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Durant wins spot at state golf tourney

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - There was no doubt Durant High would be represented in the state girls golf tournament again this year, thanks to a sensational performance by sophomore Madison Opfer.

But the whole team making a return trip? That wasn't in the bag.

Indeed, Durant did send its entire group to Ocala for the Class 2A girls golf tournament, a 36-hole event that will conclude today at the Ocala Golf Club.

To get there, though, the Cougars had to sweat out the final few scores posted at last week's Region 2A-4 meet in New Port Richey. Host Mitchell High won with a score of 322, and Durant advanced to state with a second-place finish.

Only the top two teams could move on, and it was no shock Durant did. But East Lake High and Plant High made it interesting. East Lake came in with a score of 343, and that mark was the one Durant expected to have to beat to finish second.

But Plant's No. 4 player score was a surprisingly low 79 by Laura Benkowski. That brought the Panthers into contention with a total of 334.

As soon as that number was posted outside the Heritage Springs clubhouse, where all of the golfers had gathered after completing their rounds, Durant head coach Dick Sheffield headed back toward the course. Doing the math, Sheffield knew one of his final two golfers needed to shoot below 100.

Turns out they both did. After about 10 minutes, word came that Olivia Higgins had finished with a 97, assuring the Cougars would win second place. But for good measure, Lauren Hershey shot 96, which counted as the No. 4 score.

Ultimately, Durant finished with a score of 328.

In the top groups, Opfer was the dazzler, going four under-par for a career-best 67.

"I tried to knock it down under the wind as best I could," said Opfer, who had an easier time than most on a windy day. "It was tough, especially if you didn't play the conditions well."

No one else finished under par. King's Kelsey Gibson and Dunedin's Justine Knox tied for second place with 71s, allowing them to be the individual advancers to Ocala.

For Durant, Erika Wardzinski was second with a 76 and Kerrie Reinhart had an 89. The extra wait for the official results made for a tight squeeze for both girls, who had to rush back to Durant for a 7 p.m. district volleyball match.

Plant City High sophomores Belinda George and Kelsey Jensen both reached the regional tourney by virtue of their scores in the district meet. George rewarded herself with a best-ever score of 79.

"It was very exciting. I was thrilled to break 80 for the first time," George said. "I just kinda relaxed, and just tried to get on (the green in regulation), and two-putt."

George had problems with the wind on one hole, leading to a triple bogey, but she followed that with a birdie and ensured the sub-80 round with a birdie on the 14th, her final hole of the day.

Opfer made her big move with five holes to play, sending her approach to the par-4 13th to within two feet of the cup. The birdie put her at three-under for the day, and she birdied the ensuing par 5.

For the state tourney, all five of Durant's golfers are to be grouped with players from Viera and Olympia (Orlando).

Though it might be expecting a lot for Opfer to duplicate her 67, if the rest of the Cougars can shave a few shots off their regional efforts the team could be in the hunt for a state championship.

Sheffield thinks the Cougars have a chance of winning.

"We've got two rounds to do it," he said. "The way I see it, Madison shot a 75 and a 78 last year, and she'll do better. Erika shot 93 and 83, and I think she can shoot 20 shots better than that. Right there we'd be in second place. Really, I need my fourth golfer to break 100, and we'll be close."

Mitchell's regional-winning score of 322 happened to be one shot off the best score posted by any team in the state at last week's eight regional tourneys. Timber Creek of Jacksonville posted a 321.

At the same time, there are almost a half-dozen schools that shot in the low 320s, meaning just a few shots could separate the champion from fifth or sixth place.

Last year Durant was fourth, a best-ever at state for the program.

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