• Rubi Reyes •
• Originally published January 17, 2009 at 11:44 p.m., updated January 17, 2009 at 11:44 p.m.

Another strong field is expected at this year's Memorial Vipers Classic as the 2009 spring high school golf season gets under way.

Sixteen schools have confirmed entry into this year's event that is slated for Friday and Saturday at the two local country clubs. Friday's opening round tees off at Victoria Country Club with progressive starts beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday's final round gets going with a 9 a.m. shotgun start at Colony Creek Country Club.

Last year's event was one of the most exciting in the last 13 years of the event as only two strokes separated champion Corpus Christi Miller and runner-up Memorial. And this year's finish is expected to be just as strong according to Vipers golf coach Fred Neuman.

"(San Antonio) Churchill will send a competitive team and (Corpus Christi) IWA won the Judson Classic where we participated and if they bring the same team they had there, they're going to be tough," Neuman said. "And C.C. King is also a very formidable team."

Along with Memorial and those three teams, the field will also include Corpus Christi Miller, Moody, Carroll and Ray, Calhoun, San Antonio East Central, Yoakum, Calallen, Gregory-Portland, San Antonio MacArthur, St. Joseph and Alice.

Miller's Eric Cavazos set an individual 18-hole scoring record in last year's event, carding a final-round, 8-under 64 at Colony Creek Country Club to lead his team to its second consecutive team title.

Just a year earlier, Miller ran away with the title compiling an impressive 36-hole 619 after a closing round of 298, which was just four shots of the tournament's low 18-hole score of 294 set by Memorial twice. Memorial posted the score in both final rounds in winning the 2002 and 2004 events. Unfortunately, the 2004 event was limited to just one day because of weather conditions.

While Memorial finished as the runner-up in last year's tournament, the Vipers have continuously contended for the title and share the tournament record for most wins at three with Churchill.

Along with their 2002 and 2004 titles, the Vipers made it a three-peat by winning the 2003 event as well. They have also finished second twice and third once.

And before the Vipers, Victoria High had its glory days as well with titles in 1998 and 1999 as well as a runner-up finish in 1997.

"Because of the history of the tournament I feel a little more responsibility in hosting a good, quality tournament for the area teams that come," Neuman said. "Unfortunately this year because of the hurricane, Galveston Ball will not be able to participate because of funding and we'll miss them, but hopefully the school and everyone can recover as quickly as they can and they can be part of the field next year."

While Cavazos set an 18-hole scoring mark last year, Memorial's Jason Louth continues to hang on to his 36-hole scoring mark set in 2001 when he posted a 6-under 136 after rounds of 68-70.

San Antonio Reagan holds the 36-hole team scoring record with a 603 after posting rounds of 302-301 in winning the event in 2000.

Changed from the fall, the Classic now serves as a kickoff to the high school spring season that could see two Class 3A teams battling once again all the way to the state tournament.

Yoakum, which has made 27 straight trips to the state girls tournament, and Edna, with back-to-back trips to state, should be the queens of the fairways this season in the area.

The Memorial Lady Vipers will tee up the spring season on Feb. 6-7 when they compete in the Clements Invitational.

Holes-in-one

Tom Eastland recorded the year's second ace at Colony Creek Country club when he holed out a 150-yard tee shot with a Nike Hybrid at the par-3, No. 14 on Monday. The shot, using a yellow Nitro ball, was witnessed by his wife Lucy Eastland, along with Dan Pennington and Guy Doane. It was his sixth career ace.

Travis Mixon got his fifth ace at the Hallettsville Municipal Golf Course when he holed out a 6-iron shot at the 160-yard, par-3 16th on Dec. 31. the shot was witnessed by Billy Renger and Bob Moseley.

Tournaments on the tee

EAGLE LAKE RECREATION CLUB 3-PERSON SCRAMBLE: Sunday, Feb. 22, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tee times. Entry fee is $180 per team with three flights. Deadline to enter is Feb. 19. For information, call Brad Dumont at 361-772-6995 or the golf course at 979-234-5981.

EAGLE LAKE RECREATION CLUB 2-PERSON SCRAMBLE: March 21 and 22, 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. tee times. Entry fee is $130 per team with four flights. the deadline t enter is March 19. For more information, call Brad Dumont at 361-772-6995 or the golf course at 979-234-5981.

Paul Ebner is the assistant sports editor for the Advocate and writes a weekly golf column. Contact him at 361-580-6507 or by e-mail at pebner@vicad.com.

• Victoria Spring Classic

  January 23-24

  First round: Friday at Victoria Country Club, 9 a.m.

  Final round: Saturday at Colony Creek Country Club, 9 a.m.

  Defending champion: Corpus Christi Miller

  Teams entered: Memorial; St. Joseph; Calhoun; Yoakum; Corpus Christi Miller, King, ...

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Victoria Spring Classic

January 23-24

First round: Friday at Victoria Country Club, 9 a.m.

Final round: Saturday at Colony Creek Country Club, 9 a.m.

Defending champion: Corpus Christi Miller

Teams entered: Memorial; St. Joseph; Calhoun; Yoakum; Corpus Christi Miller, King, Moody, Carroll, Ray and Incarnate Word; San Antonio East Central, Churchill and MacArthur; Calallen, Gregory-Portland; Alice.

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