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Posted on Monday, 08.25.08

GOLF

Golf title is no laughing matter

Palmetto senior has two clear goals in sight: to lead Palmetto to its first golf title since 1967 and capture Miami-Dade's first individual title since 2001.

AT A GLANCE

KEY DATES

Monday: Season begins

Sept. 2: Westminster Christian Invitational at Biltmore

Sept. 18: GMAC championship at Redland

Sept. 23-24: Youth Fair championships at Palmetto Golf Course

Oct. 13-14: Districts

Oct. 20-21: Regionals

Oct. 28-29: State championships in Lakeland

2007 STATE CHAMPS

Class 2A boys: Ponte Vedra Beach Nease

Class 2A girls: Lake Mary

Class 1A boys: Orlando Circle Christian

Class 1A girls: Plantation American Heritage

MIAMI HERALD POWER POLL

Boys:

1. Palmetto

2. Columbus

3. Gulliver

4. South Dade

5. Braddock

Girls:

1. Carrollton

2. Gulliver

3. Palmetto

4. Coral Reef

5. Miami Springs

TOP RETURNING BOYS

Marcelo Huarte, Columbus, Jr.: Huarte returns as a back-to-back district champion capable of posting scores in the high 60's at major tournaments. He finished third at regionals last season.

Ernesto Marin, Palmetto, Sr.: The Miami Herald's two-time Golfer of the Year hopes to lead the Panthers to a state team title. His goal is to become the county's first individual champ since Columbus' James Vargas (2001).

Casey Matthews, Palmetto, Jr.: Matthews hopes to improve upon a season in which he won the Youth Fair and placed second at GMAC and districts.

Jaime Rodriguez, Braddock, Jr.: He won the GMAC individual title and clinched a trip to the state tournament by finishing second at regionals.

Chris Ingham, Gulliver, So.: Already having played three seasons at the high school level, Ingham shot consistently in the low 70s at 18-hole tournaments last season and could have a breakout season.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Sean Baird, South Dade, Sr.; Anthony Balducci, Columbus, Fr.; Ryan Carter, Palmetto, So.; Hunter DeCamp, Palmetto, Sr.; Robert Hirlemann, Columbus, Sr.; Tucker McClendon, South Dade, So.; Matt Robles, Gulliver, Jr.; James Tria, Palmetto, Jr.

TOP RETURNING GIRLS

Melissa Edmonson, Westminster Christian, Jr.: Edmonson opened eyes with an impressive score of 73 at last year's regionals while at Coral Reef. She was The Miami Herald's Player of the Year.

Julie Olmo, Gulliver, Sr.: Finished a solid second a districts and can typically drive the ball more than 300 yards.

Melissa Koniver, Palmetto, Sr.: Shot a team-best 95 at regionals, and has improved her average to 80-over the summer.

Alexandra Perez, Carrollton, So.: Perez will attempt to win the coveted Youth Fair crown for the third consecutive season. Her main goal is breaking the Cyclones through to state.

Jennifer Villa, Carrollton, Jr.: Villa should keep Carrollton as one of the deepest teams in the county. She shot a 38 in a nine-hole meet last season.

OTHERS TO WATCH

Caroline Herald, Gulliver, So.; Amanda Kerr, South Miami, Sr.; Marie McGrath, Carrollton, Jr.; Lydia Pulver, Carrollton, Sr.; Kalyn Safreed, Miami Springs, Jr.; Laura Timmons, Coral Reef, Jr.

BOYS' OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 2A

1. Palmetto -- (Coach Mike Klekotka, 5th year, 60-6). Last year: 12-1 (State runner-up). Top golfers: Ernesto Marin, Sr.; Casey Matthews, Jr.; James Tria, Jr.; Ryan Carter, So.

2. Columbus -- (Coach Charles Frazier, 5th year). Last year: 8-4 (8th at state). Top golfers: Marcelo Huarte, Jr.; Derek Wilcox, Sr.; Robert Hirlemann, Sr.; Antonio Balducci, Jr.

