Wiregrass Ranch wins SAC tournament
Favored Mitchell takes 3rd
By Steve Lee
Sports Editor
WESLEY CHAPEL — Wiregrass Ranch foiled unbeaten Mitchell’s bid for a sweep of the regular-season and Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament championships.
The Bulls won their first SAC tourney, and first overall season title, in school history at Lake Jovita.
The Mustangs entered the Oct. 13 tourney at 11-0 while the Bulls were 10-1, their lone loss coming against Mitchell. Wiregrass Ranch’s SAC championship avenged that regular-season defeat.
“We were on a more level playing ground,” Bulls coach Nick Cuviello said of the Lake Jovita course, comparing it to Mitchell’s home course at Lake Crescent.
Wiregrass Ranch, which placed fourth in last year’s SAC match, totaled 318 strokes, just two ahead of runner-up Ridgewood and seven fewer than third-place Mitchell. Rounding out the top 10 were: Sunlake (346), Land O’ Lakes (349), Wesley Chapel (349), Gulf (360), Pasco (370), Zephyrhills (370), River Ridge (392) and Hudson (400).
“The kids really wanted to win conference,” Cuviello said. “At the same time, now they’re really focused on district.”
Wiregrass Ranch played in the Class 2A, District 6 tournament at El Diablo in Citrus County on Oct. 19, but results were unavailable at press time. The fourth-year Bulls are coming off a 2008 regional appearance and were district runners-up last fall.
As for the top golfers in this year’s conference match, Mitchell’s Chad Heinz defended his individual medalist crown with a 1-under 71. Teammate Dylan Strout took seventh at 79.
Runner-up Logan Horrigan, who shot a 74, led Wiregrass Ranch. Teammates Dylan Larson (fifth, 77) and Nick Stutt (10th, 80) joined him in the top 10.
Wiregrass Ranch’s top five golfers included Chad Kluender and Ronnie Segal, who joined the team’s top trio for the district match.
Elsewhere, Saddlebrook is gearing up for a state run after a 9-1 regular season. The Spartans are favored to be among the three teams from the Class A, District 9 tournament to advance to regionals.
Saddlebrook is led by senior Seokil Kim, who carries a 36.6 average.
