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Saddlebrook crushes field

By JAMAL THALJI and MIKE READLING

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 24, 2000

SPRING HILL -- The object of the game is to land a quarter closest to the crack on the sidewalk. It has no name, really. It's just an inane little pastime Hana Young picked up from her dad.

At Monday's Class A, District 5 tournament at Silverthorn, all of her Saddlebrook teammates were completely absorbed with trying to drop that quarter onto the crack of the cart path.

Then again, that was the most challenging aspect of the day, holding the Spartans' interest whereas the field and the wind-swept course could not.

As expected, Saddlebrook easily captured the district championship by 82 strokes, shooting 313.

Crystal River (395) was the best public school, taking second, followed by Lecanto (420) and Citrus (429). All four advanced to the Class A, Region 3 tournament, which will be Oct. 30 at Saddlebrook.

"It was a tough day to play," Speer said. "And I was really pleased because our scores were consistent, especially since we only have four."

Of the four 30s posted in nine holes, all were shot by Saddlebrook. The Spartans' foursome was led by Mariana DeBiase, whose 33 was the day's lowest score through nine. She capped that off with a 42 to win the individual medal with a 75.

Kelly Froelich shot the lowest back-nine score of 37 and with a front-nine 40 turned in a 77 to take second. Third-place Tori Davis shot 39 on the front nine and 80 in all. Young shot 37 on the front-nine and finished with an 81 to take fourth.

Crystal River's Morgan Owen was the top public school golfer, shooting an 86. She finished fifth. Central's Francesca Gonzalez shot 44 and 46 to finish with 90 and take sixth.

"We were a little shaky today," Crystal River coach Pat Deem said.

"They can do better, but I'm very proud of them. At least they get a shot to go because last year if you played your best, you still couldn't go."

The top four individuals not on a regional qualifying team also advanced. Gonzalez leads that group, followed by Hernando's Alison Frazier, the only member of her team to compete. She shot 94. Wesley Chapel's Nicki Bryan shot 98 and is Pasco County's only public school golfer to make the cut. South Sumter's Missy Smith shot 100 to round out the field.

Sunshine Athletic Conference champion Mitchell missed the regional cut by 10 strokes, and SAC medalist Amanda Moore missed the individual cut by seven strokes.

2A-8: Gaither wins

TAMPA -- Gaither boys coach Jim Morrissey sat down with his young squad at the beginning of the season and set a goal.

"I want all of you to be able to beat me by the end of the year," Morrissey, a 2-handicap, told his group of freshmen and sophomores.

Monday at the Carrollwood Village Golf Club, Morrissey's bunch did not beat their coach, but they beat everybody else.

Gaither, which went 15-2 a year after going 3-8, used a home-course advantage and fought through a stiff wind to win the title by eight strokes over defending champion Wharton 329-321. Chamberlain was third with 333 and Sickles fourth, edging King by one stroke with 334.

The top four teams and top four individuals on non-qualifying teams advanced to the regional tournament Monday at Cleveland Heights Golf Course in Lakeland to play for the right to go to state.

King claimed three of the four individual qualifying positions as Adam Varney shot 79, Lucas Carpenter carded 83 and Mike Sanders beat Ridgewood's Andy Gorrell in a one-hole playoff to grab the final spot after they tied at 85. Ridgewood's Jason Schlau shot 81, also earning a trip to Lakeland.

Sanders parred the 530-yard, par-4 first hole after hitting his second shot to the front of the green and chipping over a sand trap to within 20 feet.

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Gary Shelton