No putts about it: Decatur boys are headed to regionals
By Robert Morgan | Published Thursday, April 16, 2009
The road to golf regional usually runs through Bridgeport where the Bulls have dominated the sport for the last 15 years. The domination came to halt Monday in Wichita Falls where two new teams put on quite a show and will represent District 5-3A at the finals next week.
Decatur, which sat in third with a score of (368) behind Burkburnett (352) and Vernon (360) after the first round of action April 6, simply dominated in the final round on Monday with a score of 335 - the lowest score of the entire tournament - to pass Vernon and push Burkburnett for the team title before settling for second place and a ticket to regionals.
Burkburnett did not disappoint in the final round firing a 337, the second lowest total of the tournament, to held off Decatur as it putted one of its best performances of the season. The Bulldogs, who swept the district titles, as the girls also captured first place, finished with a two-day total of 689 to hold off Decatur at 703. Vernon finished third and 13 strokes behind the Eagles at 716, while Bridgeport's rebuilding season came to an end in a fifth place finish with a score of 802.
The top two teams and first 10 individuals will advance to the Class 3A, Region I tournament April 20-23 in Lubbock.
Bridgeport will miss out on regionals as a team for only the second time this decade but will still be represented at the second biggest event of the year. Kameron Brazier putted rounds of 94 and 81 to finish with a 175 and tie for eighth place to land a spot at regionals.
Decatur's impressive showing in Wichita Falls was led by Casey Duncum, who was one of three local standouts to finish in the top 10 as he settled in the sixth spot. Duncum opened with a round of 89 before shaving off five strokes in the final round with an 84 to finish with a two-day total of 173.
Blake Posey of Iowa Park won the individual district championship with a 160, which included a tournament-best 79 in the final round. Kyle Railsback of Vernon was second at 162 and Robert Turner of Burkburnett took the bronze with a 163.
Drake Harper had the second lowest total for Decatur at 174 after firing a 94 in the opening round and battling back with an 80 in the finale. Andrew Gage, who tied for eighth with Brazier, was just one stroke back at 175 shooting a 91 on the first day and fighting back with an 84 in the last round.
Just six strokes separated the final three from Decatur. Hunter Hargrave was just six swings behind Gage at 181 (94-87), and Hargrave was six strokes ahead of Will Gregg at 187 (95-92).
Tyler Gardner was the second Bridgeport finisher and 19th overall. He struggled in the opening round with a 112, but stormed back on the last day with an 86 to finished at 198.
Corey Henson was next for the Bulls at 208 (97-111), while James Coffman carded a 222 (110-112) and Blake Thompson came in at 235 (111-124).
Decatur's No. 2 team finished sixth overall and ahead of Hirschi and Vernon No. 2 with rounds of 416 and 410 for a total of 826.
Blake Lindsey led the way with a pair of 96s for a district total of 192. Lee Durham was 18 strokes back at 208 (107-101) and Matt Huddleston was third among the DHS putters and just two strokes back at 210 (111-99).
Keldyn Kee came in the fourth spot at 226 (102-124) and Kyle Green followed at 232 (118-114).
