Coach Danny Leatherman talks to Will Griffin after round one of the state golf tournament.

When the boys golf team started the trek to the state tournament and dominated district and regionals, they didn’t look back. And after a not-so-impressive second nine on the first day of the state tournament, they probably shouldn’t.

The team , which started on No. 10, was in the lead at the turn. But that was before the sixth hole–a 316-yard par 4.

“Number six killed us,” Coach Danny Leatherman said. “It’s the easiest hole on the course and we shot two double bogeys and a triple bogey. They should have shot a 295 and really could have if we had played six differently.”

But that was today. And the team’s objective hasn’t changed.

“Right now, our goal is the same as it was when we started,” Leatherman said. “And that is to get on the podium tomorrow.”

What the Pack has to overcome is some physical issues, according to Leatherman.

“Josh (Lewis) and Tyler (Dunbar) have strep throat,” he said. “Right now they are getting cleaned up to eat and get some rest.”

Lewis, a sophomore, recorded two over par after nine. But with bogeys at 1, 2, and 4 capped with a triple on the last hole, he ended the first day at +8.

Dunbar, the lone freshman on the team, was four over at the turn and recorded one of the double bogeys on No. 6. His lone birdie came on No. 2, a 155-yard par 3.

But the most obvious physical challenge left evidence on junior Michael Phillips’ scorecard.

“He had a problem with his eyes after number three and had to take his contacts out,” Leatherman said. ‘If you look at his scorecard, he had a hard time, especially on the back nine.”

The junior’s card shows bogeys on three, four  and five with a double on six.

“It affects his putting and everything,” Leatherman said. “He is going to a clinic tonight. He might have a scratched cornea.”

The team will have an 8:30 a.m. tee time Friday, according to Leatherman.

“This is good because they can get out and get a good start before the wind picks up,” he said. “We need to record a good score and let the other teams chase it.”

Lufkin is in sixth place with a 304, 16 strokes behind Austin Westlake.

Sam Fidone shot the best round for Lufkin with a one over 73 followed by Will Griffin with a 74. The other three teammates were not far behind with Phillips at 78, Dunbar at 79 and Lewis at 80.

“UIL only allows 1 practice round between regionals and state. We have played it once this year but it was in really bad weather,” said head coach Danny Leatherman. “It is also the same place we played state last year as well.”

Leatherman has already begun to prepare his team to be successful for state, by setting the tee time this weekend the same time as next Thursday, so they will know how to play on the course.

“I have planned the tee time for this Saturday at the same time we will be teeing off the first day of the tournament. We will see how the course plays with some dew on the ground and how the greens will change as the ground dries up,” said Leatherman. “It also will allow us to have a fresh legs come next Thursday and not be tired.”

Eight teams will be competing at the state tournament next Thursday and Friday. 36 holes will be played over the course of the tournament, 18 holes each day.

“All teams there are good. Austin Westlake, San Antonio Reagan, Mansfield, South Lake Carroll, and Lufkin: these five anyone can win,” said Leatherman. “Memorial, Clements and Tyler Lee: these will dark horses, but Westlake has to be the favorite.

The Lufkin boys golf team took first place at the district tournament by 25 strokes over the second place team. Back row left to right: Coach Danny Leatherman, Michael Phillips and Will Griffin. Front left to right are Josh Lewis, Tyler Dunbar and Sam Fidone.

After giving up a 4 shot lead last year and losing to The Woodlands by one shot from becoming district champs, Lufkin High School golf team had a dominating performance to capture the District 14-5A championship last week at Raven Nest Golf Club in Huntsville. Opening the first day with a 288 and a hard fought 315 the next, Lufkin won with a 25-shot lead over second place College Park\.

After advancing to the state tournament last season, Lufkin started the season among the top five teams in the state. Head coach Danny Leatherman said winning the district title was one of the team’s goals coming into the season.

“We set three main goals before the season and winning district was one of them,” Leatherman said. “That was something that a lot of people thought wasn’t attainable because of the district we were in. But our guys have learned how to play at this level and it finally paid off for us.”

Lufkin’s Sam Fidone shot an 80 to finish with a total of 147. That put him in a first place tie with College Park’s Jeff Swearingen, who later took first place by winning a one-hole playoff.

Two day totals for Lufkin were Will Griffin who shot an 81 on Thursday to take fourth place with a 152. Freshman Tyler Dunbar to finish in 10th place with a 156, and Josh Lewis with a 164 to take 24th place.

Lufkin will be preparing for the regional tournament held in Waco at Twin River’s Golf Course. Along with them will be Klein Oak and Vista Ridge. The Woodlands, which had won a regional preview at the course earlier, failed to qualify.

“The Woodlands really would have been tough to beat at the regional tournament,” Leatherman said. “But they started pressing when College Park was close to them and they pretty much fell apart. We’re going into the regionals knowing it’s probably a three-horse race. If we can beat either Vista Ridge or Klein Oak, we’ll probable be going back to state.”

The 2009 Lufkin Panther Golf Tem ended the 13 year drought, advancing to the State Meet for the first time in since 1995. The Lufkin Golf team  is in  Austin to play at Jimmy Clay Golf Course this weekend.

