Raider Golf: Jeff takes round 1 against Harrison

BY JEFF WASHBURN • JWASHBURN@JCONLINE.COM • MAY 13, 2009

BATTLE GROUND -- Tuesday's high school golf showdown between 12th-ranked Lafayette Jeff and rival Harrison lost some of its luster before it began.

That's because the Raiders' Justin Terry, who led Harrison to victory in Saturday's Northfield Invitational with a 4-over-par 75, injured his right wrist Tuesday morning on his way to school and could not play against the Bronchos.

When a car stopped abruptly in front of Terry, the Raider golfer slammed on his brakes to avoid a collision and suffered a sprain when his hand jammed into the steering wheel.

While Jeff didn't play its A game, the Bronchos got a 7-over-par 79 from Jacob Yocum, an 80 from Jacob Wagner and an 83 from Sam Troemel on their way to a 327-337 victory at the Battle Ground Golf Club.

Harrison got an 80 from Luke Brzezinski and 82s from Tyler Williams and Nik Cross, but without Terry, its fourth-best score was Tyler Renicker's 93.

"I was really excited for today," Brzezinski said. "I thought we maybe could pull it off, but they are really good. I have a lot of respect for them.

"I played good, but my short game wasn't on. I think we can play a lot better than we did today with Terry. Terry can bring us a good score. I think we can do pretty well in the sectional."

The foes will meet again on Monday in the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet at Bear Slide. Then they likely will battle for Lafayette Sectional honors on June 5.

In the past 10 seasons, Jeff has won six Lafayette Sectional championships, and Harrison has won the other four.

"It's a big rivalry," Yocum said. "We always look forward to playing them. Every time we play, it's for bragging rights."

Yocum said neither team had much to brag about on Tuesday.

"We struggled today, but coming down the stretch, we got help from our fifth man (Troemel)," Yocum said. "I thought the course played tough today. It's the first time we've been back here in about two weeks.

"I like where we're at right now as far as potential. We've got the Hoosier Crossroads Conference on Monday, and I like our chances. (Bear Slide) is a tough course."

Harrison coach Dave Schneider refused to use Terry's injury as an excuse for a 10-stroke loss to the Bronchos.

"He probably would have made a difference, but we have to have somebody else step up," Schneider said. "Our first three guys played pretty well, and we will get Justin back.

"But we are struggling for that fifth score. We need somebody to step up and play No. 5, and so far, we haven't had anybody take that to task. We will see what happens."

Harrison's state tournament chances also could be bolstered if 2008 Lafayette Regional qualifier Justin Woods returns from a hand injury that has sidelined him most of the season.

Woods has two more weeks in a cast and then two weeks during which he will not be allowed to swing a club.

Swinging clubs, according to Jeff coach Dick Murray, is what the Bronchos will be doing lots of during the next several days.

"For the most part, we've had three solid scores," Murray said. "We're trying to find a solid fourth and fifth. We're getting closer. Tonight wasn't a very pretty outing.

"We need to hit the practice tee and the practice green. We've got a few days to do that now. We've got to work out some things."

Murray looks forward to more competition against the Raiders.

"It will be interesting," Murray said. "Look at the last 10 years, and the sectional titles have been won by the two of us."