Crossroads Christian enjoying outstanding golf season
By Brandon White bwhite@hendersondispatch.com;
HENDERSON — The Crossroads Christian men’s golf team currently finds itself sitting atop the NCISAA 1A team standings as it prepares to chase a state championship on Monday.
Head coach James Darnell credited his senior class — Caden Woodward, Colby Taylor and his son Tyler Darnell — for elevating the golf program in 2021 and hopes that his roster will bring home the first championship banner in Crossroads’ history.
“Our seniors have made such a huge difference this year,” James said. “Caden, Tyler and Colby have been very competitive but supportive of one another and that’s been such a huge strength for the entire team.”
James Darnell had been the assistant coach on Crossroads’ men’s golf team but was promoted to lead the program this year after former head coach Finley Woodward moved away following the pandemic-dictated cancellation of the 2020 season.
Even though Crossroads is now two years removed from a runner-up finish in the NCISAA 1A state championship, James did not expect his roster to experience many setbacks and was looking forward to watching his players make another run at the title.
The Colts opened the 2021 campaign by setting a new school record in scoring with a 118 at the Wedgewood Golf Course in Wilson on March 25. They broke that record less than a month later by registering a 114 at the Umstead Pines Golf and Swim Club in Durham.
Crossroads athletic director Scottie Richardson considers golf to be one of the school’s stronger sports and believes the culture developed by Woodward and Darnell will keep the program successful for many years to come.
“Two years ago we had a scholarship golfer in Noah Pendergrass who ended up going to Chowan University,” Richardson said. “We’ve been able to continue that success after Noah graduated. The younger guys have stepped up and we have some middle school kids that are interested in playing golf as well.”
Caden Woodward and Tyler Darnell have been among the players to emerge as leaders on Crossroads’ roster following Pendergrass’ graduation. Caden currently sits third in the NCISAA 1A individual standings while Tyler sits closely behind him in fourth.
Freshman Merritt Cogdill rounds out the players on the Crossroads men’s golf roster who sit inside the top 10 of the NCISAA 1A individual standings, ranking ninth out of 46 players. James Darnell and Richardson both expect him to take another step forward in 2022 after Caden and Tyler graduate.
Richardson believes that Crossroads’ men’s golf team would have won the NCISAA 1A state championship in 2020 had the COVID-19 pandemic not happened, but he is confident that the program will be able to make school history on Monday with talent and experience on its side.
“This is bigger than golf right now,” Richardson said. “The entire school is behind them but to be able to bring in the very first state championship in school history would just be beyond our wildest dreams. They’ve been so close and I think having the previous tournament experience is going to pay off.”
Coach Darnell knows that Monday will present plenty of obstacles for his players to overcome, but he said the dream of bringing a state title back to Crossroads can become a reality if everyone focuses on the strengths that helped them reach their current position.
“They just need to hit their shots and take their time,” James said. “If they can do that, we’ll have a great chance of winning the championship. Bringing back the first title to [Crossroads] would obviously be a big deal and all of the guys are looking forward to the opportunity.”
The NCISAA 1A state championship will take place at Bryan Park in Greensboro on Monday. The first tee time is at 12:24 p.m.
By Brandon White bwhite@hendersondispatch.com;
HENDERSON — The Crossroads Christian men’s golf team currently finds itself sitting atop the NCISAA 1A team standings as it prepares to chase a state championship on Monday.
Head coach James Darnell credited his senior class — Caden Woodward, Colby Taylor and his son Tyler Darnell — for elevating the golf program in 2021 and hopes that his roster will bring home the first championship banner in Crossroads’ history.
“Our seniors have made such a huge difference this year,” James said. “Caden, Tyler and Colby have been very competitive but supportive of one another and that’s been such a huge strength for the entire team.”
James Darnell had been the assistant coach on Crossroads’ men’s golf team but was promoted to lead the program this year after former head coach Finley Woodward moved away following the pandemic-dictated cancellation of the 2020 season.
Even though Crossroads is now two years removed from a runner-up finish in the NCISAA 1A state championship, James did not expect his roster to experience many setbacks and was looking forward to watching his players make another run at the title.
The Colts opened the 2021 campaign by setting a new school record in scoring with a 118 at the Wedgewood Golf Course in Wilson on March 25. They broke that record less than a month later by registering a 114 at the Umstead Pines Golf and Swim Club in Durham.
Crossroads athletic director Scottie Richardson considers golf to be one of the school’s stronger sports and believes the culture developed by Woodward and Darnell will keep the program successful for many years to come.
“Two years ago we had a scholarship golfer in Noah Pendergrass who ended up going to Chowan University,” Richardson said. “We’ve been able to continue that success after Noah graduated. The younger guys have stepped up and we have some middle school kids that are interested in playing golf as well.”
Caden Woodward and Tyler Darnell have been among the players to emerge as leaders on Crossroads’ roster following Pendergrass’ graduation. Caden currently sits third in the NCISAA 1A individual standings while Tyler sits closely behind him in fourth.
Freshman Merritt Cogdill rounds out the players on the Crossroads men’s golf roster who sit inside the top 10 of the NCISAA 1A individual standings, ranking ninth out of 46 players. James Darnell and Richardson both expect him to take another step forward in 2022 after Caden and Tyler graduate.
Richardson believes that Crossroads’ men’s golf team would have won the NCISAA 1A state championship in 2020 had the COVID-19 pandemic not happened, but he is confident that the program will be able to make school history on Monday with talent and experience on its side.
“This is bigger than golf right now,” Richardson said. “The entire school is behind them but to be able to bring in the very first state championship in school history would just be beyond our wildest dreams. They’ve been so close and I think having the previous tournament experience is going to pay off.”
Coach Darnell knows that Monday will present plenty of obstacles for his players to overcome, but he said the dream of bringing a state title back to Crossroads can become a reality if everyone focuses on the strengths that helped them reach their current position.
“They just need to hit their shots and take their time,” James said. “If they can do that, we’ll have a great chance of winning the championship. Bringing back the first title to [Crossroads] would obviously be a big deal and all of the guys are looking forward to the opportunity.”
The NCISAA 1A state championship will take place at Bryan Park in Greensboro on Monday. The first tee time is at 12:24 p.m.
