Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 7, 1994 TAG: 9406070092
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Hagen is coach of the year for the second time in three years, and Ketron is Timesland's player of the year for the second consecutive year.
Hagen's Glenvar team went unbeaten during the regular season, won the Pioneer District and Region C titles, then capped the fall season with its second Group A state championship in three years.
``This year's team was a pleasant surprise,'' Hagen said. ``Two years ago, I thought we had the best team we've ever had. But this team exceeded all expectations.
``We shot 297, a school record, against Bath County early in the year. I still remember Doug Harvey [Bath's coach] saying, `I thought this was supposed to be a rebuilding year, what's going on ...'''
Despite losing three seniors - all with stroke averages of less than 80 - from a 1992 team that finished third in the state, Glenvar didn't miss a beat. The Highlanders didn't stop overachieving until they duplicated their 1991 state crown, beating longtime state Group A power William Monroe by five shots at Lonesome Pine Country Club.
``I don't think you can compare the two state titles,'' Hagen said. ``They were carried out in two different ways. Both were great, both were very satisfying.''
Sophomore Tommy Lesperance and junior Nick Varney, both All-Timesland golfers, led the Highlanders in the state tournament by finishing third and seventh, respectively. Lesperance came up particularly big, shooting a final-round 74.
Varney, also an All-Timesland performer in tennis, won the Pioneer District tournament and finished third in Region C. Junior Ray Harrell, whose brother, Adam, led Glenvar to the 1991 state title, contributed immensely in the third spot.
Seniors Ryan Antolini, Chad Yeatts and Rob Robinson also chipped in at opportune moments.
``We've been fortunate at Glenvar in that there's an interest in golf,'' Hagen said. ``I've just sort of helped cultivate that interest. We got a lot of help from Billy McBride [Hanging Rock's head professional] when he was at Countryside. We had a number of young men who went through his juniors program over there.''
Ketron, 17, who is heading to Campbell University in the fall on a golf scholarship, capped a brilliant high school career with another stellar season. Ketron won the Bob McLelland Invitational - the biggest high school tournament in the area - for the second consecutive year.
The only downer for Ketron was his failed bid to win a second consecutive Group AA individual title. He finished 16th in the fall after winning the crown in 1992 at Blue Hills. The Terriers came up short of a second consecutive Group AA championship, finishing third.
``I didn't win the state, but I think I was a lot more consistent this year,'' Ketron said. ``I didn't have a score in the 80s. Everything was around 75 or less. My stroke average of 71 was better than 1992.''
Ketron and Varney were joined on the first team by Roanoke Valley Christian junior Benjy Kitts and Lord Botetourt senior Scott Griffin.
Kitts was the Virginia Independent Conference champion, and Griffin, once again, was a major force in the Blue Ridge District.
Lesperance was joined on the second team by Byrd senior Chris Turner and a pair of Northside juniors - Brian Agee and Brian Hill.
Turner fired a 8-under-par 63 - believed to be the lowest competitive round ever by a Roanoke high school player - to finish second behind Ketron in the McLelland Invitational.
Agee and Hill were the mainstays of a Northside team that figures to rule the roost in the fall.
by CNB