<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>GOLF</b></span></p>


[caption id="attachment_32001" align="aligncenter" width="2380"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/first-tee.jpg" rel="attachment wp-att-32001"><img class="wp-image-32001 size-full" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/first-tee.jpg" alt="WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEB:  during a shoot for The First Tee Success Stories with Sergio Garcia at The First Tee of the Palm Beaches held on February 23, 2015 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Robert Duyos/US PGA TOUR)" width="2380" height="3575"></a> First Tee of the Lowcountry has plans to expand into Beaufort and on Parris Island.[/caption]

<b>First Tee of Lowcountry&nbsp;</b><b>to hold grand opening</b>

Avid golfers will tell you, there’s no finer place than a golf course for kids to gain life skills and the leadership abilities they’ll need to make their mark on the world.

Knowing this, and knowing the challenges involved with creating affordable community-based junior golf programs, The PGA Tour of America helped created The First Tee in 1997.&nbsp;

Blending instruction on the game’s fundamentals with an eye on showing young players who those fundamentals apply to their lives, The First Tee spread quickly.

At last, this invaluable program which has touched so many young lives, has reached the Lowcountry. Operating out of the Joseph B. Fraser Golf Learning Center at 151 Gumtree Road next to the Boys &amp; Girls Club, The First Tee of The Lowcountry is taking the successful blueprint of The First Tee and applying it on Hilton Head Island and beyond, with classes in Bluffton, Ridgeland and Parris Island.

On area golf courses, local youth will learn how the skills learned on the course apply to their everyday lives through nine core values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgment. Instruction goes beyond 18 holes, with the program keeping one eye on the greens and one eye on the student’s future.

“It’s really about giving these kids the tools they need to develop their own leadership skills,” said The First Tee of The Lowcountry Executive Director Brady Boyd. “We’ve seen what tremendous value this program brings to other areas, and we’re very excited to replicate this model here.

The First Tee of the Lowcountry will host a Community Grand Opening from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, April 23, at its new facility.&nbsp;

The entire Lowcountry is invited to enjoy the facility built by the community, for the community, with disc golf demos, fishing, golf demos and music by Cranford Hollow. Food and beverage will be available for purchase from Local Pie.

Visit www.thefirstteelowcountry.org.

<b>Bill Verity tourney&nbsp;</b><b>to be held May 8</b>

The 9th annual Bill Verity Cup, a charity golf tournament to be contested on Monday, May 8, will be held at the Sanctuary Golf Club on Cat Island. All proceeds will benefit Boys &amp; Girls Club programs in the Beaufort area.&nbsp;

Supporters and golfers are invited to participate in this year’s competition. The charity tournament begins at 11:30 a.m. with registration, practice and lunch followed by a shot gun start at 1 p.m.

An awards reception will be held at 5 p.m.

Participant donations are $150 per golfer or $600 per team of four. Participant donations include access to the practice range, lunch&nbsp; provided by Boys &amp; Girls Club sponsor Chick-fil-A, complimentary beverages, greens fee, golf cart, gifts, reception and awards.&nbsp;

For more information or to register, contact Anne Littlejohn 843-379-5430 or Alittlejohn@bgclowcountry.org.

<b>Hilton Head tops Beaufort </b><b>High, Elbert County</b>

Two in-state boys' high school golf teams and a squad from neighboring Georgia met for a three-team match at an area course last week. Hilton Head Island beat Beaufort High and Elbert County (Ga.) in a boys' high school golf match at Dataw Island on April 4.&nbsp;

The Seahawks turned in a 150 to win the three-time match. Finishing second behind Hilton Head Island, the Eagles turned in a 154.&nbsp;

Beaufort High standout Matthew Campbell emerged as the medalist, turning in a 1-under 35 to win the event.&nbsp;

John DiGenova led Hilton Head Island to the victory. DiGenova shot an even-par 36 to lead the way for the Seahawks.&nbsp;

In addition to DiGenova, Brooks Dyess, Travis Mitchell and Charlie Farrell delivered 38s for the Hilton Head Island boys' golf team in the winning effort.&nbsp;

Tommy Holloway ranked as Beaufort High's second-leading golfer, finishing with a 38. The Eagles' other golfers finished over 40 for the three-team event. &nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>FISHING</b></span></p>
<b>Fishing club to&nbsp;</b><b>meet on April 13</b>

The Beaufort Sportfishing and Diving Club's April meeting will be held Thursday, April 13, at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club located on Lady's Island off of Meridian Road. The social begins at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

Capt. Chip Michalove from Outcast Sport Fishing, will be the presenter. His successes have been published in several local papers. He will discuss catching and tagging small and large sharks in the coastal area and what has been discovered through tagging and science.&nbsp;

This will include the various species of sharks he encounters on a daily basis from the dangerous tiger shark to the mysterious and legendary great white.&nbsp;

Guests are welcomed and you do not need a reservation. For additional information, contact Capt. Frank Gibson at 843-522-2122 or email fgibson@islc.net.

