2009 Golf Preview (with team capsules)
Dan Bohannon takes a glance at his roster and likes what he sees.
Fort Walton Beach, which last year captured its second straight District 1-2A championship, returns not one, not two but all five girls from the squad that edged Choctawhatchee for its third district title in four seasons.
Senior Lauren Correia, juniors Summer Struzinski, Ally Davis and Caroline Hudson, and sophomore Rachel Struzinski each return to the fold for 2009.
But so too does an expanded district field that will now include what coaches throughout the area have referred to as a “stacked” Gulf Breeze team and perennial powerhouse Niceville, making the path for district supremacy for Bohannon’s Vikings — and the rest of the district — that much more difficult to maneuver.
“Everybody is back,” Bohannon said. “We feel pretty good, but we have a tougher district now with Niceville and Gulf Breeze.”
That quest for a district title and a march toward the state tournament begins in earnest this week for area golfers as the curtain is lifted on a new season.
Niceville coach Mitch Inness, whose Eagles last year captured their third straight regional crown before finishing sixth at the state tournament, does not return its full cast from a year ago but does bring back senior Jaime Jordan, last year’s Daily News girls Golfer of the Year.
Instead Inness, as in years past, will turn to younger players to continue the program’s winning tradition and see to it that Niceville can forge its way to a 12th straight appearance at the state tournament.
“Jaime is our lone senior this year and she’s taken over the leadership role and really run with it,” Inness said. “It’s the same way every year, no team wants to be the one that is the first team that doesn’t go to the state tournament.”
Choctaw, which finished second in District 1-2A and reached regional play for the second consecutive season, returns four of its top five in Lyndsey Chappell, Marlow Garner, Rebecca Gornto and Holley Snaith.
“We should be a very experienced team and that’s what we are going to have to draw on,” Indians coach Andy Snaith said.
On the boys’ side, Choctaw returns one of the state’s finest in junior Brandon Jowers, who a year ago finished sixth at the state tournament and was the Daily News boys Golfer of the Year.
“Last year, as a sophomore, if he doesn’t have such a poor first day he’s in it for a state championship with the way he shot on the second day,” Choctaw boys coach Bill Martin said. “I don’t see any reason he can’t get back there again.”
Jowers will headline an Indians team that Martin said will be one of the youngest he has had at Choctaw.
Fort Walton Beach, meanwhile, returns a pair of regional qualifiers in Brett Ochsenreiter and Kyle Andre while Navarre boasts the return of Trey Aguirre, whose 73 helped the Raiders place third at district last season.
Walton, on the heels of its fourth straight District 2-1A title, returns Paul McClure, Devin Partridge and Clay Cawthon.
South Walton returns Billy Davis, who joined Jowers as the area’s lone representatives at the state tournament last season.
TEAM CAPSULES:
Choctawhatchee
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Crestview, Escambia, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, Pace, Pensacola, Pine Forest, Tate, Washington.
Coach: Girls: Andy Snaith. Boys: Bill Martin.
Athletes returning: Girls: Marlow Garner, Rebecca Gornto, Lyndsey Chappell, Holley Snaith, Katie Hass, Nicole Ray. Boys: Brandon Jowers, Barry Murray, Colin Bartholomew.
Others to watch: Girls: Kelsey Drew. Boys: Barry Murray.
Athletes lost: Girls: Miller McInnis. Boys: Trey Henderson, Ryan Mahan, Kevin Lamson
Crestview
Coach: Girls: Kenny Rogers. Boys: Gene Parish
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Choctawhatchee, Escambia, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, Pace, Pensacola, Pine Forest, Tate, Washington.
Returning athletes: Girls: Karen Jones, Ali O’Connell. Boys: None reported.
Others to watch: Girls: None reported. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: None. Boys: None reported.
Fort Walton Beach
Coach: Girls: Dan Bohannon. Boys: John Lavin
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Choctawhatchee, Crestview, Escambia, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Navarre, Niceville, Pace, Pensacola, Pine Forest, Tate, Washington.
Returning athletes: Girls: Lauren Correia, Summer Struzinski, Ally Davis, Caroline Hudson, Rachel Struzinski, Haley Janseen, Sara Fee. Boys: Kyle Andre, Brett Ochsenreiter, Andrew Snyder, Duncan Conroy, Tanner Armstrong, Marshall Webb.
Others to watch: Girls: Sara Johnson. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: None reported. Boys: None reported.
Freeport
Coach: Katie Neals
District: 2-1A
District opponents: Arnold, Bay, Chipley, Holmes County, Marianna, Rutherford, Walton, Wewahitchka.
Athletes returning: Girls: Amanda Laird, Katelyn Cuchens. Boys: Michael Grazziani, Austin Woodard.
Others to watch: Girls: None reported. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: Joslyn King. Boys: Coty Porter, Derek Fannin.
Navarre
Coach: Girls: Luticia Boozer. Boys: David Noles.
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Choctawhatchee, Crestview, Escambia, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Milton, Niceville, Pace, Pensacola, Pine Forest, Tate, Washington.
Athletes returning: Girls: Chandler Bridges, Kaitlyn Meyer, Mackenzi Morgan, Rachel Glenn, Stevi Pearce, Skyler Pusch, Brianna Risner, Amy Strahan, Jessica Willey, Sabrina Willey, Sarah Zhu. Boys: Thomas Bocock, Zach Woollen, Zach Billingsley, Andre Selby, Jordan Wright, Trey Aguirre.
Others to watch: Girls: Leah Rojecki, Ricki Alex. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: None reported. Boys: J.C. Grissom, Matt Christenson.
Niceville
Coach: Girls: Mitch Inness. Boys: Jerry Barry.
District: 1-2A
District opponents: Crestiew, Choctawhatchee, Fort Walton Beach, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Tate.
Returning athletes: Girls: Jaime Jordan, Rebekah Pruett, Ivey Kelley, Mary Mackin. Boys: Anthony Catanese, Cody Sims, Ross Spock, Dalton Young.
Others to watch: Girls: Kayla Bloor. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: Marissa Marinan, Joy Armbrester. Boys: Avery Helms, Michael Postgate.
South Walton
Coach: Girls: Kelly Trafton. Boys: Scott Michie.
District: 2-1A
District opponents: Arnold, Bay, Chipley, Freeport, Holmes County, Marianna, Rutherford, Walton, Wewahitchka.
Returning athletes: Boys: Billy Davis, Dylan Smith, Shawn Howard.
Others to watch: Girls: Tristan LaNasta. Boys: Jordan Carchis, Drew Kratzer.
Athletes lost: Girls: None reported. Boys: None reported.
Walton
Coach: Stan Bosenberg
District: 2-1A
District opponents: Arnold, Bay, Chipley, Freeport, Holmes County, Marianna, Rutherford, South Walton, Wewahitchka.
Returning athletes: Girls: None reported. Boys: Paul McClure, Curtis Miller, Devin Partridge, Clay Cawthon.
Others to watch: Girls: None reported. Boys: None reported.
Athletes lost: Girls: None reported. Boys: Heath Morgan.
