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Photos by Marcus Yam | The Roanoke Times

Matt Harmon from Cave Spring congratulates Blacksburg's Jake Mondy (left) at the conclusion of their rounds.

Jack Wilkes from Cave Spring (left) talks to Brian Langley from Blacksburg (center) as Tyler Brookman from Pulaski County finishes teeing off at Ashley Plantation Golf Course. Wilkes finished second to Jake Mondy for medalist honors at the River Ridge District tournament.

Blacksburg assistant golf coach Rick Mattox reacts after getting doused with a cooler filled with water and ice by the Bruins.

DALEVILLE -- Rick Mattox never saw it coming.

Blacksburg's assistant golf coach was about ready to dive into a cheeseburger -- with all the tasty trimmings -- when the water found him.

Waves of the cold stuff submerged Mattox's head and shoulders Monday, cascading down his shirt, drenching his eyeglasses and leaving his burger and bun floating atop an ice-spattered table.

The culprits -- Blacksburg golfers Jake Mondy and Brian Langley -- tried to flee despite leg muscles paralyzed by spasms of laughter.

How long does it take to walk from Ashley Plantation back to Blacksburg anyway?

Luckily for Mondy and Langley -- the 2007 medalist -- winning a River Ridge District individual championship is a vehicle to immunity.

Mondy earned his free pass with a 5-under-par 68 that gave the sophomore the title by two strokes over Cave Spring's Jack Wilkes. Mondy's round also led Blacksburg to the team championship as the Bruins' four-man score of 286 was 16 shots better than the runner-up Knights.

"They might give me a ride back on the bus," Mondy said.

Next week, the destination will be Fincastle Country Club in Bluefield where Blacksburg will shoot for its second straight Region IV title. The Bruins -- who have won the last two VHSL Group AA championships -- will be heavy favorites although they did lose regular-season matches to Cave Spring and Pulaski County this fall.

"In a way it could be good for us," Mondy said. "It makes us focus a little bit more. At times we get a little big-headed."

Easy to succumb to human nature when an even-par 73 is the worst of your team's four counting scores.

Blacksburg's 6-under-par team score also included a 72 from George Perkovich and a pair of 73s from Langley and Courtney Ellenbogen. Michael Bekken, a first-team all-district selection, missed the round because of illness.

"When we all play decent, when we don't have anyone shooting in the 80s, we're pretty tough to beat," Mondy said.

Mondy, who earned River Ridge player of the year honors based on cumulative scores in district matches, had a roller-coaster round. The redhead had only eight pars to go with six birdies, three bogeys and an eagle-4 on the 625-yard, par-6 14th hole.

In the span of four holes on the back nine, Mondy had a birdie, a bogey, an eagle and another bogey -- a string not completely foreign to his usual scorecard.

"Sometimes," he said. "I'd rather not, but sometimes that's how it works out."

At least Mondy's name was spelled correctly on his card. The kid has seen it written "Jack Mondy, Jake Mundy or Jake Monday" many, many times.

"Too many," he said. "A lot. The last name, almost all the time."

Cave Spring, under first-year coach Frank Rocovich, will try to make the state tournament again after placing second behind Blacksburg last year. Also qualifying for the regional as individuals were Parker Davis, Tylor Welch and Jack Prater of Salem; Korey Dickerson and Matt Sanders of Pulaski County; and Meredith Swanson of Hidden Valley.

Wilkes, who won the Metro Invitational in early August, didn't make a bogey until back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16.

"I played well the whole day," Wilkes said. "That was a little disappointing. Jake played well. He played well all year."

River Ridge District

At Ashley Plantation (par 73)

x-Blacksburg (286) -- Jake Mondy 68, George Perkovich 72, Brian Langley 73, Courtney Ellenbogen 73, Stephen Duetsch 74, Zach Wall 82.

xx-Cave Spring (302) -- Jack Wilkes 70, James Kasza 75, Matt Harman 77, Chris Bernitt 80, Eric Hart 80, Michael Phlegar 87.

Salem (315) -- y-Parker Davis 77, yy-Tylor Welch 77, yy-Jack Prater 80, Tyler Journell 81, John Andrade 84, Ryan Davis 90.

Hidden Valley (328) -- y-Meredith Swanson 76, Brad Elder 81, Alex Taylor 82, Stephen Tirico 89, Chris Migliarese 89, Cole Rosen 94.

Pulaski County (328) -- yy-Korey Dickerson 79, Logan Murphy 82, Tyler Brookman 83, y-Matt Sanders 84, Bryce Graham 89, Chase Dunnigan 89.

Christiansburg (330) -- Aaron Albert 81, Seth Knachel 82, John Willard 83, Ross Carroll 84, Trevor Parker 85, Ian MacInnis 91.

x-Regional team qualifier based on regular season. xx-Regional team qualifier based on tournament. y-Regional individual qualifier based on regular season. yy-Regional individual qualifier based on tournament.