ODESSA -- The modest gusts that swooped in on The Eagles Lakes Course midway through Monday's Class 1A, Region 5 tournament were just potent enough to shift the balance of power in local boys golf.
On a day when par was elusive, history wasn't. Led by individual runner-up Nilo Sanchez's 2-over 74, Tampa Catholic shattered the program record for a region team score and earned the program's first state tournament berth.
The Crusaders' four-player 315 total, four shots behind winner Clearwater Central Catholic, was 22 better than the school mark posted by the 2007 team at the same venue. TC was the only squad in the nine-team field to have three players -- Sanchez, Ryan Tamashiro and Joe Testerman -- eclipse 80.
Defending champion Jesuit, which finished the regular season undefeated and won last week's District 14 title by six strokes over TC, finished third (323). Only the top two teams, and top two individuals not on those teams, earned berths in next week's state tournament in Howey-in-the-Hills.
"I did expect this, yes," said TC coach and alumnus David Frederick (Class of '91). "Last year, we were solid, we were young. I don't have any seniors on the team this year and I certainly expected to be competing."
Essentially each Crusader, according to Frederick, equaled or eclipsed his season stroke average on the stern, 7,089-yard Lakes Course, where water comes into play frequently. Sanchez, who averaged 37 for nine strokes during the season, shot an even 36 on the back Monday to finish three shots behind medalist Ryan Orr of CCC.
Testerman, who averaged nearly 44 for nine holes during the season, shot a 37 on the front and salvaged a 42 on the back nine despite breaking his driver on the par-4 No. 14 and taking an 8. Tamashiro, who averaged nearly 42 during the season, had a 78.
On the girls side, Academy of the Holy Names junior Emmy Martin (pictured) earned her second consecutive region title with a 2-over 74, edging teammate Mariah Diaz by a stroke. The Jaguars topped Northside Christian by six strokes for their second consecutive team crown.
"I didn't putt very well today, but I was driving the ball well and that really helped," said Martin, who purchased a new Adams driver with a stiffer graphite shaft only two days ago. "But all my putts just lipped out. I only had one birdie, so it would've been a lot better if some of them had just fallen in."
While Martin drove her way to next week's state tournament, Carrollwood Day sophomore Claudia Rami flew.
Rami, who moved from Greece only days before classes began at CDS, had to fly back to her native country -- a 14 1/2-hour journey -- after last week's district tournament to get her visa paperwork finalized. She returned Sunday night at 6 p.m. and shot an 80 Monday to tie for sixth overall and earn an individual state berth.
Class 1A, Region 5 Tournament
(at The Eagles, Odessa)
Boys Team Results: Clearwater Central Catholic 311, Tampa Catholic 315, Jesuit 323, St. Petersburg Catholic 337, Shorecrest 344, Lakeland Christian 347, Winter Haven All Saints 364
Boys Individual Results (top 10): Ryan Orr, CCC 71; Nilo Sanchez, Tampa Catholic 74; Andrew Heric, CCC 75; Zach Wood, Calvary Christian, 76*; Ben Murray, Calvary Christian, 77*; Jack Brittain, Berkeley Prep 77; Ryan Tamashiro, Tampa Catholic 78; Anthony Quintessenza, Northside Christian 78; Steven Pike, All
Saints 78
*-qualified for state tournament as individual
Girls Team Results: Academy of the Holy Names 315, Northside Christian 321, Indian Rocks Christian 384, Lakeland McKeel 385, Frostproof 393, Berkeley Prep 409, Lakeland Christian 425, Tampa Prep 456
Girls Individual Results (top 10): Emmy Martin, AHN 74; Mariah Diaz, AHN 75; Ashley Zagers, Northside Christian 78; Alison Armstrong, Northside Christian 78; Casey Pluchino, AHN 79; Claudia Rami, Carrollwood Day 80*; Emma Paschal, CCC 80*, Sarah Noto, Northside Christian 82; Kayla Connors, Tenoroc 82; Caroline Gilhool, Robinson 82
*-qualified for state tournament as individual
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Region golf: Tampa Catholic boys, AHN girls shine at A-5 tourney
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