Talawanda golfer in district again

For the third straight year, Davidge qualifies for district; Hamilton’s Spurlock also makes cut.

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By Rick Cassano, Staff Writer 12:19 AM Thursday, October 8, 2009

HARRISON — Willy Davidge was good enough Wednesday, Oct. 7, at Miami Whitewater Golf Course.

The Talawanda High School senior wasn’t at the top of his game in the Division I Cincinnati West sectional boys golf tournament, but his 5-over-par 77 earned Davidge his third straight district berth.

“I didn’t want to finish my career here,” said Davidge, who tied Elder’s Kevin Haas for seventh place. “I struggled in the beginning and at the end. In between, I played pretty well.”

Indeed, Davidge was 3 over after five holes and 2 over in the last three holes. He was an even-par golfer the rest of the way on a crisp, windy day.

“Mentally, I was working a lot better thinking I could make putts and not forcing anything,” Davidge said of the middle 10 holes. “It helped playing with another guy that was doing well (Harrison’s Dylan Ramsey). We’ve been battling for four years.”

Also qualifying for district was Hamilton junior Nick Spurlock, who shot an 81 and was the final golfer to make the cut for next Wednesday’s district tourney at Weatherwax Golf Course.

“My approach shots weren’t real good today,” said Spurlock, eager to make his first district appearance. “I was playing all right at the beginning, then I kind of blew up. I thought I was pretty much done when I came off the course. It was very nerve-wracking waiting for all the scores to come in.”

St. Xavier’s Smith Brinker was the medalist with a 73, leading the Bombers (305) to the team championship. Elder (310), La Salle (312) and Fairfield (323) also advanced to next week, with HHS (337) sixth, Talawanda (341) seventh and Ross (352) 10th in the 14-team field.

“We come here every year expecting to go to Weatherwax,” Fairfield coach Mark Jones said. “It’s been 14 or 15 years in a row now, so I’m happy that we got out. For the last six or seven holes, I didn’t think it was going to happen.”

Adam Zuleger (76), Ryan Barnes (79), Conner Gross (84) and Eric Hensler (84) led the Indians.

“I didn’t want to be on the team that didn’t make it to district,” said Zuleger, a senior. “The greens were a lot quicker than they usually are. They hit soft, but they putted quick.”

Danny Moorehead carded an 84 for Big Blue. It was another mixed-bag sectional effort for HHS, which has been fifth once and sixth twice in coach Eddie Baker’s three years at the helm.

“The way we started off the day, I thought we had the potential to make it out,” Baker said. “I’m happy for Nick, but he’s a lot better player than he shot today. He’s very capable of going up to Weatherwax and making it out to Columbus.”

Danny Luehrmann’s 84 paced Ross.

»Golf scores, B3

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