THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510060227
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
THE COACHES OF the three Southeastern District teams qualifying for the Eastern Region golf tournament say their squads will have to come up with peak performances to advance to the Group AAA state tourney.
Great Bridge, Churchland and Western Branch will carry the district banner into the regional Oct. 16-17. The top two teams in the region will gain state tournament berths.
After finishing in a tie with Western Branch for first place in the regular season and winning the title by virtue of the district rule giving the crown to the head-to-head winner, Great Bridge coasted to the district tournament championship Tuesday at Seven Springs.
The Wildcats posted 322-322-644 in the two-day, 36-hole competition for a 23-stroke margin over runner-up Churchland. Western Branch and Deep Creek tied for third at 676, a whopping 32 shots behind Great Bridge. The Bruins defeated the Hornets in a playoff for the final region berth that went two additional holes.
``We'll have to step our game up a few notches if we want to stay with Cox, Kempsville and Granby in the regional,'' said Great Bridge coach Bill Welch, who has led the Wildcats to six consecutive Southeastern District tournament victories.
``But I know we have the potential to put five players in the 70s on a given day, and this would be a good time to do it.
``A lot can happen on a golf course. When the season started, I thought Churchland and Western Branch would beat us. I didn't think Deep Creek could. Well, we beat Churchland and Western Branch and lost to Deep Creek.
``Actually, I believe the loss to Deep Creek might have provided the incentive we needed to go on to the district championship.''
Welch pointed out his Wildcats weren't far off the 70 pace in the final round of the district tournament.
``After nine holes, we had one player at 38, two at 39, two at 40 and one at 41. We were really playing well. But we didn't finish up that way.''
Bud Grissom, who plays No. 5 for Great Bridge, but who has emerged as its steadiest performer recently, finished with 78; the others went into the 80s.
``There's no doubt Bud was the best player on our team in the tournament,'' said Welch. Grissom finished with 154, losing tournament medalist honors to Churchland's Jason McEwen by one stroke.
``The 76 I had Monday at Sleepy Hole was my best round there ever,'' said the elated Grissom, whose golf swing is second to none in the district.
Pleased that McEwen won the individual title, Churchland coach Duke Conrad said it would take ``a giant step forward by the rest of the team'' for the Truckers to qualify for the state tournament.
``There are so many good individual players in the region this year that it's going to be a tooth-and-nail fight for some of them to even get to the state,'' said Conrad.
The 17-year-old McEwen, a sixth-place finisher in last year's district tournament, said winning the conference crown was ``my real goal this year.''
Added McEwen: ``I didn't have a single birdie in my second round. I just played good and steady all the way. I knew I needed a par on the last hole to beat Grissom and I got it.''
The first to congratulate him was his mother, Martha. ``I'm one proud mama,'' she said. ``Be sure and say I taught him all he knows about golf.''
Conrad hopes the victory will help the senior gain a college golf grant. ``He is a Division I player, and not many hit the ball the way he does. He's just going to improve as a player and can really help some college golf team,'' said the coach.
Western Branch coach Wayne Peterson looked on as Deep Creek's Chris Huntzinger eagled the par 4, 341-yard 18th hole to force a playoff between his Bruins and the Hornets for the final team berth in the regional. Huntzinger holed a 35-yard chip shot.
The two teams battled to a 22-22 tie in the first playoff hole, but Deep Creek coach Richard Cox conceded on the second hole when the Hornets fell five shots back with two players left and victory out of reach.
``It wasn't a pretty win for us,'' said Peterson. ``But we're happy to be going to the regional. It will take a lot better playing to keep on going.''
In addition to the team qualifiers, five players on non-qualifying teams advance to the regional. These included Huntzinger (155) and Deep Creek teammate Jeremy Carroll (165), Norcom's Anthony Gregorie (158) and Indian River's Chris Taylor (168) and Keith Vasconcellos (174).
``This is the third year in a row I have made it to the regional,'' said Gregorie, who posted low score in the tourney's closing round with a splendid 4-over-par 75.
``Chris is a sophomore and Keith is only a freshman,'' pointed out Indian River coach Gary Everton. ``That bodes well for our future.''
The first round of the Eastern Regional will be at Ocean View. The second round will be at Red Wing. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
Churchland's Jason McEwen, 17, won the individual title over Bud
Grissom of Great Bridge by one stroke. ``I knew I needed a par on
the last hole to beat Grissom and I got it,'' he said.
Jeremy Carroll of Deep Creek was hoping Robbie Baker, right in photo
at left, of Western Branch would miss the putt in the first playoff
hole. Baker did, and the game continued.
by CNB