Staff report

SALISBURY — Warren Fesperman made one of the all-time comebacks and led Salisbury’s boys golf team to the 2A Midwest Regional championship on Monday.

Fesperman broke his leg in a cart accident during Salisbury’s practice round for the 2023 regional at Pilot Knob in Surry County.

Things went smoother on their home course on Monday, where the Hornets know the roll of the greens and know every potential trouble spot to avoid. A healthy Fesperman shot 76 and tied for fourth at the Country Club of Salisbury, as the Hornets improved dramatically on last season’s third-place regional finish.

“What a comeback today by Warren,” Salisbury coach Josh Brincefield said. “A lot of the Surry people were asking me which of our kids got hurt last year, and I pointed at Warren. He was that guy who got off to a great start for us today.”

The other scorers for Salisbury — the Hornets totaled 312 —  were an under-the-weather John McCoy (77), Jackson Sparger (79) and Bo Brincefield (80).

“I didn’t know it until after today’s round, but John was throwing up this morning,” Coach Brincefield said. “It’s amazing that he played, and while he wasn’t at his best, he still gave us a solid round.”

McCoy did have two double bogeys, which is as many as he normally has in a month. But he hung in there.

So did Fesperman, who after his scintillating start hit a rough patch with back-to-back double bogeys on No. 7 and No. 8.

“That’s where Warren’s round could have gotten away from him, but he settled down,” Brincefield said. “Double bogeys are hard to get back, but then he had a great finish with an eagle and a birdie down the stretch.”

Fesperman’s finish included an eagle on the par-5 15th where he sank a big-breaking putt of at least 50 feet.

“We didn’t play our best as a team,” Brincefield said. “All of our guys had at least one double bogey, so we’ve got things to clean up before the state tournament, but as regional champions, we checked another goal off our list. Pine Lake Prep played great in winning their regional today (303), but we feel like if we play well, we’re one of the three or four teams that has a chance to win it all.”

The state event will be held next Monday and Tuesday at Stonebridge in Monroe. That’s an unfamiliar course for all the Hornets, but they hope to get in an unofficial practice round as well as an official practice round before the event.

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The 3A Midwest Regional at Sapona — East Rowan should be a factor there — was postponed until Tuesday.