THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 10, 1995 TAG: 9509080213
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 32 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 162 lines
COX OR FIRST COLONIAL? First Colonial or Cox?
The Beach District will have an outstanding golf program this season, but there's little doubt about the two teams at the head of the pack.
The question is which will be No. 1?
At first glance, Cox appears unstoppable. The Falcons have eight returning lettermen, headed by State AAA champion Matt Paulson.
``We're very optimistic about this fall and feel we will have an excellent season,'' says Cox coach Stuart Holland. His Falcons were 8-1 in the district last year, 14-1 overall. Holland is preparing for his sixth year at the helm of the Falcons.
First Colonial has every starter back from last year's squad, which went 5-4 in the district and 9-4 overall. Veteran coach Leo Anthony is starting his ninth year at First Colonial after a 19-year stint at Princess Anne.
Here's a thumbnail look at the 10 Beach teams in a predicted order of finish:
1. COX
Paulson, now a 16-year-old junior, became the sixth Eastern Region player to win a state championship when he posted rounds of 71 and 73 for a 36-hole 144 that gave him the Group AAA crown by one shot over James Madison's Chad Moseley.
Paulson also won the Eastern Region title by a whopping 10 shots and tied for second place in the Beach District tournament.
Cox captured both the district and region titles a year ago and finished one shot behind state champion Mills Godwin - without a senior in the lineup.
Back again are seniors Troy Cummings, Ryan Marks, Kevin Murphy, Eric Crocker and Barry Marple and sophomores Darren Alexander and Ryan Roebuck.
Patrick Cummings, a freshman addition, is a good prospect. Other newcomers include junior David Krop and sophomore Tripp Bartholomew.
Cox had a team score of 304 in a quad match victory over Western Branch, Kellam and Princess Anne at Broad Bay Tuesday. Breaking 300 isn't out of the question for this talented team during the season.
2. FIRST COLONIAL
The top three players for the Patriots are seniors and Division I college golf prospects. Brian Horan and Mike Schiller provide a solid 1-2 punch, backed up by Matt Ingham.
``We feel we should be one of the top teams in the region and state,'' said Anthony.
Horan was the medalist in the FC/Bow Creek Invitational Tournament and took low scoring honors with a 72 in an interdistrict win over Indian River at Seven Springs. Schiller won several summer events and is regarded as the team's most improved player by Anthony.
Ingham is a steady shooter in the 70s.
Also returning are two-year lettermen Richard Graves, Ryan Beshany and Matt Foster, all seniors.
Ninth-grader Pete Wilkerson is the most impressive newcomer.
3. KEMPSVILLE
In most districts around the state, Kempsville could easily win the conference championship.
The Chiefs have three formidable players in Jeff Kristofak, Brian Richards and Steve Savage.
Newcomers will fill the other starting positions, which leaves the gap between Kempsville and favorites Cox and First Colonial.
Kristofak was the 1994 Norfolk Junior Tournament champion and the 17-18 division winner this year. Savage was the top junior division finisher in the Southeastern Pro-Junior. Kristofak and Savage are seniors. Richards is a junior.
Adam Cook, a sophomore, likely will play No. 4, with senior Yuri Vaid at No. 5. Several players are contending for the sixth spot.
Doug Paschall, in his 11th year as coach, will be pressed to lead his team to a better record than the 9-3 overall mark last year. But Paschall entered the season with 107 victories behind him.
Kempsville won the Eastern Shore tournament Thursday, led by a 75 by Cook.
4. KELLAM
Steve Schmitter feels his Knights ``have the potential to finish in the top three in the district.''
Kellam was 6-3 in league play last year, 8-4 overall. The Knights were third in the district and seventh in the region last season.
The four holdovers are led by Adam Dixon, who was the Beach District medalist last year and won the Tidewater Junior tournament. Dixon is a senior.
