THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 2, 1994 TAG: 9408310151
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
The Great Bridge golf program is more consistent than the greens at Augusta National.
It has been 10 years since the Wildcats lost a regular-season match.
They have won three consecutive Southeastern District tournament championships and two of the past three state titles.
Even when Great Bridge rebuilds there is a firm foundation on which to start.
Such is the case this year.
Gone are district champ Robbie Rassmussen and runnerup Kennis Sigmon. But in Alton Todd and Robbie Twine the Wildcats still may have the two best golfers in the district.
Todd, a prodigious hitter, tied for third in the district and placed fifth in the state last year.
Twine placed sixth in the district and his 72 on the second day at state was the second-lowest round of the tournament.
Spencer Sigmon, Kennis' brother, also returns from last year.
``I know I've got three golfers,'' coach Bill Welch said. ``Past that I'm not sure.''
Other candidates for the top six are Patrick Perrigo, Matt Perron, Todd Wigfield, Kevin Manning and Holly Corbin.
Corbin, a freshman, won two age-group tournaments this summer and is expected to shoot in the mid-80s.
``We've got some people who have potential,'' Welch said. ``But I don't see a golf team like we had last year. We should be competitive in the district and the region. But I don't know about the state.''
Great Bridge will be chased by Western Branch, the last team other than the Wildcats to win a district tournament.
The Bruins experienced a record turnout of 24 players and have their own one-two punch in senior Spencer Moore and junior Heather Jeffries.
Moore shoots in the mid-70s and Jefferies won the prestigious Bobby Bowers Junior this summer. Coach Wayne Peterson lists Jefferies among his candidates for the individual champion.
``She gets it off the tee as far as any girl I've seen in the area,'' Peterson said.
Scott Byrum also had a good summer and placed third in his age group at the Virginia Beach Junior at Red Wing.
A wildcard could be Scott Wasco. He won the Portsmouth Junior and is expected to transfer from Churchland to Western Branch.
Indian River returns an experienced group led by senior Matt Davis, who shoots in the high 70s. Joe Mejstrik, who took medalist honors at Ocean View recently with an 80, and Jason Barnes should be consistently in the 80s.
``We'll be up there with Western Branch,'' coach Gary Everton said.
Churchland has a pair of top guns in Jason McEwen and Robert Davis. McEwen placed fifth in the district last year and recently shot a 72 in a practice round at Sleepy Hole.
``He looks like a young John Daly with a nice, smooth swing,'' coach Duke Conrad said.
Davis, who traveled around the country playing this summer, is one of the most accurate players tee to green in the district.
Deep Creek has a potential district champion in junior Chris Huntzinger; he missed qualifying for state by one stroke.
But the loss of Larry Norman, who tied for 14th in the district last year as a sophomore, will keep the Hornets from contending as a team. Norman is academically ineligible.
Jeremy Carroll, another sophomore, has been consistently in the 80s this summer.
Wilson has only six players and four are seniors. Jason Smith shot a 74 in a practice round at Bide-A-Wee and should average around 80. Jimmy Smith also is capable of averaging in the 80s.
Oscar Smith finished a distant eighth last year, 232 strokes behind Great Bridge. Brian Long and John Close will lead the Tigers. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Churchland's Robert Davis is one of the most accurate players in the
district.
Churchland's Jason McEwen placed fifth in the district last year.
Photo
Duke Conrad
Churchland's coach
by CNB