MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 29, 2000

RESERVE – Standing on the 18th fairway at the Division IV, Region III Tournament at Belle Terre Country Club Wednesday afternoon, Riverside’s Brett Bergeron just wanted to get the ball to the green.

Bergeron did more than that, placing his shot to within four feet of the pin.

Bergeron rolled in that putt for a birdie, giving him the individual regional title and helping the Rebels to the team title.

The top three teams and top 12 finishers qualified for the Class 2A state tournament starting Wednesday at Shenandoah Country Club in Baton Rouge.

Bergeron finished with a 1-under par 71, one shot ahead of teammate Michael Schoen and University’s Jon Burbank.

Riverside took the team title with a 17-over par 305. University placedsecond with a 27-over par 315 with Ridgewood getting the third qualifying spot for state with a 32-over par 320. Other scores were Newman with a325 and Episcopal of Baton Rouge with a 336.Fisher was sixth with a 365,followed by Pope John Paul (391), Springfield (417) and Buras (523).

Other individual qualifiers were Ridgewood’s Josh Goldman and Newman’s Robert Birtel, both with 3-over 75s; Ridgewood’s Danny Briseno with a 76; Frankie Briseno of Ridgewood with a 78; Episcopal’s Patrick Hanley, Riverside’s Steve Luminais and University’s Paul Henslee, all with 80s; and Episcopal’s Carlos Spaht and University’s Robert Heroman, both with 81s.

Luminais finished with a 38 on the back nine after shooting a 42 on the front, including a birdie on the eighth hole. Leisl Hasbrouck finished at 10-over 82 with a 40 on the front and a 42 on the back. Mike Lozano added a16-over 88 for the Rebels who also won regionals last year and placed third in state behind St. Frederick and Newman.”It’s wonderful again,” Riverside coach Elizabeth Torres said. “This group isalways consistent. They’re always on their game and always hold it together.They never let a bad shot ruin their round. If they play like they can, there isno reason they can’t win it (the state title).”Bergeron came to the par 418th tied with Burbank after bogeying the 17th hole. His tee shot landed on the right side of the fairway about 130 yardsfrom the green. He then hit a 9-iron that kicked off the right side of thegreen and rolled to within four feet.

Burbank had hit his tee shot to the middle of the green about 175 yards out.

His second shot bounced 15 feet past the hole. Burbank rolled his first puttpast the hole, tapping in for the par to finish with an even par 72.

Bergeron opened the round with pars on the first two holes before birdying the next two. He nearly birdied the fifth hole after hitting his drive to withinfive feet of the pin. He then parred the next three holes before bogeying nineto finish the front nine at 1-under 35.

Bergeron bogeyed 10 and 12 to drop back to 1-over. He cam back to roll in a30-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the par 3 13th to get back to even par. After parring 14, he reached the par 5 15th in two after hitting a 3-wood to the back of the green. Bergeron then lagged his putt to within twofeet, tapping in for the birdie to go 1-under.

“It gives me a lot of confidence going into the state meet,” Bergeron said. “Iknew I was tied with Burbank (going into 18). I just wanted to hit a solid driveand hitting the fairway and the green. I really didn’t think about the individualtitle. I was thinking about getting the team into state. I think we have a goodchance of winning the state title this year.”Burbank took the lead momentarily after parring the 10th and 11th holes.

But a bogey on 12 and a double bogey on 13 dropped him a shot back.

Burbank came back to tie Bergeron with a birdie on 16 and a par on 17.

Schoen went to 1-under after birdying the second and third holes before a double bogey on four dropped him to 1-over. He came back with a lob wedgeto get close for a birdie on the seventh hole on his way to a 1-over 37 on the front side.

Schoen opened the back side with a birdies on the first seven holes. He thenrolled in a long putt for a birdie on 17 to go even. His second shot on the18th hole bounced to the back fringe of the green. Schoen then gave it a trybut his putt rolled just to the right of the hole. He tapped in for his par tofinish at an even 72.

“The greens were fast today,” Schoen said. “I was able to get my speeddown on the back nine. You try to win and try to shoot low but you want toplay good for the team aspect.”

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