3. South Dade -- (Coach Greg Isom, 13th year). Last year: 10-4. Top golfers: Sean Baird, Sr.; Tucker McClendon, So.; Joe Pozza, So.; David Kitchen, Sr.

4. Braddock -- (Coach David Kaufman, 11th year). Last year: 8-4. Top golfers: Jaime Rodriguez, Jr.; Hernando Yunis, Sr.; Mark Diaz, So.; Miles Iglesias, Sr.

5. Coral Reef -- (Coach Jon Margolis, 2nd year, 8-2). Last year: 8-2. Top golfers: Dexter Dorer, Sr.; Danny Whelan, Sr.; Andrew Vargas, Sr.; Patrick Lobo, Jr.

6. Miami Springs -- (Coach Marcos Acevedo, 7th year at MS, 18th overall). Last year: 12-3. Top golfers: Henry Maes, Jr.; Chris Gallego, So.; Nick Johnson, Jr.

7. South Miami -- (Coach Alex Hernandez, 5th year). Last year: N/A. Top golfers: Nick Martinez, Jr.; Taylor Ward, So.

8. Sunset -- (Coach Ray Lanway, 2nd year at SUN, 4th overall). Last year: 2-8. Top golfers: Marc Curtis, So.; Derek Tormes, Sr.; Randal Perez, Sr.

9. Southridge -- (Coach Ed Doskow, 2nd year). Last year: 2-2. Top golfers: Nick Genna, Sr.; Giovanni Cerone, So.

BOYS' OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 1A

1. Gulliver -- (Coach Steve Solomon, 4th year). Last year: 17-0 (8th at state). Top golfers: Chris Ingham, So.; Mathew Robles, Jr.; Allen Robles, So.

2. Miami Country Day -- (Coach Bryan Parizo, 8th year). Last year: 14-0. Top golfers: Andrew Holtz, Fr.; Dylan Jaffe, So.; Jake Weiss, Fr.

3. Palmer Trinity -- (Coach Mike Ford, 2nd year, 10-4). Last year: 10-4. Top golfers: Landon Michelson, Jr.; Tyler Fisk, Jr.; Frank Geller, So.; Luis Lopez, Jr.

4. Ransom Everglades -- (Coach Dave Ragan, 4th year). Last year: N/A. Top golfers: Sam Boswell, Jr.; Luis De Armas, Jr.; Aaron England, Sr.; Ryan Otero, So.

5. Archbishop Curley -- (Coach Bob Wilcox). Last year: 3-5. Top golfers: Nelson Fernandez, Jr.; Calvin Rayburn, Jr.

GIRLS' OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 2A

1. Palmetto -- (Coach Rosanna Karpiak, 3rd year). Last year: 11-3 (16th at state). Top golfers: Melissa Koniver, Sr.; Erin Bower, So.; Christina Healey, Jr.; Kayla Campbell, Fr.

2. Coral reef -- (Coach Brenda Sowers). Last year: (15th at state). Top golfers: Laura Timmons, Jr.

3. Miami Springs -- (Coach Warren Butler, 1st year at MS, 5th overall). Last year: 12-3. Top golfers: Kalyn Safreed, Jr.; Emilee Heider, Jr.; Jessica Trujillo, Jr.; Emma Best, Sr.

4. South Miami -- (Coach Bill Arnold, 4th year). Last year: 5-7. Top golfers: Amanda Kerr, Sr.; Alexandria Delgado, Jr.; Gabrielle Stieglitz, So.

5. Miami High -- (Coach Al Torossian, 4th year). Last year: 5-3. Top golfers: Isabel Sanchez, Sr.; Lizbeth Chavez, So.; Guianeya Herrera, Sr.

6. Sunset -- (Coach Mandy Pelaez, 3rd year). Last year: 6-4. Top golfers: Ashley Malcer, Jr.; Gedma Estrada, Jr.; Daniella Eiroa, Sr.; Jackie Aleman, Jr.

