PINEHURST — Reigning two-time champion Green Hope, built an eight-shot advantage over the field after Monday’s opening day of the 72nd N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A Championships at Pinehurst No. 6.

Green Hope carded a 3-over 287, eight shots better than Charlotte Providence, with Southern Pines Pinecrest in third at 296. Alexander Central is fourth at 305.
The best four of six individual scores count toward the team total.

Green Hope’s Michael Marshburn leads the individual scores after shooting a 1-under-par 70 under difficult, blustery conditions. His lead is just a single stroke over five golfers, including teammate Michael Cromie. There are 17 golfers within five shots of the lead entering the final day of action.

At Fox Fire Village, just four shots separate the top four teams in the 23rd 3-A Championship. Gastonia Forestview leads the field with a 305 score, followed by Wilson Fike at 307, with Hickory at 308 and Burlington Williams at 309.

Individually, senior Michael Muscatell of Charlotte Catholic, the 2006 champion, leads the individual standings with a 1-under par 71, one shot ahead of freshman Robert Register of Burlington Williams. Billy Barham of Southeast Guilford is by himself in third at 73.

In Southern Pines, at the 2-A Championship at Longleaf Golf and Country Club, Ryan Lavelle of shot a 1-under 70 to build a two-shot edge over a trio of golfers, including South Iredell’s Clay Brown, Mayodan Dalton McMichael’s Jay Brown and Danny Dippel of West Henderson.

In the team standings, Cardinal Gibbons holds a narrow three-shot lead over Ledford and West Henderson, with Shelby in fourth at 314.

At the 1-A Championship at Keith Hills Country Club in Buies Creek, Hampstead Topsail and East Surry have opened up a sizable margin over the field.

Topsail, fifth in last year’s 1-A tournament, shot an even 300 and placed five golfers among the top 10 individuals. Topsail holds a five-shot lead over defending team champion East Surry, and Polk County is in third place but is 26 shots off the pace.

Topsail’s Joe Ondish has the individual lead after firing a brilliant three-under 69, two shots ahead of defending 1-A individual champ John Welden of East Surry. Welden’s teammate Ethan Grimmer is in third at 72 and Andrew Bateman of Andrews shot a 73.

 4-A TEAM STANDINGS (First Round)
1, Green Hope, 287; 2, Charlotte Providence, 295; 3, Southern Pines Pinecrest, 296; 4, Alexander Central, 305; 5, Matthew David Butler, 311; 6, Huntersville Hopewell, 316; 7, Greenville Rose, Concord Jay Robinson, 318; 9, Wilmington Hoggard, 319; 10, North Mecklenburg, Northern Durham, 323; 12, Holly Springs, 347.

4-A INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (First Round)
1, Michael Marshburn (Green Hope), 70; 2, Jack Garrett (Durham Riverside), Jack Fields (Southern Pines Pinecrest), Michael Cromie (Green Hope), Nik Peterson (Charlotte Providence), Jonathan Miles (Wilmington Hoggard), 71; 7, David Boyce (Charlotte Providence), 72; 8, Will Almand (Green Hope), Ben Kohles (Green Hope), Patrick Barrett (Southern Pines Pinecrest), Daniel Meggs (Matthews David Butler), Trevor Cone (Concord Jay Robinson), 73; 13, Andrew Crotts (Alexander Central), 74; 14, Landon Pearson (Alexander Central), Adam Stephenson (Greenville Rose), Russell Burke (Southern Pines Pinecrest), Chris Fritz (Matthews David Butler), 75.

3-A TEAM STANDINGS (First Round)
1, Gastonia Forestview, 305; 2, Wilson Fike, 307; 3, Hickory, 308; 4, Burlington Williams, 309; 5, Southeast Guilford, 315; 6, Southern Lee, 316; 7, Rockingham County, 325; 8, Monroe Piedmont, 333; 9, Eastern Wayne, Indian Trail Porter Ridge, 343; 11, Jamestown Ragsdale, 346; 12, Wilson Hunt, 351.

3-A INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (First Round)
1, Michael Muscatell (Charlotte Catholic), 71; 2, Robert Register (Burlington Williams), 72; 3, Billy Barham (Southeast Guilford), 73; 4, Harold Varner (Gastonia Forestview), J.T. Poston (Hickory), 74; 5, Alex Cauble (Belmont South Point), Daniel Claytor (Northern Nash), Andrew Keller (Hickory), Ryan Yarborough (Wilson Fike), 75; 9, Zach Gliarmis (Wilson Fike), Kyle Ham (Eastern Wayne), Garrett Haney (Gastonia Forestview), Jonathan McCurry (Southern Lee), 76; 13, Thomas Chapman (Gastonia Forestview), Robert Hoadley (Cameron Union Pines), 77.

2-A TEAM STANDINGS (First Round)
1, Cardinal Gibbons, 302; 2, Ledford, West Henderson, 305; 4, Shelby, 314; 5, Mayodan Dalton McMichael, 320; 6, East Henderson, Richlands, 330; 8,  Roanoke Rapids, 331; 9, Newton-Conover, Mount Pleasant, 334; 11, Kill Devil Hills First Flight, South Brunswick, 335.

2-A INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (First Round)
1, Ryan Lavelle (Cardinal Gibbons), 70; 2, Clay Brown (South Iredell), Jay Brown (Mayodan McMichael), Danny Dippel (West Henderson) 72; 5, Jeff Boyan (Ledford), Curtis Brotherton (Ledford), Robert Bullock (Shelby), Zack Garrison (Shelby), Dalton Gore (South Brunswick) 75; 10, Thomas Buchanan (Mitchell), Brandon Craven (East Henderson), Jacob Harris (West Henderson), Chad Miller (Ledford), Joseph Rierson (Mayodan McMichael) 76.

1-A TEAM STANDINGS (First Round)
1, Hampstead Topsail, 300; 2, East Surry, 305; 3, Polk County, 326; 4, Mount Airy, 328; 5, Gastonia Highland Tech, 338; 6, Williamston, 340; 7, North Johnston, Elkin, 343; 9, Rosman, 347; 10, N.C. Science and Math, Louisburg , 348; 12, East Bladen, 357.

1-A INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (First Round)
1, .Joe Ondish, Topsail 69
2.John Welden, East Surry 71
3. Ethan Grimmer, East Surry 72
4. Andrew Bateman, Andrews 73
5. David Kostyal, Topsail 75
6. Tyler Britt, East Bladen 77
7. Nick Peavy, Mount Airy 78
Josh Whitehead, Topsail 78
David Donovan, Topsail 78
Pat Morris, Topsail 78
11. Jackson Shearin, North Johnston 79
Kyle Wilson, Mount Airy 79
Jordan Humphrey, NCSSM 79
Drew Eaker, Cherryville 79
Parker Lewis, Hayesville 79