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Hernando Today

Even Playing Field

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By CHRIS BERHHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: December 7, 2008

This year the girls' golf season in Hernando County lacked in one key element: a county tournament.

With the Hernando County Athletic Conference no longer in operation and no official need to hold such an event, the four local programs never came together on one course at one time.

Thus, it is hard to determine a true county champion. Springstead High can lay its claim, lacking a loss to Central, Hernando or Nature Coast during regular-season match play.

However, twice rain cut short matches between the Lady Eagles and Lady Leopards, who often had to forfeit because of a missing player.

Hernando did have the county's most seasoned and dominant female golfer, junior Lauren Shuford.

When it came down to analyzing individual performance and receiving input from the coaches, two golfers apiece form Hernando, Nature Coast and Springstead made the Hernando Today All-County team.

Joining Shuford, the unanimous choice as Player of the Year, is fellow Lady Leopard Tanvi Patel, Nature Coast's Alex Mahon and Nancy McCabe, and Springstead Jennifer Carl and Courtney Toles.

Springstead's Kathleen Long earned the Coach of the Year nod for leading the Lady Eagles to an unbeaten county slate.

"The eight girls on the team worked so hard and made every match and made our team look great," Long said. "I guess the end result is the coach looks good, too."

Leader of the pack

No one could touch Shuford, the only county girl to advance beyond districts. She reached regionals for the third straight season, shooting an 81 across 18 holes at the Class 1A, Region III Tournament.

That round included a 36 on the back nine of the University of Florida's Mark Bostick Golf Course, which marked the lowest nine-hole score in the county by 10 strokes.

Patel, a senior, had a low round of 48 and an average of 59.7 during the season, helping Shuford lead the team along with fellow senior Lauren Hallal.

"They're good kids, they work hard," Hernando Head Coach Kevin Bittinger said of Patel and Hallal. "They both have three-point-something GPAs. They come to practice every day.

"...Tanvi improved her drive. She really improved her consistency. Lauren Hallal got better every match. Both of them really did."

At Nature Coast, the junior Mahon played the No. 1 position for the Lady Sharks and posted a top round of 54 in the very first match of the season versus South Sumter.

Conversely the senior McCabe saved her best for last, shooting a 99 across 18-holes of the 1A, District 9 Tournament at Saddlebrook Resort, including a season low nine-hole score of 46.

"One would have (the low score) one time, one would have it the next time," said Nature Coast Head Coach Cheryl Paradis of her two top players. "They were actually very competitive with each other and enjoyed it a lot. It was a good position for both of them."

As for the Lady Eagles, the senior Carl served as team captain for four years and shot a season-best round of 59. Toles, also a senior, never missed a match and had a low nine of 60.

"The whole team was amazing," Long said. "They have a 4.0 GPA as a team. They're great students and great girls."

2008 HERNANDO TODAY
ALL-COUNTY GIRLS GOLF TEAM
Name Year School
Jennifer Carl Sr Springstead
Alex Mahon Jr Nature Coast Nancy McCabe Sr Nature Coast
Tanvi Patel Sr Hernando
Lauren Shuford Jr Hernando
Courtney Toles Sr Springstead
Player of the Year: Lauren Shuford (Hernando)
Coaches of the Year: Kathleen Long (Springstead)

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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