 42 from Straely, a 43 from Knotts and a 44 from Gerhards. Also for BHS, Hazy shot a 45 and Guy Avolio finished with a 49.
Kerr and Knotts will play in a big road match on Tuesday as two competitors in the seventh annual West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission Girls Golf Invitational.
This year’s event will be played at The Links at Woodridge Golf Course in Mineral Wells after six years at the Mingo Bottom Golf Club in Elizabeth.
The Links at Woodridge is a par 71 course.
Last year Kerr was tied for third with a 79 and Knotts was 13th at 87.
They both recently went and got in a practice round on the course in preparation for Tuesday.
“I’m looking forward to both of them doing well,” Coach Kerr said.
Editor's Note: Photo of the BHS golf team from a recent match by Joe LaRocca.
