Just a year ago, Hoggard golfer Dylan Lewis wasn't used to winning.
While he shot respectable numbers as a sophomore, Lewis found himself as a middle-of-the-pack player still splitting time between golf and soccer.
Soon, his mindset – and the results – would change.
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"I feel I'm 80%, 90% improved from last year," Lewis said. "I was less concerned about what I shot (this season). I was just trying to have fun, and the scores started to drop."
Lewis finished his junior season as the only Mideastern Conference golfer to win three conference events outright as he shot consecutive 68s to close the season. He also tied for an area-best fourth place at regionals.
Playing club soccer throughout his childhood, Lewis only started playing golf seriously three years ago. It was the independent nature of the sport that drew him towards the game.
"Everything is on you, and you don't have to worry about anything else," he said. "I could play four hours of golf on my own instead of 40 minutes in a soccer game."
Lewis still plays soccer, scoring four goals for the Vikings last season, but golf has become his main focus.
In a conference packed with talent, he tied with teammate Maddux Cook for the second-lowest stroke count (568). He shot 70 in the NCHSAA 4A East regional as Hoggard returned to the state finals and finished ninth as a team.
"Some of the scores surprised me," Lewis said. "One of the things that helped me was just not caring about where I finished. I used to get so caught up in how I was hitting, how I was playing, but now it's more of just having fun."
2024 StarNews All-Area Boys Golfer of the Year:Dylan Lewis, Jr., Hoggard
Lewis snagged a conference-best three outright MEC tournament victories before tying for fourth in the NCHSAA 4A East Regional. He finished 34th in the state championship and averaged the second-lowest stroke count during the regular season.
2024 StarNews All-Area Boys Golf First Team
Jude Aliah, Jr., Cape Fear Academy: Jude was one of the Hurricanes' best golfers this spring, placing second in the NCISAA Division II state championship.
Frank Averitt, Jr., New Hanover : Averitt tied for sixth place in the 4A state championship and finished 26th in the 4A East Regional.
Maddux Cook, Jr., Hoggard : Cook earned three MEC Tournament victories (One Co-medalist) and tied for the second-lowest stroke count in the conference. He tied for fourth place at regionals and earned a top-20 performance in the state championship.
Will Cherry, Soph., New Hanover: Cherry put together a strong postseason performance, tying for fourth place at regionals and finishing 10th at the state championship for the Wildcats, who finished state runner-up as a team.
Carson Etters, Jr., New Hanover: Etters earned the MEC's lowest stroke count in 2024 (564) and earned top-30 finishes at regionals and states.
Spencer Mills, Fr., Cape Fear Academy: Mills placed first in nine tournaments this spring, finishing 17th in the NCISAA Division II state championship.
David Quinones, Soph., Topsail: Quinonnes was the area's best golfer outside of Wilmington, logging top-14 finishes at regionals and the state championship.
2024 StarNews All-Area Boys Golf Second Team
Gregor Brock, South Brunswick; Vaughn Brodowski, Coastal Christian; William Davis, New Hanover; Chris Andrew Etters, New Hanover; Ethan Trexler, North Brunswick.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 2024 StarNews All-Area Boys Golf: Meet the 13 players on first, second teams
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