Sept. 11, 2005
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Sophomore Erich Schoen (Sylvania, Ohio) turned in the Mids' low score at the Navy Fall Golf Invitational Sunday, a 6-over par 148 to tie for 14th place. Navy, which fielded three teams in the tournament, placed tied for 10th (Gold 610, +42), 13th (Blue 614, +46) and 14th (White 623, +55), while George Mason claimed the team title by 17 strokes over George Washington and Towson.
St. Joseph's Colin Corrigan was crowned the individual champion after beating out Steve Alminas of Winthrop and Bryan Bigley of Siena in an 11-hole tie breaker. Alminas had a spectacular day, shooting a 5-under par 66 in the final round to come from 44th to the top with a two-round 143.
Sophomore Jeff Sawin (Haverford, Pa.) and rookie Eric Stinson (Spotsylvania, Va.) paced the Navy Gold squad (303-307), as the pair tied for 34th with a two-day 152 (75-77). Second-year player Rob Phillips (Munford, Tenn.) finished a stroke behind Stinson and Sawin in 37th, while newcomer David Miller (Chillicothe, Ohio) finished tied for 47th in his first-collegiate meet with a 154 (78-76). Freshman John Montemayor (Woodbridge, Va.) rounded out the Gold squad with a 157 (77-80), placing tied for 57th.
Comprised of three juniors and two sophomores, the Navy Blue squad shot a two-round score of 614. Schoen was the lone player to finish in the top 20, while only one other Blue squad member placed in the top 50, team captain Michael Pierce (Houston, Texas). Pierce shot a pair of 77s to finish tied for 47th with a 154. Junior Jeremy Garner (Fayetteville, Ga.) improved a stroke from the first round (78-77) to finish a stroke behind Pierce in 51st with a 155. Junior Bryan Stoniecki (Montgomery, Ill.) (78-81) and second-year player Chris Renninger (Darnestown, Md.) (80-79) tied for 62nd, rounding out the Blue squad.
Freshman Ryan Wielgus (Bethesda, Md.) followed up his strong first round performance (73, +2) with a 6-over par 77 to tie for 24th. Sophomore Ryan Gulliksen (Ormond Beach, Fla.) finished just out of the top 50, posting a 13-over par 155 to tie for 51st. Sophomores Ryan Sload (Lancaster, Pa.) (78-81) and Josh Benson (Bloomington, Minn.) (81-78) tied with Blue squad teammates Stoniecki and Renninger for 62nd place with a 17-over par 159. Rookie Chip Hardie (Arnold, Md.) finished 73rd (82-81) as the White team's final competitor.
"I was proud of our freshmen and also with how Erich Schoen played this weekend," said Navy head coach Pat Owen. "There were quite a few bright spots including our Gold team beating out our veteran Blue Team and having a freshman (Ryan Wielgus) shoot our second lowest individual score. The effort is there and the guys continue to improve, but we need to polish our technique."
Navy returns to action Sept. 19-20 at the Towson Fall Invitational played at the Musket Ridge Golf Course.
G-o N-a-v-y
