Murphy, Cone alive in chase for Tour cards
Toolbox
Staff Report - Published: November 19, 2009
Two native Vermonters are in the running to earn PGA Tour cards for the 2010 season.
St. Johnsbury native Trevor Murphy and Bennington native Dustin Cone are at two different sites for 72 holes starting with Wednesday's round.
This week is the second stage of PGA Tour's Qualifying School, with the top of the field in each of six qualifying sites going on to the final stage Dec. 2-7.
Murphy, the three-time Vermont Am champion (2005-2007), is at the Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, Fla. Murphy played collegiate golf at North Carolina-Charlotte and last year earned some national air time during his showing at the U.S. Open, where he made the cut and was thus seeded into the second stage of Q School.
Now based in Scottsdale, Ariz., Murphy has been a consistent performer on the Gateway Tour. He also played in the Wachovia Championship in 2008 and nearly made the cut.
Cone, who won his Vermont Am at age 16 before going on to play at Purdue University, is at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City Beach, Fla., this week. Cone, now playing out of the Santa Lucia River Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., has also had success on the Gateway Tour.
Murphy shot 3-under 69 and was tied for 17th place after Wednesday's round, while Cone struggled to a tie for 63rd after shooting 4-over 75.
For more information, go to:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/
Go to the menu on the left and click on "second stage," and select from the menu of courses.
A third player with a Vermont connection is competing in the second stage at Pine Mountain, Ga.'s Callaway Gardens Mountain View Golf Club. Connecticut native Steve Sokol once played on New England Pro Tour circuit after a brief stint in the Vermont Amateur.
Sokol was runner-up to Cone in the Vermont Amateur at the Country Club of Barre in 1999, losing to Cone in a one-hole playoff. Sokol shot 1-under 71 on Wednesday and was tied for 45th place.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Lyndon 69,
College of Saint Joseph 39
Stephanie Barkley had 13 points to lead Lyndon in its second victory this season over CSJ but the margin was much closer than Wednesday's result at CSJ Athletic Center.
"The girls worked really hard. The defense was a lot better," said CSJ coach Jason Cassarino, whose team gave up 90 points in the teams' first meeting.
With Lyndon frequently using a box-and-one to slow down Brittany Garrow (eight points), Fair Haven graduate Amanda Howard stepped up and had 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Naomi White added 13 points for Lyndon. CSJ, 0-2, will be off until a Dec. 2 game against Johnson.
Middlebury's McKillop
Offensive Player of Year
MIDDLEBURY – Eight members of the Middlebury College football team have earned All-NESCAC honors, while junior quarterback Donald McKillop has been named the league's Offensive Player of the Year. McKillop, along with senior James Millard, earned first-team honors, while seniors Erik Rostad, Paul Bennett and Stuart Lindberg were named to the second team. Also earning sports on the second team for the Panthers were seniors Eric Kamback and Dan Haluska, along with juniors David Reed and Anthony Kuchan. The group helped lead the Panthers to a 5-3 mark this season, winning their last four games.
McKillop, who earned a second-team selection a year ago, had a record-breaking season. The junior ended the year with Middlebury and NESCAC single-season records for completions (262), attempts (405), yards (2,873), touchdown passes (22), and total offense (2,967 yards). He also holds all 10 Middlebury single-season and career passing records as a junior.
McKillop is currently ranked first in the nation in completions per game with 32.75, while ranking second with 359.1 passing yards per contest. He ended the season as the league's top-rated quarterback, owning a 136.8 efficiency rating. The junior was second on the team with 94 rushing yards with a pair of touchdowns on the ground. He also holds Middlebury single-game records for completions (47), attempts (74) and yards (438).
Rostad had a big senior season for the Panthers, earning a spot on the second-team as a running back. The senior finished the season first on the team and fourth in the NESCAC with 55.5 yards rushing/contest, carrying the ball 130 times for 444 yards. He was second on the team and third in the league with 7.12 catches/game, pulling down 57 passes for 609 yards and five touchdowns.
The senior led the NESCAC in scoring with 9.0 points per game, scoring a dozen touchdowns over eight games. He ends his career at Middlebury with 12 rushing touchdowns for 914 yards to go along with eight touchdown catches through 101 receptions and 944 yards.
Etkins wins Golden Helmet
Norwich University freshman running back Orwin Etkins, who rushed for a career-high 269 yards and a program-record five touchdowns in the Cadets' 49-14 victory over Mount Ida College in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) championship game last Saturday, became the first NU player in 22 years to win the prestigious Golden Helmet Award.
Etkins was formally presented with his Golden Helmet Award on Wednesday during the New England Football Writer's weekly luncheon inside Dillon Field House on the campus of Harvard University.
The Miramar, Fla., native enjoyed the best game of his young career, despite playing in a heavy rain that turned the playing surface at Sabine Field into a swampy mess. Etkins broke off touchdown runs of 20, 27, 3, 14 and 39 yards. He also posted two other runs of 63 and 59 yards. In the second quarter alone, Etkins rushed for 180 yards and two scores.
Slater pass
FAIR HAVEN — Fair Haven Union High School is offering a reduced price winter sports pass. This pass will admit you to all regular season home events during the winter season, except for the Booster Club Holiday Basketball Tournament. The prices are $35 for adults, $20 for students, and $15 for senior citizens (age 55 and older). Please contact Joyce Roberts at 265-3808, or Eric Ramey at eramey@fhuhs.org to purchase your ticket.
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