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Buccaneers Advance Both Teams To State Tournament

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2007

ODESSA - Things could have been better Tuesday for Berkeley Prep golf coach Tom Shea. But not much better.

Shea, coach of the school's boys and girls teams, watched both squads secure a berth in next week's state tournament with runner-up finishes at the Class 1A-Region 5 tournament at The Eagles.

The girls finished second with a team-total 362, 35 strokes back of champion Northside Christian, while the boys pulled off a bit of an upset by shooting a team-total 314, which was 11 strokes back of champion St. Pete Catholic but 10 better than the Jesuit Tigers, who edged the Buccaneers by five strokes for the district championship a week earlier on the same course.

It is the girls' first trip to state since 2003, and the boys' first trip since 2002.

'The girls, we expected them to get in, but the boys, it was a surprise,' Shea said. 'What can I say? I'm happy we're both going, and yes, it's going to be interesting in terms of working the seven miles between the two golf courses, but I'm excited. It's awesome.'

Buccaneers players weren't the only Hillsborough County golfers feeling good after Tuesday's round on the Lakes course. Tampa Catholic junior Trent Stoker also had a smile on his face after shooting a 1-over 73, the best round of his life, which qualified him for state as the boys' individual runner-up. Calvary Christian's Mike Baskovich was the individual medalist with an even-par 72.

'I'm the first person from Tampa Catholic that's got to states, that's what my coach Kevin Yarnell said,' said Stoker, who had three birdies and four bogeys in his round. 'I'm very excited. My game has been struggling and now it's finally come together at the end when it counted.'

Still, Tuesday belonged to Berkeley Prep.

Buccaneers freshman Blake Morris couldn't hide his displeasure after finishing with a 75, a score he thought would cost himself - and his team -a trip to high school golf's grandest stage. However, his expression changed every time a teammate strolled to the scorer's table.

Seniors Mike Alberts and John Mills each carded 79s, while junior R.J. Campbell turned in an 81. Those scores were good enough to trump Jesuit, which got only one round in the 70s, that from junior Trent Silver (77).

'We're very thankful. We had some seniors on the team and we didn't want them to go home. We didn't want the season to end,' Morris said. 'I personally couldn't believe it. I thought if we posted 314 we'd maybe get in, but probably not. We all felt that, even when we were signing our cards, that we weren't going to get into states. But I can't tell you how happy I am for my team.'

On the girls' side, twin sisters Kim and Kyleen Carpenter, both juniors, again led the Bucs. Kyleen shot a team-best 81 and Kim an 83, and the Bucs also got a sub-100 round from freshman Jessica Hahn (98). Northside Christian placed three girls in the top four, including A.J. Newell, who claimed medalist honors with a 3-over 75.

Now, all Shea needs to do is figure out how to be in two places at once. Not only does Shea have to figure out how to bounce between two courses - the boys are at Southern Dunes in Haines City and the girls are at Ridgewood Lakes in Davenport - but he also has to figure out how to attend both mandatory meetings for coaches, which are scheduled to be held at the same time Monday.

'Maybe I'll get one of those mannequin things,' Shea said. 'Who knows? But I'll figure it out.'

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