Division III teams hope to build on string of success

 By STEVE WILLIAMS

 OK. Whose turn is it now?

Methodist, Greensboro, Guilford or Averett?

The four Division III schools located within a two-hour drive of each other have all won national championships in the last five years.

Methodist set the standard in the 1990s and won its ninth title in 1999. Greensboro followed in 2000, Guilford in 2002 and Averett in 2003.

Averett claimed the championship last spring with a senior-dominated line-up, but the Danville school isn’t conceding anything during a rebuilding year.

“Our goal is to get back to the nationals,” said Averett coach Jim Gourlay, noting he has two more players arriving via the Finnish pipeline next spring that could be just as good as graduated superstars Janne Mommo and Toni Karjalainen.

The Cougars will use three fall outings to sort out the rest of the newcomers who have arrived to join forces with lone returnee Craig Hosie, a Canadian sophomore who assumes the role at veteran leader this year.

Kalle Laukkanen, a senior, is the only other Averett player with tournament experience. Freshmen James Hargreaves, who arrives from the same Canadian locale as Hosie, is a heralded freshman. Colin Osberg and Martinsville native Patrick Kim will also see playing time this fall.

Guilford slipped to 17th in last year’s national tournament with a rebuilt line-up, but the Quakers are banking on a year’s experience to get them back in the title chase.

“We have everybody back,” said Guilford coach Jack Jensen. “Even though we didn’t have a very good spring, we had a good fall (2002), and anticipate having a very competitive team.”

Dave Patterson, a key man on the 2002 national championship squad, is set for his senior season. He has All-America and Old Dominion Conference Golfer of the Year on his resume. He averaged 73.1 strokes per round last season.

Patterson was accompanied to the nationals by four freshmen last season. With a year of experience, Chris Lowman, Brant Stovall, Aaron James and Jeff Osberg figure to be more consistent.

If they slip, senior Ricky Gandhi and any of five freshmen will be ready to step in.

Greensboro, which has four of five starters back from a team that finished No. 12 in the NCAA championship, will again be a team to watch. Brandon White, who finished 15th the NCAA, and Jonathan Dudley are the team’s senior leaders.

Sophomores Rocky Manning and Ryan Wilson are the other returnees for coach Robert Linville’s squad.

And then there’s Methodist, the Division III king of the 1990s. The 1999 title was the Monarchs’ ninth in a 10-year reign and Methodist has been a contender every year since, including a fifth-place showing last spring.

Four players who went to the NCAAs return: senior James Stewart and juniors Mike Townsend, Adam Horton and Rich Bamber.

Another junior with NCAA experience is Matt Cardarelli. He made the trip as a freshman.

“We have the same expectations,” Monarch coach Steve Conley said. “We were ranked No. 1 in the nation going into the nationals and we didn’t play very well. But we’re very excited about the four guys we have returning. I expect us to be right there in the hunt.”

While the Methodist men have quite a history, the Lady Monarchs have written an amazing record book.

Methodist ran away with the 2003 title, winning the tournament by an NCAA Division III record 53 strokes. It was the Monarchs’ sixth straight championship.

Jessie Hunter, who was second individually in the NCAA, and Michelle Meadows, the Division III player of the year, left big golf shoes to fill but coach Vici Pate has five capable veterans and a strong freshman class ready to keep the string of success going.

Seniors Hope Thomas, Jennifer Lymangood and Melissa Arnett are the returning starters.