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By RODNEY PAGE
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 11, 2001
Countryside coach Greg Bryant has been around the course a few times.
So when he said it might take a while for his Cougars to get started, he wasn't kidding.
Countryside, which finished fifth at state last year but lost several key golfers, is 0-2 after its first match Thursday against Bradenton Lakewood Ranch and East Lake.
It will not be easy replacing David Cosper, Jimmy Fitzpatrick and Nick Bellamy.
Juniors Matt Isel and Chris Ford can shoot low rounds. Isel shot 38 in the opening tournament at Countryside Country Club.
Junior Adam Zuerendorfer also will figure in the starting five. From there, Bryant must search for the rest of his top five.
"A team like (last season) comes around every 10 years or so," Bryant said. "So we'll have to look for some depth.
"We'll probably start a little slow, and people will wonder what's wrong with Countryside."
NOTHING WRONG: One team that appears just as good as last season is Canterbury.
The Crusaders are 4-0 after beating St. Petersburg Catholic on Thursday. Ryan Nachit, Carson Crooms and Winston Ball, who have played together for three years, will make the Crusaders tough all season.
Canterbury, however, is in the same district as Bradenton Academy, which attracts some of the best high school golfers in the world as part of the David Leadbetter Golf School.
LOOKING AHEAD: Largo, which could be one of the surprise teams this year, will get a good test Thursday at Bellair Country Club, when it hosts Palm Harbor University, Dunedin and St. Petersburg.