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Hernando Today

'Gators Remain Un-Challenged

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: December 24, 2008

For three years running, Challenger K-8 has owned the Hernando County Middle School Athletic Conference on the links.
If not for one fateful day two years ago, the domination would be total. The only glitch came in the 2006 HMCSAC Tournament, when Powell upset the Navigators.
Nevertheless, Challenger never lost a regular-season match during that period. The past two years the 'Gators have won the county tournament to claim the HCMSAC crown.
However, that remarkable run may come to a close next year. Head Coach Richard Gomez loses three key eighth-graders: Megan Berube, Derek Newman and Rich Wilkes.
That trio headlines the 2008 Hernando Today All-County Middle School Golf team, compiled with input from all seven county coaches.
J.D Floyd eighth-grader Ryan Nicoll, who tied Berube for first place in the county tournament, earned Player of the Year honors over Berube by one vote.
The rest of the team includes: Parrott's Justin Argoncillo, Powell's Brazon Dixon and Josh Heckler, West Hernando's Kyle Medina and Explorer's Stephanie Rodney.
As for Gomez, after leading the 'Gators to the top of the heap one more time he garnered the nod for Coach of the Year.
"That's great," Gomez said. "There are great coaches all around. It's a humbling thing. To pick one, it's hard to do that because not everyone has the same players. It's partially coaching and partially who you get.
"It really came down to the kids' desire to win. The kids wanted to win every match and they worked hard. For me it's not about the final score but about the process. It's about what they learned in practice more than about the final score."

The anchor

Berube edged Nicoll in last season's county tournament, 39-40, and then tied him this time around shooting an even-par 33 at The Heather Golf and Country Club.
She averaged 39.8 across the six regular-season matches, including a one-under-par 35 at Silverthorn Country Club Sept. 17 against Parrott.
"Megan has been our anchor for the last three years," Gomez said. "She's a very focused and dedicated golfer who takes golf extremely seriously and is in NSJGA (North Suncoast Junior Golf Association).
"It's her dedication to excellence. She has an extremely precise golf swing. She has excellent fundamentals and knowledge of the game.
"…We're going to miss her both as a great scorer and motivational leader."
Newman finished second on the team in average at 44, the exact score he shot at the county tournament.
He was the only player on the team to ever beat Berube, posting a season-low 40 (compared to 41 by Berube) Sept. 24 at Silverthorn against Explorer.
"Derek Newman had a phenomenal season," Gomez said. "I'd say Derek has come the farthest, he's the most improved from sixth grade until now.
"Derek has worked on all aspects of his game; long, short and putting. He consistently tried to improve himself. And he had a goal from the beginning of sixth grade to be a starter on that team. His goal was clearly defined and he executed that goal."
Gomez admitted he had to persuade Wilkes to come out for the team this year. He averaged 48 during the regular season and came up big in the county tournament with a season-best 40.
"Rich is a jack of all trades," Gomez said. "Rich is an excellent student, athlete and musician. He excels at whatever he chooses to do. We were blessed to have Rich grace us with his presence, and he came through for us in the county tournament.
"Rich has an extremely long drive and a very even temperament, to where he always keeps his cool and is always focused."

Powell: balanced line-up

Powell finished second to Challenger in the county tournament and suffered its only loss of the regular season to the 'Gators.
Second-year Panther Head Coach Paul Duncan had the luxury of a balanced line-up and flexible roster that allowed him to send out different combinations each match.
Dixon, the lone seventh-grader to earn an all-county nod, posted a county-best round of 32 Oct. 1 at The Quarry Executive Golf Course, though The Quarry is only a nine-hole, par-29 course.
"His dad spends a lot of time with him and he takes lessons," Duncan said of Dixon. "He's serious about the game."
While Dixon shot 41 at the county tournament, Heckler paced Powell in the season-ending event with a 40 and had a low round of 34, also at The Quarry.
Though Duncan pinpointed the short game as key for Dixon, it's about distance off the tee with Heckler.
"He's controlled his distance," Duncan said. "Last year it was a guess which way it was going to go. This year he was much more consistent."
Rodney also played her best round at The Quarry, shooting a 35 in an Oct. 15 match versus Parrott. She helped the first-year Bobcats to a 3-3 mark.
"Stephanie is kind of an all-around athlete," Explorer Head Coach Jason Yungmann said. "When it comes to golf, she has a great effort and attitude in practice as well as competition. She was taking on some of the best in the county and knew how to stay with them.
"She definitely has a consistent swing. Almost every time you can be assured Stephanie hit it down the middle."
Medina had his best day at The Quarry, as well, with a round of 39 in the Sept. 3 season-opener, but also shined in the end at the county tournament with a 41.
"I feel like he performed very well," West Hernando Head Coach Sonya Burns said. "As the season went on, he progressed and got better. When it came to the county tournament, he did his best.
"I think, just keeping his concentration (helped) all through the tournament, not getting frustrated. He definitely progressed that way and matured as a player as he went on."
Argoncillo benefitted from doing most of his work at The Quarry, the home course for Parrott. He tied teammate Paolo Ilagan for the Leopards' season low of 37.
"He does what you ask him to do," Parrott Head Coach Gil Baker said. "He practices like a winner, he plays like a winner. He has a great attitude; he's a very well-mannered individual.
"His strong point is he finds ways to get the ball to the green. His mechanics are sound, but his grinding it out (stands out), getting the ball to the green as best he can."

2008 HERNANDO TODAY
ALL-COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL GOLF TEAM
Name Year School
Justin Argoncillo 8th Parrott
Megan Berube 8th Challenger
Brazon Dixon 7th Powell
Josh Heckler 8th Powell
Kyle Medina 8th West Hernando
Derek Newman 8th Challenger
Ryan Nicoll 8th J.D. Floyd
Stephanie Rodney 8th Explorer
Rich Wilkes 8th Challenger
Player of the Year: Ryan Nicoll (J.D. Floyd)
Coaches of the Year: Richard Gomez (Challenger)

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

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