April 25, 2003
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Patriot League 'Player of the Year' Scott Manley will lead the golf team as Army seeks to defend its league title this weekend at the conference tournament.
Fighting the Northeast's extended winter, the Black Knights got an early jump on the season with trips down south, capitalizing on the strong competition and better weather. Army currently sits among the leaders in the Northeast region following a strong third place finish at the New England Championships two weeks ago.
"The team has had a learning curve this season. We had to learn how to post good numbers in bad weather. Most of our players are from down south or the west and don't have experience playing in bad weather. With the extended winter, they have had to learn how to deal with poor playing conditions," says head coach Jimmy Ray Clevenger.
Sophomore Manley, for the second straight season, has registered the team's best stroke average with 75.2 following 12 rounds this spring. Coming off his best performance of the season, he took second place at the New England Championships carding a 36-hole 142.
"Scott (Manley) has continued his upward surge this year, becoming one of the best players in the Patriot League and in the Northeast region. He won the Toski Invitational in the fall and just missed winning the New England Championship by one stroke," says Clevenger.
"Even when Scott is not playing his best game, he still finishes among the leaders. The rest of the team needs to lend him support with their play," continues Clevenger.
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Joining Manley from last year's Patriot League Championship team will be Kevin Lee. The Black Knight captain has played in three tournaments this spring and consistently improved in each round. The lone senior representing Army, Lee brings experience having played in the conference championship the last two years.
Army will use a young lineup in it quest to repeat as the league champions. Rounding out the Black Knight contingent are sophomore Pete Phipps and freshmen D.J. Reeves, Austin Luher and Matt Stanchina. All four players have played considerable amounts of time this spring.
In preparing his game plan, Clevenger notes that his team needs to post three rounds under 300 strokes and the four, five and six players needs to provide solid efforts in order to win this tournament. In 2002, five Army players finished in the Top 10 and were selected to the All-Patriot League Team. Among those selected were Manley and Lee.
"Our team has to post sub-300 rounds for three straight rounds. We have not done that consistently all year. That is typical of a young team. We have only one senior in the lineup with two sophomores and three freshman," comments Clevenger.
"To win the league tournament, our four, five and six players have to step up. One or two of these guys, each day, have to be our hero and post their best round. How these players play will be the deciding factor in who wins the Patriot League Championship."
Battling for medallist honors this weekend will be Manley and Lee, and Navy's Billy Hurley. All three finished the 2002 Patriot League Tournament in a three-way tie, with identical 54-hole totals of 209 on the West Point Golf Course. Manley, who was later honored as the league's top player, was named the champion on the third playoff hole. Army won the tournament last year by an impressive 29-strokes. The Black Knights carded 847 following 54 holes. Navy took second place followed by Lehigh, Colgate, Bucknell, American, Holy Cross and Lafayette.
"Realistically, four or five teams can win the Patriot League Tournament. It will come down to who gets hot and is on top of their game for two straight days. The league is the more balanced this year than it has ever been," states Clevenger.
The 2003 Patriot League Championship will be hosted by Lehigh on Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 26-27, at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Center Valley, Pa. The 54-hole tournament will begin at 8 a.m. each day with 27 holes played on both Saturday and Sunday.
The winner of the 2003 Patriot League Championship will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. Army represented the league at the 2003 Central Regional. The Black Knights finished 26th in their first NCAA appearance in seven years. Army has advanced to postseason play seven times since 1989.
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