Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140102
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
This is the kind of story the late Bob ``Guts'' McLelland would like.
McLelland, a longtime newspaper sports editor and legendary sandlot football coach, developed a reputation of encouraging the underdog, rewarding the disciplined and singing the praises of his proteges - who generally remained well-mannered and modest even when they were winning.
Among a plethora of honors, he was named to the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame several years ago, even though he did not personally play. An annual area high school golf tournament recently has been renamed the Bob McLelland Classic.
This summer, the two-day McLelland Classic was held Aug. 22-23 at Botetourt Country Club and Countryside. Eleven area high schools competed, including private schools North Cross and Roanoke Valley Christian.
Brian Whitaker, a senior at North Cross, won the individual competition, and Brandon LaCroix, a sophomore, tied for fourth. They led the Raiders to a surprising second-place team finish, eight strokes behind powerhouse Northside and ahead of such Group AAA teams as Patrick Henry, Cave Spring and Franklin County.
That was a strong showing for a school with a typical graduating class of 35-40 students; a school whose golf coach was out of town during the tournament; a school that scurried to get enough players to compete; and a school whose team normally plays only in the spring.
``It really was Tim Chocklett's idea,'' said LaCroix, who knows the William Byrd coach. LaCroix's family has a membership at Hunting Hills, North Cross plays its home matches there, and Chocklett works part-time in the pro shop.
``Tim knew we had some good players, so he told me to call [tournament coordinator] Jerry English,'' LaCroix said.
The format of the team tournament was to add the four lowest individual scores among each team's six entrants. The first day, at Botetourt, North Cross had only five players and still placed fourth, 20 shots behind.
Whitaker shot a 74, one shot behind the individual co-leaders, and LaCroix posted a 77. Sophomores Travis Horak and Andrew Gregory posted North Cross' other counting scores, 81 and 89, respectively.
``When we had to count an 89,'' LaCroix said, "I thought we were out of it. Andrew normally shoots about 80. But we can't blame him; all of us could have done better.''
On the second day, every Raider improved. Gregory came through with a 79, Horak shot a 76, and LaCroix and Whitaker, who alternated playing No. 1 for North Cross last year, each fired a 73. The 301 total matched Northside's first-day performance for low team total for a single day.
Whitaker chipped in for a par on No. 16, taking medalist honors by one stroke over PH's Ryan Crush (147-148).
But if North Cross' performance was a surprise to some, it won't be the next time. LaCroix, Horak and Gregory will be playing in the McLelland tournament for the next two summers, and Trey Clower, another member of the team, is just beginning his freshman year.
LaCroix, who has been playing tournament golf since he was 12, is beginning to make a name for himself beyond Roanoke.
``Brandon's a lot younger than me, but he's much more experienced in tournament golf than I am,'' said Whitaker.
LaCroix, 15, shot 73-68 at the Bryan Park Junior Amateur in Greensboro, N.C., in July, not only winning his age group, but posting a score lower than anyone in the 16-17 age group as well.
LaCroix is playing in a tournament in South Carolina next week, and routinely mails out resumes detailing his latest performances to college coaches.
His goal is to play for an ACC team such as Duke, Virginia or Wake Forest.
Whitaker, 17, whose home course is Hidden Valley, admits that his game has materialized just recently.
``When I was a freshman, I was shooting like a 47 for nine holes,'' said Whitaker, whose handicap now stands at 1.5. Whitaker intends to play college golf at Elon, Longwood, or Radford.
``I want to go somewhere I can play,'' he said. ``To play for Radford, you need to be able to shoot a 77 on a championship course.''
While golf is the primary sport for Whitaker and LaCroix, both also play basketball. The 6-3 Whitaker averaged 16 points per game last season, many of them coming from 3-point range.
``When he gets in a zone, you just stand back and watch,'' said LaCroix, who at 5-8 plays point guard.
In past falls, LaCroix has played football for North Cross, doubling as a running back and kick returner. But he has decided to give it up this season, not wanting to risk possible injury and jeopardize his golf career.
Whitaker said his golf forte is distance off the tee. ``I hit the ball kind of far,'' he said. ``My size helps.''
LaCroix listed ``ball striking'' as his strong suit. ``But then, every once in awhile, my putter gets hot,'' he said.
It's safe to say that North Cross golf won't be a secret to other area high schools anymore.
by CNB