Forest Park wins sixth straight Cardinal title, Buttgereit 2nd

By Brian Hunsicker

Published: October 7, 2008

Edgar Quiniones visited family in Puerto Rico during the past year; the Potomac High School athlete – whose career was mostly spent in baseball – played a round of golf with a relative who was semi-professional. As the summer passed, Potomac golf coach Mike Matt asked Quiniones if he was interested in playing for the Panthers this fall. Quiniones said he was.
Several months later, Quiniones became the last player to qualify for next week’s Cardinal District tournament.
Though Tuesday’s Cardinal District tournament went largely as expected – Forest Park won its sixth straight team title and Bruin senior Joe Buttgereit won his second straight individual title – Quiniones was the surprise story.
Playing in the tournament’s final group, Quiniones was eight over par at the turn. Just before the turn, he confided to Matta that he was nervous.
“‘Coach, my hands are shaking,’” Matta recalled. “I said, ‘Edgar, just relax. Enjoy the game. You’re just as good as anybody here. Enjoy the game.’ Then he played a little better – and he played real good on the back nine.”
Indeed, Quiniones came home with a 39. His 83 was good enough for a sixth place medal, and he was second among all the individual regional qualifiers.
“I’m excited and I hope I keep going,” Quiniones said with a smile.
Next up is the Northwest Region tournament, which will be held next week at Forest Greens. Quiniones will be joined by five other qualifiers – teammate Ryan Moriarty, Hylton’s John Cramsey and Alex Colantuoni, and Gar-Field’s George Watkins and Mike Peck – as well as Forest Park and Woodbridge, which captured second place to earn the automatic berth.
Buttgereit was one over at the turn, and maintained that pace until the final two holes. He shot six on both to finish at four over par. His score at the par-5, 517-yard 18th may have been worse were it not for a spectacular shot out of trouble.
After Buttgereit’s tee shot went right onto some trees, he was forced to knock the ball back toward the fairway – except that he hit a tree, and his ball caromed gently back toward the fairway, though still in the rough.
On his third shot, he took a mighty swing and got all of the ball. His ball bounced off the back of the green, some 220 yards away.
Though Buttgereit had the most successful round, the Bruins were clearly the best team at the tournament. Of their six entrants, four of them finished in the top six to earn medals: Mitch O’Shell was second while Robert Blumer and Connelly Bartlett tied with Cramsey for third place.
Still, a greater challenge lies ahead for Forest Park. At regionals, the top two Cedar Run District teams, Loudoun Valley and Battlefield, will bring formidable teams; Franklin County also has a traditionally strong squad.
“It was a sound effort [but] in my mind, we’re not there,” Forest Park coach John Colantuoni said. “After getting a taste of taste of what it takes from last year, we’ve got a week to really put it together. In my mind, I feel we’re going to have to score 300 or better to really have a shot to go to the next step.
“Playing on a course we know is going to benefit us some, but we’re going to practice right after this tonight and we’re going to get busy with it.”