<b>Fly fishers to&nbsp;</b><b>meet on May 10</b>

The Sea Island Fly Fishers meeting speaker on Wednesday, May 10, will be Michigan guide Kevin Morlock.&nbsp;

Morlock guides for steelhead, carp and smallmouth. He will be speaking on the world famous carp fishing on the fly on Beaver Island, Mich. He says “carp on the fly has quickly become popular worldwide and Lake Michigan’s crystal clear flats around Beaver Island are especially good. Many have judged them the best in the world.”&nbsp;

The club meets at 825 Bay St. inf Beaufort. There will be a social hour at 6 p.m. and the program will be at 7 p.m. The event is free to the public and refreshments are available. &nbsp;

Visit seaislandflyfishers.com.
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>RUNNING</b></span></p>
<b>Holy Trinity athletes&nbsp;</b><b>set three school records&nbsp;</b>

Holy Trinity Classical Christian School athletes set three new school track records recently when the school conducted its 5th Annual Fun Run at the Beaufort Middle School. &nbsp;

More than 150 Holy Trinity students registered to participate in this annual event.

Parker Smith, a ninth grader, set a new school record by completing a mile in 5 minutes and 42 seconds. Fourth-grader Carson Hurst set a new record for the half-mile, clocking 3 minutes and 7 seconds, and first-grader Leah Ashmore set a new record for completing a quarter-mile in 1 minute and 39 seconds.&nbsp;

“The Holy Trinity Classical Christian School Annual Fun Run commenced the first year the school opened to encourage students to compete for the mile run as part of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, and it has been a tradition ever since,” says Amy Patrick, the school’s athletic director. “I love watching families experience joy in the fact that their children are actually delighting in running the mile!”
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL&nbsp;</b></span></p>
<b>Eagles suffer 10-run&nbsp;</b><b>loss to Cane Bay</b>

Beaufort High plated three runs in the first inning in a mid-season high school softball game on April 7 but couldn't maintain a lead over Cane Bay. Productive Cane Bay plated nine runs over the next three innings to defeat the Eagles 13-3.

Emily Cook drove in two of the Beaufort High softball team's three runs in the 10-run loss.&nbsp;

Mary Claire Sumner delivered three hits for the Eagles in the setback. Sumner is one of the area's most experienced high school softball players.&nbsp;

Savannah Mullen, Bricen Riley and Lillian Sumner added one hit apiece for Beaufort High in the setback

Sumner suffered the loss. The Beaufort High pitcher recorded two strikeouts for the Eagles in the losing effort.&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL</b></span></p>
<b>Whale Branch&nbsp;</b><b>comes up short</b>

Whale Branch fell behind early and couldn't recover in a high school baseball game versus Academic Magnet last week. Academic Magnet held off a late rally to defeat the Warriors 8-6 in a high school baseball game on April 4.

Whale Branch had a rally fall short in the seventh inning. The Warriors weren't without their share of highlights in the prep softball matchup. &nbsp;

Jaren Cantorn provided three hits and scored two runs for Whale Branch in the setback.&nbsp;

Academic Magnet led 8-2 before Whale Branch battled back. &nbsp;

The Warriors plated four runs in the seventh inning. Cantorn (RBI single) and Marquell Moultrie were both pivotal for Whale Branch in the late rally.&nbsp;
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><b>BOYS' HIGH&nbsp;</b><b>SCHOOL&nbsp;TENNIS</b></span></p>
<b>Beaufort High blanks&nbsp;</b><b>Berkeley, 6-0</b>

Beaufort High blanked longtime rival Berkeley 6-0 in a boys' high school tennis match on April 6.&nbsp;

Merritt Patterson and Chris Hoogenboom turned in dominating performances in singles matches, winning 6-0, 6-0.&nbsp;

The Beaufort High doubles team of Ben Straut and Brian Rhatigan also won 6-0, 6-0.

In other singles matches for Beaufort High, Mitchell Russel won 6-2, 6-3; Griffin Stone prevailed 6-1, 6-0 and Jaco Neimond finished out in front 7-5, 6-2.&nbsp;

The Beaufort High boys' tennis team has excelled throughout the 2017 season. The Eagles will compete in the postseason later this spring.