SALT LAKE CITY — Miles Hinkle has known most of his Wayne High boys' golf teammates for most of his life.
So long, in fact, that his mother still hauls a photo of four of the Badgers' golf from nearly 10 years ago, when much-younger Hinkle wore a then-iconic red-and-blue beanie while embracing a group he considered to be family.
In the final state tournament of his high school career, the "brothers" came out on top — and Wayne recreated the same photo from years earlier.
Hinkle finished tied for second as the Badgers rallied from a two-stroke deficit after 18 holes to defeat reigning champion Milford by five Wednesday at Rose Park Golf Course.
"It's so awesome," Hinkle said. "It's my senior year, and this is so cool."
Rhett Barnes shot 3-under-par 68 on Tuesday's first day of the tournament to help Milford to a two-shot leader with 18 holes to go. But the field ran into much different conditions Wednesday, with wind gusts as strong as 60 miles an hour as thunderstorms threatened most of the Salt Lake Valley.
"I just kept playing like I would normally," said Barnes, a sophomore. "I think I putted better (Tuesday) than I did today; I didn't really play any better yesterday than I did today. I just putted awful on the front nine ... and then it got better."
That left the door open for Hinkle, who carded three birdies en route to 5-over 77 to push the Badgers to their first championship in program history.
"I think it was our attitude," said Hinkle, who shares a home course at Cove View in Richfield with four other schools. "My dad gave us a talk last night, just go out and hold your head high, shoulders above the crowd. And I think everybody's attitude was good. Some of us didn't start off great, but we stayed in it."
Attitude lifted the Badgers to another special photo, too: a combined photo with the girls' golf team, which finished second to Monticello in the 18-hole 1A girls tournament on the same course.
