Published: October 24, 2009 01:12 am      

Hornet boys on top at Huntsville Fall Classic

The Hornets are right where they wanted to be, on top of the leaderboard after the opening round of the Huntsville Boys Fall Classic on Friday.

The Hornets’ No. 1 team fired a 307 to take a seven-stroke lead over Klein Oak at Raven Nest Golf Club. The Woodlands’ No. 2 squad is tied for third with Lufkin (316), followed by Oak Ridge (319) and Deer Park (326). St. Thomas, Klein and The Woodlands’ No. 1 team are all tied for seventh at 330 and Montgomery is 10th (331) in the 22-team field.

The Hornets had four players shoot in the 70s despite soggy conditions at Raven Nest due to all the recent rain. Huntsville’s Cody Sammons is tied for third at 75 and Tyler Belovsky is fifth (76). Seniors Ryan Bennett and Brent Baker are tied with three others in ninth at 78.

Cory Sammons, the Hornets’ fifth player on the No. 1 squad, shot an 83.

“We had a good day,” HHS coach Marcus Evans said. “We started off good, but hit a few bumps on the back nine. The course was playing tough because of all the rain and you can tell with all the high scores. We knew we wouldn’t have a perfect round.

“But to have four scores in the 70s this time of year and with the conditions, it is really good.”

The Hornets second team is in 15th place following an opening round score of 352. Grant Nicholas shot an 84, Bryson O’Brien carded an 86, Cody Signorin finished with a 90, Babe Mishler shot 92 and Murray Gould fired a 95.

Huntsville’s Reed Bolton, who is coming back from an injury, is competing as an individual medalist, shot an 87.

Lufkin’s Sam Fidone is currently in first place overall at 70. Doug Shipman of Klein Oak is second (74) and Crosby’s Jonathan Marek is tied with Cody Sammons for third. Deer Park’s Cameron Button, Klein Oak’s Cash Wilkerson and The Woodlands’ David Miles are tied for sixth (77).

The tournament moves to Elkins Lake today for the final round. The Hornets No. 2 teams tees off at 8:40 a.m. and the No. 1 squad will begin at 9:20.