Lakewood Ranch High boys golf coach Dave Frantz knows the Mustangs face a stern challenge when they travel to Kingsway Country Club in Lake Suzy on Monday for the Class 2A-District 14 boys tournament.
"I see it as a four-team race," said Frantz, whose team finished second to Venice in Monday's rain-shortened Donald Ross Memorial Invitational at Sara Bay Country Club. "I think Venice is likely to win it, then it's between us, Manatee and Riverview. And (Punta Gorda) Charlotte maybe, because it is their home course."
The top three teams advance to the regional the following week, along with the top three individuals who are not members of the three lowest-scoring teams.
The Mustangs are led by junior Rocky Khara, who tied for fifth in the Ross event; sophomore Cole Medvetz, who tied for eighth; senior Ryan Wilson; and freshman Connor Baldwin. Seniors Griffin Severson and Cas Dean are competing for the fifth spot.
Frantz thinks the Mustangs have a chance to qualify for the state tournament at the regional - if they survive next week.
"For us, going to state would be a great accomplishment," Frantz said.
Tee times at Kingsway are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Other area teams participating include Manatee, Palmetto, Bayshore and Southeast. The Hurricanes are led by the potent one-two combination of junior Sean Jacklin and senior Joey Newell.
Jacklin shot a 2-under par 70 in the Ross, but his official nine-hole score of 35 placed him third.
The girls Class 2A-District 14 tournament begins at 1 p.m. Monday at The Golf Club at Capri Isles in Venice. Lakewood Ranch is led by senior Ericka Schneider, who won the Ross with a back-nine score of 1-over-par 37. Manatee is paced by Jennifer Neville.
The boys and girls Class 1A-District 16 tournaments are at The Links at Greenfield Plantation off State Road 64. The boys event begins at 10:30 a.m. Monday, and the girls tournament is at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Area participants include Braden River, Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy and Saint Stephen's.
The boys district could feature spirited competition between eighth-grader Jordan Miller of Bradenton Christian, who won the Manatee County Boys Championship at Imperial Lakewoods, and Ross winner Zach Balit of Out-of-Door. John Van Vranken and Ian Booth of Cardinal Mooney could also contend.
Balit's sister Gaby, a Thunder senior, should be among the top performers in the girls district.
UPCOMING EVENTS
• The third annual Callaghan Tire Charity Pro-Am will be held Nov. 6-8 at River Wilderness Country Club in Parrish. The three-day gala benefits Golfers Against Cancer, a Kingwood, Texas-based charity.
The tournament gives amateurs an opportunity to play with legendary golfers such as Bradenton's Tony Jacklin, Jim Albus of Sarasota, Larry Laoretti, Bobby Nichols, Gibby Gilbert, Jerry Heard, Joey Rassett, Jim Holtgrieve, Jim Dent, Bobby Cole, Phil Parkin, Jimmy Wright, Tom Shaw and Jim McLean. Special events include the Nov. 6 pairings party and live and silent auctions at the River Wilderness clubhouse; a "Tall Tales Party" on Nov. 7 at the home of tournament founder Dan Callaghan; and an awards party Nov. 8 following play.
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