Sports

Gunn leads Darton golf team to fourth fall win

Scott Chancey

WARWICK — Chesley Gunn earned medalist honors Sunday for the first time since joining three-time NJCAA Division II champion Darton last year, carding a two-day total of 142 (71-71). He also led Darton College Red to a first-place finish of 582 (299-283) in the ABAC Invitational.

Georgia Southwestern Blue, which led Darton Red by seven strokes after Saturday’s round, was second with 586 (292-294). The Hurricanes’ Michael Harris was second overall (70-74-144), followed by Darton’s Andy Lewis (73-73-146) and Coleman Calhoun (77-69-146) who tied for third with Thomas University’s Jonathan Guess and joined Gunn on the All-Tournament team.

Darton Gray, with only four players, including Lewis, was third (301-288-589).

Gunn, who has been named to every fall All-Tournament team except one, was happy to make that extra push to the top. Things did become interesting for him near tournament’s end.

“I tried to give it away,” Gunn laughed.

Gunn was the fourth different winner this fall. Coleman Calhoun, J.P. Putnam and Jin Chung won the other three.

“I think you can put any five of us on the first team and we can win every tournament,” Gunn said. “We just need to get off to a better start.”

Darton’s seven-stroke deficit to the Hurricanes after the first day left coach Dale Dover concerned.

“He didn’t talk to us after the round Saturday and before (Sunday’s) round,” Gunn said. “We’re just testing Coach’s health. We like to test him like that.”

Dover elaborated on the Cavaliers’ first-round struggles. The Cavaliers, in fact, have only led after the first round in one of this fall’s five tournaments thus far.

“I don’t know what is happening,” Dover said. “I’m so sick of us playing terrible in the first round. We had to play lights out (Sunday) just to catch (Georgia Southwestern Blue).”

Chung (79-70-149), Putnam (75-73-148) and Evan Hanna (76-74-150) joined Gunn and Calhoun in Darton Red’s effort, and Aaron Elrod (77-71-148), Ridge Purcell (78-69-147) and Matt Smith (73-75-148) helped Lewis lead Darton Gray.

Georgia Southwestern coach Stan Shurling felt his program had a chance to upend Darton for the second time this season.

“I felt we played really well, but we obviously could have played the par 5’s better,” Shurling said. “It was really windy and strong, tougher conditions than Saturday.

“We didn’t start well (Sunday),” he added. “We had a couple of holes where we got in trouble. Darton had nine players, and I think eight of them were under par at the turn. If we could have stayed with them early we might have held our own.”

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