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Raiders Golf Team Swinging For Regionals

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2007

PLANT CITY - Even while winning five times in a recent stretch of six matches, the Plant City High Raiders golf team knows it could have played better.

In three weeks, when the postseason starts, the idea is to have that resolved.

With the goal of making a return trip to regional competition, the means to get there is simple. The Raiders must have four golfers post top scores relative to their potential.

'That's been our thing. They're not doing it all together right now,' Raiders head coach Gary Brady said. 'We'll have one guy score low and others might struggle, then next time out that one guy might shoot a little worse.'

The good news is the Raiders have a solid trio capable of putting it together. Despite not yet getting that fully productive match, the Raiders were able to clear the .500 mark for the first time, beating Armwood last week.

In that match, senior Cody Lusk gave the kind of performance Brady is looking for, and beyond: Lusk shot a two-under par 34.

At the same time, Kyle Martin, the Raiders' low scorer on average, struggled with a 42.

'Kyle's our best player and capable of shooting 34, 35, like five times in a row,' Brady said. 'He plays in a lot of 18-hole tournaments, and in those, you can have a really bad hole and overcome it, but when you're only playing nine, it's tougher to do.'

Martin not only played in numerous events during the summer but he won a couple, at River Greens in Sebring and Eagle Brook in Lakeland.

Teams play nine holes during the regular season; that jumps to 18 for district and regional events.

Martin will be prepared for that time, thanks to his junior tournament experience.

'I think I've been playing in tournaments since I was 6 years old,' said Martin, who said he picked up a golf club for the first time at age 2.

Martin was unable to compete Sept. 17, when the Raiders lost to Durant 168-181 at Riverhills. He had a stomach virus that also knocked him out of a junior tournament the previous weekend; Martin had to quit that event after two holes.

The other member of the Raiders' top three, Brad Hall, shot a 38 against Durant. Ausburn Hall led the way for the Cougars with a 39; Erik Soule fired a 41, and John Conner shot 42.

To Martin, there's no secret as to how his scores will get better.

'My short game,' he said. 'It's always given me problems. I don't like to practice putting. I like to get out on the range and hit the ball,' he said.

Plant City's other three starters are freshman who are trying to give the Raiders a dependable fourth scorer in time for districts.

Before then, the Cougars and Raiders will meet again Monday at Walden Lake.

Plant City and Durant are in District 2A-11 along with the other eight southeastern Hillsborough County high schools, as well as Wharton and Freedom.

'I was talking to Durant coach Dick Sheffield and we agreed, out of the 12 teams in our district there are six to seven that can win the thing,' Brady said.

Last year, the Raiders finished second at the district tournament to earn a trip to the regionals.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampatrib .com.

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