Local golf teams shoot for state appearances By MIKE KEMMETER of The Gazette After finishing third in the Wisconsin Valley Conference race a year ago, the Stevens Point Area Senior High golf team is shooting for at least a similar finish in 2000. A quartet of seniors, led by Tony Trzebiatowski and Jake Barge, and a handful of juniors will lead the Panthers. "We're looking to finish in the top half, depending on how well we progress during the season," SPASH coach John Schell said. "What it comes down to is when you play conference, you have to be hot on those two Fridays. "We thought we did as well as we could have done (last year). Wisconsin Rapids and Wausau West were just better than us." Schell said the Warriors, Red Raiders and D.C. Everest are the top teams in the Valley this season. If the Panthers get hot, he said, they could make a run at those teams. Jeff Bushman and Dan Gloudemans are also returning seniors. Juniors Sam Katz, Scott Bahrke, John Currier, Joe Meinholz and Dan Kizewski will be in the mix, as are freshmen Joe Pavelski and Tim Trzebiatowski. "I would think we'd have some individuals, Tony and Jake, who have aspirations of going through the tournament series and making it to state," Schell said. "Our whole team could, depending on how we come along. Team wise, it's how we handle the competition. We're kind of inexperienced with the exception of those two boys. "The keys to our game are course management and also to make sure they play their own game and aren't influenced by what other people do." The Panthers saw a big upswing in players this season. Seventy-one people tried out for the team and Schell and assistant Marcy Mirman had to make the cut to 26 players. Schell said the junior programs at local golf courses, plus the attention Tiger Woods has brought to the sport, contributed to the biggest turnout since he came to the school. Pacelli The Cardinals may want to adopt "Getting to know you" from the musical "The King and I" as the theme song for their 2000 season. Pacelli, which is joining the WIAA and the Central Wisconsin Conference next year, is looking to get acquainted with its future conference foes and the courses they play on. "We're just tuning up to be in the WIAA. It wouldn't do us any good to play (the Central Wisconsin Catholic Conference schools) because we won't play them anymore," Pacelli coach Mike Okray said. "We'll know what our competition is and we'll know the courses." The Cardinals will be led by senior Brandon Peterson and sophomores John Okray and Brandon Flugaur. Juniors John Wachowiak and Matt Lepak; sophomores Kyle Corrigan and Joe Miller; and freshman Dan Mahoney will also contribute. Andy Swanson is the only player Pacelli lost to graduation. "The thing that we have going for us is Okray and Peterson played in tournaments down south," coach Okray said. "I truly believe we have the talent to compete with the bigger schools who have 20-to-40 boys coming out for their teams. For our part, it's just a matter of course management and desire that will dictate whether we win or lose." With membership in the WIAA looming on the horizon, the Cardinals have one more run at the WISAA state tournament. Pacelli does not have a conference for golf. "The only thing we look forward to is state," Okray said. "Last year we finished in 16th place and missed the 10-team cut by four strokes. Our goal is to be in the top 10." Amherst One year after missing the state meet by four strokes, the Falcons are shooting for a trip to Madison in the program's second season. The entire Amherst team returns from last year and it is still young. Sophomores and juniors will lead the way for the Falcons. "I expect them to do better than last year," Amherst coach Pete Sippel said. "Our goal is to shoot at state. It's realistic for us. "Whether they put it together I don't know. We made a lot of mental mistakes last year at sectionals. I expect that to clear up quite a bit." Leading the way for the Falcons will be sophomore Brian Pionkowski. Juniors Jeremy Sherf and Jeff Cloninger are currently the team's No. 2 and 3 golfers. Sophomores Dan Janikowski, Matt Clinton and Ryan Johndro comprise the rest of the team's top six while junior Mike Borgen and freshman Andy Harvey could also be in the mix. In the conference, Sippel said Wittenberg-Birnamwood and Bonduel are teams to watch in the Central Wisconsin Conference. "I'm going to put us in the top three," he said.