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Favorites tough to beat
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
ZEPHYRHILLS -- It's hard to label anything involving teenage athletes as a sure thing. But when it comes to today's conference championship, there's just no escaping it. Two-time SAC champion Mitchell is the overwhelming favorite to win its third consecutive title, likewise, defending SAC medalist Hana Young of Wesley Chapel is the top individual. When today's tournament tees off at 11 a.m. at Hidden Creek, there's always the chance someone could prove conventional wisdom wrong. Or is there? "We'd have to play some golf that we've never played before," Zephyrhills coach Chuck Lail said. River Ridge, which finished second to Mitchell in the SAC standings, could be the team to do it. The Royal Knights' lone loss was by nine strokes to the Mustangs in last week's conference finale, Mitchell's closest win this season. But there's an added twist to this year's tournament: the Mustangs' best day of the season came earlier this month against Zephyrhills, third in the SAC, at Hidden Creek, where Mitchell shot a school-record 144 on nine holes and bested the Bulldogs by 19 strokes on their home course. But first-year Mustangs coach Ray Cisbani expects nothing less of a team that went 14-0 this season, 8-0 in SAC play and shaved 16 strokes off its 2001 average. The Mitchell foursome of Amanda Moore, Christina Beach, Kate Taylor and freshman Ashley Aguilera is determined to three-peat, he said. But he acknowledged it can be difficult to compete when the outcome seems foretold. "It is difficult," he said. "But I always remind them, just like I told them in the beginning of the year, everyone is looking at Mitchell this season, and since they've improved by 16 strokes the pressure is even more on them." What about the individual SAC title? Wesley Chapel's Young, who transferred from Saddlebrook last season, is averaging a 34.8 on nine holes this year, and her season-low score is 32. Coach Gerald Savoy said Young is showing no effects of an offseason wrist injury that bothered her earlier. "She's been coming on stronger as the season gets longer," he said. "She's just building her strength up. Her iron play has been excellent and so has her putting. Her short game has been great." But Mitchell's top foursome also averages in the 30s. Many coaches also consider River Ridge's Heather Hagerman to be a top contender as well. She, Moore and Young tee off in today's first threesome. "I think between Hana, Amanda and Heather it's going to be a real good group," Cisbani said.
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
