TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Heinz Takes SAC Boys Title; Van Etten Rolls

ADVERTISEMENT

By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 8, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - Chaz Heinz was about to make the mistake he had managed to avoid all day in the Sunshine Athletic Conference boys golf tournament.

Tied with Mitchell teammate Kenny Cavender, already in the clubhouse at par 71 at Silverado Golf Club, Heinz hooked his tee shot at the narrow par-5 18th, and it was headed for the out-of-bounds stakes. He never saw it come down but thought his chance of winning was gone, and he hit a provisional ball. But he didn't need it.

The first ball had hit a tree and settled just left of the fairway, still behind trees, but in play. And Heinz took advantage of his second chance, chipping out to 160 yards from the pin, hitting a 7-iron to 2 feet and making the birdie to finish at 1-under 70 to win the tournament by a stroke.

"After it fell in, I was thinking birdie. At first, I was pretty mad," he said. "I had a good idea I was in contention. I talked to Cavender before and he said he was 1-under, so I knew I had a good shot."

Mitchell (291 strokes) won the team competition and finished tied for the conference title with Ridgewood (301 strokes), both with 30 points. The Rams had two more points than the Mustangs entering the tournament by virtue of their 10-0 regular-season record, but Mitchell, which was 8-2, gained two points Tuesday. The tournament counted for double points for the first time this season.

Mustangs No. 5 player Sterling Bash needed to shoot 84 to give Mitchell the tournament title, after Ridgewood's Jordan Padova (76), Jonathan Kopsell (72), Austin Padova (77) and Jeff Koos (75) already had finished. Bash posted a clutch 75, tying teammate Isaac Schaefer, to go with Heinz's 70 and Cavender's 71.

Land O' Lakes (323) and Wiregrass Ranch (327) tied for third in the conference standings with 25 points. The cut for the top five, which earned SAC first-team honors, was 75. Mitchell placed four players on the team, and Ridgewood two.

VAN ETTENS, MUSTANGS ROLL: Megan Van Etten made eight birdies and one bogey for a 7-under par 63 at Meadow Oaks Golf Club to win SAC girls medalist honors on Monday. Together with sister and teammate Rebecca Van Etten's 3-under 67, they led the Mustangs (308 strokes, 32 points) to an eighth consecutive SAC team title.

"When I saw I was 3-under through 9 holes, I thought it could be a special day," Megan Van Etten said. "After that, I was just trying to make pars and birdies."

Starting on the ninth hole, Megan Van Etten birdied all three par-5s on the back nine (Nos. 12, 14 and 17). She went on to birdie the next two holes as well, highlighted by sinking a 30-foot putt at No. 1 to get to 5-under. She also birdied Nos. 5, 6 and 8, her final hole.

"I think everything just kind of came together for her today," said Mitchell coach Joe Castellano. "She's just been ready to explode, I guess."

Zephyrhills' Sarah Baniszewski was third with a round of 75 highlighted by an eagle. Gulf's Bailey Logan (76) made four birdies to finish fourth, and Zephyrhills' Lauren McCloud took fifth (83). The Mustangs were followed by Zephyrhills (340), River Ridge (378) and Gulf (388) in the team standings.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at tampasport@gmail.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT