FUQUAY-VARINA - Thanks to a career-best score of 34 by medalist Tim Conover, Holly Springs boys golf took first place Wednesday at Crooked Creek Golf Course in Fuquay-Varina.

Green Hope now sits atop the conference standings with 25 points after winning the first two matches of the season. Holly Springs has moved into second place in the conference with 21.5 points, while Athens Drive is in third with 18.5, followed by Cary in fourth with 16.5.

The Golden Hawks bounced back from a fifth-place finish Monday on the strength of a balanced showing led by Conover, as Jake Stone scored a 38 and Ryan Roix and Blake Babbitt both shot 39 to help the Hawks claim first in the third Tri-Nine match of the season.

“What a difference a day makes,” Holly Springs coach Sam Greene said. “We were not so hot Monday, so this was a much better round. The kids had a good practice on Tuesday. This is a competitive conference and anything can happen in any match. Our kids really grinded out some good rounds, despite having some bad holes initially.”

The Golden Hawks’ team score of 150 led the field by a wide margin, as second place finisher Athens Drive shot a 158, with Green Hope taking third with an overall score of 162. Rounding out the field Wednesday were Middle Creek in fourth place, followed by Fuquay-Varina and Cary tied in fifth.

The Jaguars finished second Wednesday after taking no better than fourth place in either of the first two matches of the season. Athens was led by Kevin Campbell, who finished with 37, along with Blake Lowengruber and Seth Meade, who both shot 40, and Garrett Simmons, who chipped in a 41.

“I’m just happy that we’re happy playing a little better today,” Athens coach Steve Ostroff said. “But we haven’t reached our potential by any means. We played one hole eight-over as a team. With some good practice and solid routines, we can go a lot further and give the top teams a run for their money.”

Green Hope coach Mike Robinson attributed his team’s third-place finish to mental mistakes.

“Last year we didn’t play well here either,” Robinson said. “We weren’t focused enough today to be in first place. The kids know how to play. It’s just the mental game. When they make a mistake, they have to worry about the next shot, not the one before.”

Conover’s medalist-winning effort Wednesday was his second of the season, as he also shot a field-best 34 in the first Tri-Nine match of the season. Green Hope, Holly Springs and Lee County took first, second and third, respectively in the conference opener on Feb. 29 in Sanford.

In the second Tri-Nine match, played March 5 at MacGregor, Zach Smith of Apex, Will Thomas of Green Hope and Chad Johnson of Middle Creek shared medalist honors, as each shot a 37. The top three teams at MacGregor were Green Hope in first place, Cary in second and Middle Creek in third.

Tri-Nine boys golf standings after three matches

1. Green Hope, 25

2. Holly Springs, 21.5

3. Athens Drive, 18.5

4. Cary, 16.5

5. Middle Creek, 16

T-6. Apex, 13

T-6. Lee County, 13

8. Fuquay-Varina, 8.5

9. Panther Creek, 3