7. Coral Gables -- (Coach Tracy Watkins, 2nd year). Last year: 1-9. Top golfers: Leigh Cooper, Sr.; Andrea Whittle, Sr.

GIRLS' OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 1A

1. Carrollton -- (Coach Justin Bruton, 4th year). Last year: 14-3. Top golfers: Alex Perez, So.; Jennifer Villa, Sr.; Marie McGrath, Jr.; Lydia Pulver, Sr.

2. Gulliver -- Top golfers: Julie Olmo, Sr.; Caroline Herald, So.; Jill Olmo, Jr.; Katherine Herald, Sr.

3. Ransom -- (Coach Julie Briggs). Last year: N/A. Top golfers: Sofia Butnaru, 7th; Sarah Fine, So.; Aggie Grossman, Fr.; Alix Hamilton, 7th.

4. Miami Country Day -- (Coach Bryan Parizo). Last year: N/A. Top golfers: Ashlee Shimmel.

By ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ

a1fernandez@MiamiHerald.com

Palmetto's Ernesto Marin spent the summer fine-tuning his golf game.

The two-time Miami Herald Golfer of the Year also found some time to work on the comedic banter he has been known for on the high school golf course.

''Just call me the Nicaraguan Sensation,'' Marin told a photographer recently when asked his name as he posed for a team picture. ``No really, that's the name I go by.''

Starting Monday, however, Marin is ready to put aside all funny business.

After excelling on the junior circuit most of the summer, Marin will try to lead Palmetto to its first state championship since 1967.

Among the highlights were qualifying for the PGA Junior Amateur Championship, and advancing to the quarterfinals of the United States Junior Amateur tournament.

For Marin, one of South Florida's top junior golfers, winning a state crown is the ultimate goal. Last season, the Panthers finished state runner-up to Ponte Vedra Beach Nease, and no Dade team has won a state title since Columbus in 2002.

Individually, Marin will try to become Miami-Dade County's first state champion since Columbus' James Vargas in 2001.

''I don't care what I have to do. I'm working every day as hard as I can to win a state title,'' Marin said. ``I've won local tournaments, but it's not the same.''

Marin won a regional title last season, but finished 11th at state, six strokes behind the winner. To make up the difference, Marin said he primarily worked on his putting in the offseason.

''There were a lot of tournaments last year where I three-putted and it cost me,'' Marin said. ``I got a lot more consistent the past few months.''

Along with Marin's improvement, the Panthers have a deep squad that includes junior Casey Matthews, the 2007 Youth Fair Invitational champion. Junior James Tria and senior Hunter DeCamp bring experience in big tournaments, and sophomore Ryan Carter has improved his average to 73.5 -- three strokes better than last year.

Columbus junior Marcelo Huarte should battle Marin for individual crowns all season.

Huarte has won back-to-back district championships and qualified for the prestigious Callaway Junior World Golf tournament. Along with seniors Robert Hirlemann, Derek Wilcox and junior Antonio Balducci, the Explorers figure to be Palmetto's toughest challenger once again.

GIRLS BREAKTHROUGH?

Despite setbacks against Broward County's top girls teams in regionals the past couple of seasons, Carrollton has enjoyed success within Dade.

The Cyclones, who won the Youth Fair Invitational that includes the top public and private school teams in the county, appear to be the top team again heading into this season.

Carrollton should challenge Plantation American Heritage, Fort Lauderdale Archbishop McCarthy, Pine Crest and Gulliver in the region.

Sophomore Alexandra Perez will try to win her third consecutive Youth Fair crown. Seniors Jennifer Villa, Lydia Pulver and junior Marie McGrath all average 43 strokes or better on nine-hole courses.

They will all have a big individual challenge this year, however.

Junior Melissa Edmonson, The Miami Herald's Female Golfer of the Year, transferred to Westminster Christian. Edmonson won the GMAC, district and regional titles and finished in the top 20 at state last season while playing for Coral Reef.

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