Newman, King’s shooting for state crowns

After a year’s absence, Cardinal Newman is once again competing for a state championship in boys golf.

The Crusaders fifinished second in the Region 7 tournament — behind King’s Academy — and will tee offff today in the Class 1A state tournament at the Mission Inn Resort and Club in Howey-in-theHills.

“We always look at it as nothing really matters till the postseason, which is districts, then regionals, then obviously move on to states,” Cardinal Newman coach Toby Hill said. “We had a couple tough losses; we lost to a couple guys early in the season that we shouldn’t have. That kind of got us motivated and (got us) to look at the big picture and get better for the end of the year.”

Cardinal Newman and King’s Academy have flflipflflopped in the results in the last two tournaments. The Lions won the regional tournament by six strokes (302 to 308), but the Crusaders won the district by seven (295 to 302).

Finishing the regular season with an 8-2 record against other schools and a pair of top-three fifinishes at tournaments, Cardinal Newman is looking to its upperclassmen to lead the way as it shoots for a state title. The Crusaders have fifive upperclassmen — including team captain Jeffffrey Cunningham, who placed second at districts and regionals — which Hill said he thinks will help as they travel to Central Florida.

The last time the Crusaders made the state tournament, they fifinished sixth. But this year, the championship is not out of reach, Hill said. Cardinal Newman is working on its short game, trying to improve its putting and chipping, so it can pick up a couple shots. Those shots might make all the difffffffffffference in this week’s two-day tournament.

“You never know what could happen,” Hill said. “This is a tough golf course that we’re playing in, and last year, 610 won for two days. We shot 308 for one day at regionals. Times that times two, we’re not too far offffffffffff.”

The Crusaders are one of four county boys teams to make state tournaments. King’s Academy will also compete in the 1A tournament this week, and Boca Raton and Spanish River qualifified for states in 3A, which will be held Nov. 3-4. Four girls teams — American Heritage and Benjamin in 1A; Jupiter and Park Vista in 3A — qualifified for state tournaments as well.

“This region is the toughest region to get out of,” Hill said. “Traditionally, if you get out of our region, you should come in the top 6 teams in the state. With that said, I think we have a chance.”