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Central High School’s varsity golf team earned the regular season James River District (JRD) championship last week, becoming the first team not named “Statesmen” to hold the title since 1999.

The Randolph-Henry High School Statesmen had won the title the past 19 years, but in the Sept. 10 match at Lunenburg Country Club that would determine this year’s winner, the Chargers shot a season-best 165 — 10 strokes better than the Statesmen.

“I am very proud of the team for this accomplishment,” Chargers Head Coach Richard McDaniel said.

Buckingham County High School placed a distant third with a 214.

Central was the only team on the day to have an individual golfer produce a nine-hole score in the 30s, and it had two of them: senior Cole Williams shot a 36, and senior Mason Elliott shot a 39.

Chargers junior Hogan Whitlow added a 43, freshman Robert Hite shot a 47, senior Austin Hall shot a 52 and freshman Hunter Gary recorded a 56.

On Thursday, the Chargers went one stroke lower as a team, recording a 164 at Farmville Municipal Golf Course. They defeated Cumberland County High School, which shot a 189, and Bluestone High School, which shot a 202.

In that tri-match, Whitlow recorded a 35, Williams shot a 38, Hite shot a 43, Hall produced a 48, Elliott carded a 50, and Gary shot a 56.

The James River District Tournament was held Monday at Kinderton Country Club, and Central finished as the runner-up in the 18- hole event, shooting a 349. Randolph-Henry won with a 326. The third-, fourth- and fifth-place teams were in the 370s, led by Bluestone with a 370.

Whitlow had the fourth-best individual score, and Williams recorded the sixth-best.

Williams was named the 2019 James River District Co-Player of the Year for golf, sharing the honor with Nottoway High School senior Jacob Carr.

“We are looking forward to competing in the regional match on Sept. 30 at The Manor (Golf Club in Farmville),” McDaniel said.