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Optimism pays off for Sickles golfer
By ROD GIPSON
© St. Petersburg Times, ODESSA -- Megan Bursey went into the Class 2A, District 9 golf tournament with cautious optimism. The leader and the heart and soul of the Sickles team, Bursey played solid golf throughout the regular season. But this was different. Now she was going up against Chamberlain and its loaded group of golfers that includes Mallory Code, Brooke Layton and Jennifer Stanley. But after 18 holes at Silver Dollar Golf Club on Oct. 23, it was Bursey that came out on top, shooting a 1-over-par 72 to take medalist honors and advance to Monday's regional tournament at Willowbrook Golf Club in Winter Haven. "They (Chamberlain) are a very talented team, a very good team," Bursey said. "I did the best I could and kind of got in a groove out there. I felt that I played right at their level." In fact, she was a little bit better. Bursey and Layton were tied after the first nine holes, each shooting 36. Two bogeys hampered Code, who finished the front nine at 38. Bursey edged a two-stroke lead on Layton on the back nine and then held on as Layton birdied No. 18 to close within one. Layton finished with a 2-over-par 73 to place second, and Code was third with a 5-over-par 76. However, Chamberlain had three golfers in the top seven and earned its fifth consecutive district title. Stanley placed seventh with an 85 to help the Chiefs to a team score of 330. Plant was second at 344, followed by Gaither at 393 and Wharton with 405. Each of those teams advances to the regional event Monday. "I thought our girls played well," Chamberlain coach Frank George said. "The par 5s on 16 and 17 were brutal out there and hurt a lot of scores. But our girls did okay, and Megan Bursey really played well." Not only did Bursey take the title to advance to the regionals, she won't be alone there. Teammate Kate Loechelt advanced to regional play with a 104 score, securing the fourth and last spot among advancing individuals from nonqualifying teams. "We expected one player obviously," said Sickles coach Jeff Field. "But to get two to regionals is great. Kate really hung in there and did some good things when she had to." BOYS GOLF: The Class 2A, District 9 tournament at Carrollwood Golf and Country Club on Oct. 23 was an all-North of Tampa event as Wharton, Sickles, Chamberlain and Gaither claimed the top four spots to each advance to the regionals Monday. Individually, Wharton had three of the top four golfers while dominating the event. Mike Giammaresi won medalist honors with a 1-under-par 71 while teammate Brian Wertz tied with Chamberlain's Kennedy Fisher for second at 75. Wharton's David Tiffenberg was third at 76, followed by Sickles' Matt Eichmann (78), Chamberlain's David Hobson (80), Sickles' Jason Claridge (80) and Will Rios (80). CROSS COUNTRY: Leto's Coe Fedorenko and Sickles' Adam Sisler battled throughout the event but Fedorenko went on to win the Western Conference meet Oct. 23 at Lake Park. Fedorenko edged Sisler 16:05 to 16:15. Wharton's Greg McCarthy placed seventh at 16:42. On the girls' side, Gaither's Heather Dickson and Amanda Wells placed ninth and 10th among individuals at 20:25 and 20:43, respectively. VOLLEYBALL: Wharton and Sickles are both headed to the state playoffs despite losing in their district championship matches. The Wildcats fell 15-11, 15-13 to King in the Class 5A, District 8 final while Sickles was beaten 15-2, 15-3 by Plant in the Class 4A-9 title match. Wharton will play at Durant in the regional quarterfinals Tuesday, while Sickles plays at Lakeland's George Jenkins.
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