Kingco Conference Golf -- Fear Drives Newport To Succeed -- Self- Destruction Only Worry For Experienced Knights

The word sounds strange coming from one of the best players on one of the best teams in the state as he talks about this prep golf season.

But Newport High's Ryan Duval said it: fear.

"That little fear that if we don't play our best every time, somebody can upset us," the senior said. "I think that small ounce of fear that we've worked so hard and we want to see all of our hopes come true - that little ounce of fear kind of keeps us in perspective."

The fear of self-destruction. That's about all the Knights have to worry about as they prepare to open a 1995 season that might carry more expectations than any in team history.

Newport went undefeated in KingCo Conference match play, set a single-match KingCo scoring record along the way, won the KingCo medalist tournament, won the Sea-King AAA District tournament, qualified the maximum-possible five players to the Class AAA state tournament, and finished third at state despite an injury and a disqualification that cost the Knights two players in the second round.

Four of the five who went to state return this season, including KingCo-champion Ryan Perovich, district-champion Duval and junior Mike Haack, who finished in a sixth-place tie at state. The fourth is senior Kraig Heeter.

"We know that it's a good possibility we'll repeat as KingCo champions, but there's always that little bit of fear we won't," Duval said.

That might be the main reason they will.

Nobody else in the league has talent that runs as deep as the Knights.

"I've got four kids right now (Haack, Duval, Perovich and Heeter) who could break 70 at Tall Chief (par 72)," Coach Chuck Crickmore said.

Haack, who can drive a golf ball about 300 yards, won a Washington Junior Golf Association district tournament and finished fourth in the WJGA state tourney during his busiest golf summer. Duval, who with Haack is half of Newport's top pair of golfers, had a victory and two more top-five finishes in a strong summer of golf.

Tony Colagrossi isn't far behind Crickmore's fearsome foursome, if he's behind them at all. In fact, the biggest reason Colagrossi, a junior, didn't qualify for state last season was that he didn't get the chance.

Only five golfers per team were allowed to enter the KingCo tournament, which is the only avenue for qualifying for district and state tourneys. Colagrossi was the sixth man on KingCo's deepest roster.

"If he played like he normally does, I think we could have had six guys go to state instead of five," Haack said. "I think if he was on any other team, he would have been out there."

Or if this season's rules applied, he might have been out there. KingCo golf officials voted to allow six per team to enter KingCo this season.

With either rule in place, Colagrossi likely would be in this season's KingCo tournament, his first shot at postseason play.

"That's what I'm looking forward to," he said. "To actually get to play in a big match. Last year, I kind of blew through people (in low-level matches) and didn't get the chance at a big match."

The Knights probably will blow through the competition again this year. No matter how big the matches get.

----------------------------------------------------------. . KingCo golfers to watch. . . BOYS. . . Player Yr. School Comments # . . Colin Bennett Sr. Redmond. Comment: Key player for Crown champ. . Jeff Bolger Sr. Eastlake. Comment: Tied 19th in KingCo, district qualifier. . Kevin Brown Sr. Issaquah. Comment: 5th in KingCo, state qualifier as So. . Jason Buchannon Sr. Bothell. Comment: Battling Douglas for team's no. 1. . Tony Colagrossi Jr. Newport. Comment: Best player not to make postseason. . Ryan Douglas Sr. Bothell. Comment: Battling Buchannon for team's no. 1. . Jason Dunn Sr. Redmond. Comment: Tied 17th in KingCo, district qualifier. . Ryan Duval Sr. Newport. Comment: Sea-King AAA District champ. . Ryan Elsos Sr. Eastlake. Comment: Tied 19th KingCo, state qualifier. . Brad Faller Fr. Eastlake. Comment: Shot 68 at Carnation this month. . Brian Flugstad Jr. Inglemoor. Comment: Tied 19th KingCo, state qualifier. . Mike Haack Jr. Newport. Comment: Tied for 6th at state tourney. . Chris Hedges Sr. Issaquah. Comment: 8th in KingCo, state qualifier. . Kraig Heeter Sr. Newport. Comment: 10th KingCo, state qualifier. . Mike Kim So. Sammamish. Comment: Battling M. King for team's no. 1. . Mike King So. Sammamish. Comment: Battling Kim for team's no. 1. . Steve King Sr. Bellevue. Comment: District qualifier. . Jason Kollack Sr. Bellevue. Comment: KingCo's 3rd alternate to state. . Mike Larson Fr. Eastlake. Comment: Shoots mid-70s consistently. . Jadon Lavik Jr. Redmond. Comment: Missed district by one stroke. . Eric Meyer Sr. Juanita. Comment: Battling Whitcomb for team's no. 1. . Ryan Perovich Sr. Newport. Comment: Won four-way playoff for KingCo title. . Josh Pickerell So. Lake Washington. Comment: Kangaroos' No. 1. . Brian Roberts So. Redmond. Comment: KingCo's first alternate to state. . Justin Roth Sr. Redmond. Comment: Missed district by one stroke. . Mike Whitcomb Sr. Juanita. Comment: 11th in KingCo, district qualifier. . . GIRLS. . . Jennifer Cates Jr. Redmond. Comment: 6th KingCo, state qualifier. . Katie Crossett Sr. Lake Washington. Comment: 5th KingCo, state qualifier. . Meghan Curley Sr. Eastlake. Comment: 4th KingCo, state qualifier. . Leslie Danz Sr. Bellevue. Comment: 8th KingCo, 17th at state. . Angela DiRe Fr. Redmond. Comment: Shoots in mid-50s (9 holes). . Kim Dunn Fr. Redmond. Comment: Shoots in the mid-50s (9 holes). . Anne Farmer Sr. Eastlake. Comment: KingCo's 1st alternate to state. . Courtney Kirk Jr. Redmond. Comment: KingCo's 2nd alternate to state. . Megan Sanders So. Issaquah. Comment: 12th KingCo, state qualifier. . Allison Sato Sr. Interlake. Comment: 7th KingCo, tied for 30th at state. . Kerry Stewart Sr. Newport. Comment: 9th KingCo, state qualifier. . Lauren Tindall Sr. Inglemoor. Comment: 13th KingCo, state qualifier. . Eileen Wang Jr. Newport. Comment: KingCo's 3rd alternate to state. . Wendy Wang Jr. Lake Washington. Comment: 10th KingCo, state qualifier. . Kellie Wilson Jr. Bothell. Comment: 3rd KingCo, tied 24th at state. . Heather Zbitnoff So. Redmond. Comment: Shoots in mid-50s (9 holes). . .

# -Refers to last season unless noted.