Dixon was medalist with a blistering 68 at Honey Bee in leading the Knights to a second-place finish behind Cox in a quad meet with Churchland and Deep Creek Aug. 28. On Tuesday, he was medalist in a quad match with Cox, Western Branch and Princess Anne as the Knights placed third, firing a 72 at Broad Bay.
Another senior returning is Bryan Measel. Two sophomores who won letters last year are Josh Fentress and Adam Nielsen. Nielsen finished 17th in the district meet as a freshman.
Nick Haszko, Clark Baker and Dustin Howell are probable starters. ``All have worked hard and improved enough to contribute,'' said Schmitter.
Kevin McCarthy, a freshman, is pushing for a starting berth.
5. BAYSIDE
Ryan Garland, a sophomore, could help lead the Marlins to a winning campaign. Bayside was 4-4 in district matches a year ago.
Garland recently won the Norfolk City Junior tourney and was fourth in the Tidewater Amateur Junior tournament. He was a 15th-place finisher in last year's Eastern Regional.
He was a medalist Aug. 28 with a 79 at Suffolk as the Marlins beat Lakeland and Oscar Smith in a tri-match.
Matt Hood, a junior, adds strong support in the No. 2 slot.
Other lettermen are sophomore David White, senior Jeremie Halvorson, senior Brandon Angel and junior T. J. Haddox.
Two freshmen prospects are Justin Haovorson, Jeremie's brother, and Steven Dail.
``I think our team is capable of shooting in the 310-320 range,'' said coach Bob Parker.
6. SALEM
Coach Sue Rusnock is hopeful of a winning season and a finish among the top five in the district. She is building around several holdover players, including Kevin Miller. Miller, a sophomore, shoots in the low 70s and was third in the state last year.
Junior Josh Viohl has returned to the team and could push for the No. 2 spot.
Junior Kevin Barry, senior James Scheible and senior Ryan Scobey are returning lettermen.
Sophomore Keith Barry is a promising newcomer.
Salem was 3-6 in the district last year, 3-7 overall. Rusnock's five-year record at the helm of the Sun Devils is 34-16.
7. PRINCESS ANNE
It's a major rebuilding season for Joe Cox, who steered the Cavaliers to a third-place finish a year ago.
The lone holdovers are Andy Thomassy and Justin Melbone. Thomassy, a junior, qualified for the regional last year. Melbone is a sophomore.
Senior Carl Kingry is the best of the other six candidates.
``We graduated five players and three were four-year players,'' said Cox. ``We also had one player who did not come back.''
8. TALLWOOD Tallwood will build around returning players Jon Tasch, Dave Futrell, Will Harris and Eric Bowles. Bowles is a junior and the others are seniors.
Top newcomers are senior Dave Griffin and sophomore Joe Arroyo.
``We're in a rebuilding year,'' said Tallwood coach Don Robertson.
9. OCEAN LAKES
Coach Gary Spedden hopes his team can improve upon last year's single victory.
``The returners need to develop consistency,'' pointed out Spedden.
No. 1 player Chad Wilson is a low 70s shooter. He qualified for the regional last year and was a state qualifier as a sophomore.
He is one of seven lettermen, backed up by seniors Joe Young and Troy Williams and sophomores Jocelyn Veraque, Waly Cashmore, Christina Harris and J. P. Kemnitzer.
There are no juniors on the team. Newcomers include senior Nick Harcourt, sophomore Jeremy Crawford and freshman Chad Ball.
10. GREEN RUN
Only six are currently on the squad. Richard Skopal, a senior, is the lone lettermen.
Brian Buttolph, a junior, did not letter last year but should be a starter this season.
The best of new candidates, all sophomores and freshmen, is Billy Spare.
``We didn't have any wins last year but we're hopeful of getting some this season,'' said coach Willie Maull.
Elsewhere, Western Branch, Churchland and Great Bridge should battle it out in the Southeastern District, and Granby is a solid favorite in the Eastern. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
With State AAA champion Matt Paulson returning, Cox could be
unstoppable. The Falcons won the district and region titles a year
ago.
by CNB