On Tuesday afternoon, golfers from Nature Coast Tech, Springstead, and Central High Boys Varsity Golf teams faced off in a tournament at Hernando Oaks Golf and Country Club. The Sharks earned the top spot with a score of 200 while the Eagles took second with an overall score of 218. Coach Jeffrey D’angelo and the Bears participated, but they did not qualify as they did not field enough players at the competition. Sharks Head Coach Tom Brown was happy with the result, not just because his team won, but because of how his squad performed.
“I was pleased with the efforts of my team today,” Coach Brown said. “Conner seems to have broken through lately. He’s playing solidly. Our short games have been improving and that has been the biggest difference lately.”
The scores of the players from the three schools are listed below:
Nature Coast:
Conner Anderson (Senior) – 44
Dylan Mcnerney (Freshman) – 51
Dylan Cooper (Freshman) – 52
Seldon Skidmore (Freshman) – 53
Avery Adams (Junior) – 54
Springstead:
Riley Gresham (Sophpomore) – 45
Hugh Huddleston (Freshman) – 46
Jacob Rief (Senior) – 56
Christian Allen (Freshman) – 58
Kyle Schindler (Senior) – 58
Chris Pietrzyk (Junior) – 62
Kyle Ruebeling (Freshman) – 66
Central:
Adrian Gordon-Nunez (Senior) – 63
Michael Konkie (Junior) – 66
Hunter Langworthy (Junior) – 72
These results meant that Nature Coast’s Conner Anderson took the top spot with Gresham and Huddleston taking silver and bronze. The next four spots after these all went to the Sharks. Though his team came up short, Springstead Athletic Director and Head Coach Matt McGarry liked some of what he saw out on the links and identified some areas where his players could improve.
“I thought we did a good job today,” Coach McGarry said. “Especially since we sat out two golfers who are usually top guys for us. My freshman, Hugh, is really coming along and so is my sophomore, Riley. Both players [are] playing their best golf of the season right now. Hopefully they can keep it up and keep it consistent… We need to be better on the greens and better with our scoring.”
Another tournament will be taking place later this week on Thursday. Springstead will be taking on the Hernando Leopards and the Weeki Wachee Hornets at Glen Lakes Golf and Country Club that afternoon. Coach McGarry is excited to get out on the course again. The cross-town squads are two of his “favorite teams to play” against as the coaches who lead them are close friends of his.
Heading into this next competition, the Eagles’ coach will be looking for consistency from his players as that is ultimately most important. If a player has a great day, then follows it up with a bad day or does not put the work in, that great day will be just that. Consistency will give them the opportunity to be great no matter the endeavor.
“That’s what golf’s all about,” Coach McGarry said. “Consistency… The more consistent we are, the more good fortune I see for these boys.”
