Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 9, 1993 TAG: 9309100093
SECTION: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE: N-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"Man, I'm getting tired of chasing that guy," Agee said.
Agee might have been speaking for the rest of the area's high school golfers. If you're an opponent, Ryan Ketron's act has become monotonous.
In the past 13 months, the 17-year-old William Byrd senior has six victories, six second-place finishes and a third in 14 tournaments.
"I've been playing pretty well," Ketron says modestly. "I've worked hard to get to this point and it has paid off. I'm longer off the tee than I used to be, and I seem to be shooting more low numbers."
Ketron started the high school season by shooting 2-under-par 69 at Countryside in the first weekly Blue Ridge District tournament. He followed that opening act with back-to-back 68s at Countryside and Blue Hills, surpassing Sonny Kirkwood's 14-year-old Metro scoring record of 139.
"Ryan is one of the hardest-working players to ever come along around here," Byrd coach Tim Chocklett says. "He deserves all the recognition he's been getting. It's not going to be easy to see him go."
Before leaving Byrd, Ketron has two goals. His first challenge will be to defend his individual state title, and the second is to lead the Terriers to another Group AA state crown.
Despite losing seniors Chris Adcock, Brian Ayers and Kipp Colls - all of whom shot 76 or better and counted in the final round of last year's state tournament - Byrd still has enough firepower to repeat. The Terriers proved it in the Metro, firing an unheard-of team total of 3-under 281 in the final round. Byrd shot 7-over 575 for the two rounds, believed to be a Roanoke high school record score for 36 holes.
Ketron is joined by senior Chris Turner, who shot an all-time Roanoke high school-low 63 in the final round of the Metro, senior Chris McVey, who had a 72 in the Metro, and juniors Evan Maxey and Kevin Divers, both capable of posting scores in the low- to mid-70s. Senior Brian Saunders and juniors Scott Mahanes and C.D. Polumbo provide depth.
"We have seven to nine guys who can all shoot in the 70s on a given day," Chocklett says. "You've got to have numbers like that to win.
"When you lose three of the top six guys, it's usually tough to rebound. But the key is having a No. 1 guy back who is the state champion." Within the Blue Ridge District, arguably the state' best Group AA golf league, Byrd will be pushed by a young Northside team. Lord Botetourt, which won the state title in '91, also can't be counted out.
Northside coach Jim Wolfe, whose top five includes two juniors (Agee and Brian Hill), two sophomores (Justin Young and Dustin Rhodes) and a freshman (Jason Orlando), says his team still may be a year away.
"Byrd is the obvious favorite," Wolfe says. "They have a real strong group, and the way Ryan is playing, he can make a 76 look like dog meat.
"But I feel real good about my group. Last year, with [graduated] Travis Scales and basically the same group, we finished third in the district, missing the regionals by one shot. We'd really like to get to the state. That's our goal this year."
Botetourt is led by a proven winner in Scott Griffin and improving Mark Sweeney.
The top two teams in the Blue Ridge advance to the Region III tournament Oct. 11 at Countryside.
"That's an advantage for the Blue Ridge schools," says Chocklett, whose club rode its home Blue Hills course to the state crown last year. "The regional is close by on a course we know. That helps, believe me."
The top finishing teams in the regional advance to the state tournament Oct. 18-19 in Front Royal.
In Group A, Glenvar is the most likely area team to do damage on the state level. Coach Bo Hagen's club won the state title in 1991, upending William Monroe on its home course, and finished third behind Monroe and West Point last year.
Although the Highlanders lost three strong players - Dennis Mills, Aaron Johnson and Jonathan Ireland - to graduation, Hagen's lineup still includes standout junior Nick Varney, rapidly improving sophomore Tommy Lesperance, junior standby Ray Harrell and senior Chad Yeatts.
"This club can compete on the state level," Hagen says.
Playing the Region C tournament Oct. 12 at Countryside certainly should help the Highlanders' bid for another trip to the Group A state tournament.
In Group AAA, there doesn't appear to be a state-title contender in the Roanoke Valley District, although the two league favorites - Cave Spring and Patrick Henry - have plenty of young talent.
Cave Spring top six includes two juniors - Chad Williams and Michael King - and three sophomores - Doug Kenney, Josh Points and Scott Bailey.
"On a given day, anybody between Patrick Henry, Franklin County and us can win," Knights coach David Layman says. "Whichever team gets the most consistency out of their four, five and six players will determine our district."
Mark Baldwin, Lee Lawson and Jacob Aylor are PH's top young guns. Franklin County, which won the RVD tournament last season, is led by Keith Mattson, Chad Foutz and David Hudson.
by CNB