“It feels like we accomplished something very good, it’s something I always dreamed about, now the time is here its feels surreal,” said Senior Michael Haney.

Coach Danny Leatherman said a tough schedule helped the team out tremendously.

“I knew at the first of the year we had the chance to be good,” Leatherman said. “I just did not know how good. We purposely played what I think was the toughest schedule in the state to prepare.”

For The Pack, practice has not changed much, sticking to the routine that got them to state, a routine that includes spending time on the practice putting green and hitting “a ton of balls” on the driving range, according to Haney.

Leatherman said the team went to Austin last weekend for some practice.

“We played a practice round on Saturday and got fimiliar wih he golf course,” he said. “Then we will practice as usual.”

The Lufkin Panthers feels no pressure going out onto the links and trying to bring home the trophy.

“We know the pressure is not on us because nobody expected s to get this far but ourselves,” Senior Chase Webb said. “So the pressure is on the other teams.”

The Pack will be joined at the state tournament by The Woodlands, Mansfield and El Paso Hanks from Region I, Houston Memorial and Katy Seven Lakes from Region III and Austin Westlake and San Antonio Reagan from Region IV.

“We’ve beat everyone in the tournament except The Woodlands and Memorial and we played even with Westlake earlier in the year,” Leatherman said. “We know we can compete, and I think if we can get four guys to play to their capabilities at the same time, we have a shot.”

After leading The Woodlands by 4-shots in the first round of the 14-5A district Golf Tournament, The Highlanders proved to be too strong as Ryan Kelly made the game winning shot with a 15-foot  birdie on the final hole.
Similar to the first round, The Pack received major contributions from all five golfers, which was well expected from Coach Leatherman.
“I have been expecting us to perform at that level, I was excited for our kids and our program” said Coach Leatherman.
Giving up the 4-shot lead came as a surprise to the Golf team, being that this was the first time this season, that  they have “slept”, on a lead.
“We are still young, I know we will handle it better next time”, said Coach Leatherman.
But The Pack are not going to let that get them down, believing more motivation and confidence is the ony thing the lose gives them.
“We know now that we can play with the top programs in the state and we have gained a lot of confidence”, said Coach Leatherman.
Sophomore Michael Phillips lead the team with a 75 while sophomores Will Griffin and Sam Fedone followed with a pair of 78’s. Seniors Michael Haney and Chase Webb both shot 81 for a team score of 312, using the top four scores. The Woodlands shot 307 on the second day to beat the Panthers by one shot, 614-613.
Two-day totals for Lufkin were: Fidone 74-78—152; Griffin 74-78—152; Phillips 80-75—155; Webb 76-81—157; and Haney 78-81—159.

With the second round of the tournament continuing Thursday, The Pack Golf Team got  off to fast start in the first round of the District Tournament, leading the way with a 4 shot lead over The Woodlands “A” team.
Getting a total team effort The Pack got major contributions from all five golfers yesterday at Raven Nest Golf Club at Hunstville, TX with a .302 team total compared The Woodlands .306.
With sophomores Sam Fidone and Will Griffin shooting opening-round 74s, Lufkin is looking to make some noise going into the next round. with help from Seniors Chase Webb (76) and Michael Haney (78) and sophomore Michael Phillips shot 80.
Fidone and Griffin are two shots back of first-round leader Ryan Kelley of The Woodlands, who shot a 72. Conroe’s J.T. Taylor also shot 74 on Wednesday.
With that said The Pack will be looking to hold there lead over archrival The Woodlands Thursday in the Final Round.

The tournament is hosted by El Paso Coronado High School and has hich school teams from Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Lufkin golf team played with the Coronado team at the Paschal Tournament in Fort Worth earlier this year.

“Their coach was impressed with our kids ability to play the game as well as the way they conducted themselves on the golf course so he invited us to come out,” said Coach Leatherman, Lufkin’s boys and girls golf coach.

LHS has had a golf team for around 20 years, but never gotten the chance to fly anywhere for a tournament. Nine members of the team qualified to go on the trip by playing a four-day tournament among everyone on the team to determine the players that would compete. The golf booster club held a glow ball night golf tournament and raised the money for both the bos and girls teams to compete in the tournament.

Seniors Michael Haney and Chase Webb, juniors Hannah Arnold, Chelsea Crain and Kalin Hale and sophomores Will Griffin, Sam Fidone, Michael Phillips and Alyssa Dunbar are the players competing in the tournament.
With the nine players playing as expected this year, this chance may help them to reach the regional tournament, which is expected by the coach.

“Our goal is to make it to the regional tournament and then anything can happen,” said Coach Leatherman.
The tournament will help the team reach the goals of the coach. Stepping in the direction of top golf program in the state is where their headed. This tournament will allow the golf team to showcase their tallents in different arena and might allow some of the players to be seen by some colleges that may not usually get a chance to see them. Scouts from UTEP and Odessa Junior College are going to be at the tournament searching for talented players.
Being raised around and involved in golf most of his life, sophomore Sam Fidone is looking forward to the opportunity to play the El Paso tournament and plans for the team to do well. “We just want to win because if we were to win this we would be a pretty big threat to everybody,” Fidone said.