Central High School’s varsity golf team accomplished something Tuesday, Aug. 21, that no other James River District squad had achieved in the last 16 years. The Chargers defeated the remarkable Randolph-Henry High School Statesmen.

Richard McDaniel, Chargers head coach, had an idea of what his talented team would need to do score-wise to achieve the upset of historic proportions.

“Given Randolph-Henry’s talent level over the years, this year included, I felt like they had to be close to 160 to have a chance,” he said.

Indeed, the Chargers shot a 160 on Aug. 21 at Lunenburg Country Club, topping the Statesmen, who shot an impressive 165, and Goochland High School, which shot a 186.

McDaniel noted that he saw the potential for the achievement in his players.

“I felt like they could get there,” he said. “Everything has got to fall into place, but I felt like it could happen.”

Reflecting on the fact that it did, he said, “I’m happy for the players. It’s an accomplishment …”

A longtime friend of Statesmen Head Coach Kelly Powell, McDaniel indicated there is no bad blood in the rivalry between the two programs.

“I wasn’t really out to get them,” McDaniel said.

Powell made it clear the programs share a mutual respect as he conveyed his thoughts on the Aug. 21 match.

“We didn’t give it to them, they earned it,” he said. “A lot of times if you play bad and somebody beats you, you say, ‘Well, we played bad.’ But we didn’t play bad. We played pretty good, and they just played better. I was very impressed.”

Leading the way for Central was senior Joseph McDaniel, who shot a 36. Junior Cole Williams produced a 37, senior Thomas McDaniel recorded a 41 and junior Mason Elliott and sophomore Hogan Whitlow each registered a 46.

Rather than fall off in their second match of the week, the Chargers incredibly shot another 160 on Thursday at the Farmville Municipal Golf Course. They defeated Nottoway High School, with its 190, and Buckingham County High School, with its 213.

Coach McDaniel said he wasn’t surprised because he knew his golfers were capable of it, “but to come off of the best tournament score they’ve had over the last two or three years and follow it up with an equal score at another course, I was impressed because the 160 against Randolph-Henry was at home, which tends to help a little bit.”

Williams produced a 37, Whitlow shot a 39, Thomas McDaniel recorded a 41 and Joseph McDaniel finished with a 43.

Central (11-1) faced Amelia County and Prince Edward County high schools Tuesday, and it will face Goochland and Amelia on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at Amelia Golf & Country Club.