Golf: Local teams ready to tee it up at state

Four Collier county teams -- the Gulf Coast boys and Barron Collier, Gulf Coast and St. John Neumann girls -- qualified for the championships.

Gulf Coast's boys will play the PGA Village South Course in Port St. Lucie. The Barron Collier and Gulf Coast girls will play the North Course. St. John Neumann's girls will play on the PGA Dye Course.

The first groups tee off at 8 a.m. on each course.

The Gulf Coast boys made their second straight state tournament by finishing second in the Region 2 championships. Four of the Sharks' five golfers returned from last season, when Gulf Coast finished 10th in the state.

"The guys know what to ex pect," coach Jim Ragusa says.

"They know how the day is going to go. Now they'll just have to go out and play. If we don't play well, it won't be because of nerves."

The experience should come in handy, Ragusa says, especially as the team prepares for the 36-hole state tournament. Last year, the Sharks were tied for fifth after the first day, but fell to 10th on the second.

"This year, we want to put two good days together," Ragusa says.

The Cougars and Celtics enter today's round with momentum on their side and regional championship trophies in their hands.

Barron Collier held off Gulf Coast for the Class 2A Region 5 crown. Tessa Blosser led Barron with a 76, while Samantha Schulz led Gulf Coast with a 77. Blosser's score was second-best at the meet. Schulz's was third-best.

The Celtics pulled off the upset for their Class A Region 5 crown.

They beat powerhouse Bradenton Academy and North Port, which beat Neumann in its district championships.

Neumann coach Greg Donahue says the girls have refocused and are ready to make a run at the state meet.

"Originally, we were thinking the regional title was great and anything after that was a bonus," he says. "But now they're talking about how close they can get to the top. It's nice that they're now talking about that."

Donahue says his girls are relaxed as they begin the tournament, which should benefit them.

"For these girls, it'll help," he says. "They've been focusing so much on school and they're all such good students. Now they can sit back and relax.

"With some other girls, you might worry about them relaxing too much and losing focus, but not with these girls."