High school golf: CSN's Harrison Ornstein grabs lead at 1A state tournament
To say the Community School of Naples boys golf team didn't have the start it wanted would be an understatement.
After nine holes in the Class 1A state tournament Tuesday, the Seahawks were a collective 20 over par.
"It was not pretty," CSN coach Paul Celano said. "If it was a heavyweight fight, they probably would've stopped it."
But the Seahawks fought back, led by senior Harrison Ornstein, who shot 5 under on the back nine to grab the individual lead with a 4-under-par 68 at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills. And CSN still is in contention for a title, too, tied for fourth, just five strokes behind Windermere Prep.
"They kept plugging," Celano said. "It says a lot for the seniors -- Tommy (Amendola) was 1 under and Josh (Braverman) was even, and neither one was playing really well at all. Coming down the stretch, it was just good shot after good shot. They just settled down and played their game."
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CSN has come the closest to having an individual boys state golf champion. In 2011, Ryan Celano finished second, two strokes behind. In Monday's practice round, Ornstein birdied the last five holes, so when he got to that set of holes Tuesday, he felt comfortable.
"It just gives me a little bit more confidence," he said.
Ornstein birdied No. 14, then holed out for eagle on No. 17 from 96 yards, and sank a 10-footer for birdie on No. 18.
"I've played well the last couple of weeks," Ornstein said. "I feel like I can play well on this course."
"It was pretty fun to watch it," Celano said. "He's full of confidence."
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Meanwhile, Canterbury's Brittany Shin is going for her second state title, and has a chance, but will need a really good round Wednesday. Shin, who won a 2A state crown as a freshman at Ida Baker, shot an even-par 72. She bogeyed Nos. 7 and 8, but came back with birdies on Nos. 10, 12 and 13 before another bogey at No. 15. Shin is tied for eighth; two girls shot 5-under 67s to share the lead.
Ornstein, Braverman and Amendola shot a combined 6 under on the back. CSN shot 1 under as a team -- simply relaxing and starting over.
"We came out of the gates maybe not the way we wanted to," Ornstein said they said to themselves. "We just have no pressure, just go hit golf shots."
Celano is friends with legendary Jack Nicklaus, who happened to be out watching Tuesday. He asked Celano how the Seahawks were doing, and Celano gave him the bad early news.
"He started laughing," Celano said. "He said 'They're kids.' I said 'Tell me about it.' And they just turned it around. It was really incredible."
Amendola and Braverman finished with 79s, and freshman Jordan Law had an 81 for the fourth counting score. Eighth-grader Tommy Pezeshkan had an 86.
Seacrest senior Jayson Iten is tied for 34th -- along with Amendola and Braverman -- after a 79. Bishop Verot's Reece Kyle, who had a 66 to win the regional, shot an 80 and is tied for 41st.
The Bishop Verot girls all struggled, as did St. John Neumann's Sophie Shrader.
Gabby Vetter and Talia Rodino led Bishop Verot with 83s and are tied for 49th overall. Claire Sattler shot a 91, and Natalia Marcinkowski had a 103 as the Vikings shot a 360. Olivia Kelly shot a 144.
Shrader triple-bogeyed the first hole and shot a 92.
But CSN shook off its poor start, and Celano is hopeful going into Wednesday.
"It was fun to see them come back," he said. "In past years, they not would've necessarily turned it around. I think they've matured and they're growing up in their games.
"If they play their game (Wednesday), they're going to be right there."