Aiken High golf coach Luke McClure made one request to his boys as they finished up their last match before heading their separate ways for Spring Break.
"Please let this not be the last time you touch a club before we go play in the Hurricane."
The Hornets had started the season in fine form, then their level of play started to dip in the middle of the schedule. They struggled at the Jim Ferree Junior Invitational toward the end of March, so McClure challenged his guys to come back from their two weeks off refreshed, refocused and ready to lock in for the biggest stretch of the season.
So far, so good. The team played well in Wren's Hurricane Invitational in their first action back from the break, which they're hoping propels them into Monday's Region 4-AAAA championship at The Aiken Golf Club, next weekend's Southern Cross at Palmetto Golf Club, and beyond.
"We played in the Hurricane right after Spring Break, and Richard (Anaclerio) ended up winning a two-hole playoff to get individual honors there," McClure said. "The team finished tied sixth, and I think it was the best two-day, four-man round we have put together since I've been coaching. Everything's kind of clicking right now, so we're just trying to keep some momentum for Monday."
The Hurricane was also a boost individually for Anaclerio, who finished third in it last year and said this time he came into it not playing for a result. That led to rounds of 68 and 70, and then the Presbyterian College signee bested Wren's Dylan Park on the second playoff hole. He said he's never felt more ready heading into this stretch of the season than he does now, and it's certainly showing in his play.
"He's in probably the best place I've seen him coming in towards the end of the year, which he always plays really well and he has really high standards for himself already," McClure said of his senior. "But I think he'll tell you that middle of the year he wasn't playing his best golf and he wasn't happy where his game was at, and the last maybe month or so everything's been clicking. The ball's been rolling really well for him.
"Him being able to put together those two days at the Hurricane was huge for him, and just that momentum and getting the win there. I think his game's in a really good spot. Looking forward to that hopefully carrying over into Monday's region and Friday's Southern Cross."
McClure said Anaclerio's play also trickles down to the rest of the Hornets, who will ask how their teammates are doing during the round as their coach rides around to check on them. When he tells them that Anaclerio is even-par, or 2 under or even better, they get excited and refocused because it tells them they have a shot at a good team result if they do their part of the job.
Anaclerio and junior Benton Orr are the program veterans, and over the course of the season they've gotten plenty of help from their younger teammates. Evan Crooks has emerged as a top-line starter, while Jack Tucker, Ryan Anaclerio, Solomon Pardue and Parker Boyd have all turned in some key scores throughout the season to give the Hornets a boost.
"Some of these young guys have really been huge contributors all year," McClure said, "Evan Crooks has kind of led the charge for this freshman crowd, and it was actually such a big group of freshmen that I had to make a JV team just so I could keep all of them in the program. ... Looking for those guys to step up. It'll be their first experience with region and Southern Cross and some of these bigger things, but they've played all year in these tournaments we've done and they've played well, so I think they're ready for it."
Monday is the first big test in that list, and the Hornets will look for a strong team effort on their home course as they try to dethrone two-time defending region champion North Augusta. The Yellow Jackets, who are also the defending Class AAAA state champions, are coming into the region tournament with some momentum of their own after repeating as champions at the Swamp Fox Invitational in Summerville.
