ST. VINCENT LEADS 1A FIELD AFTER FIRST ROUND

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- St. Vincent of Perryville is one round away from breaking Gallatin's two-year grip on the state title as it grabbed a nine-stroke lead in the first round of the Missouri Class 1A High School Golf Championships at the Bill and Payne Stewart Golf Course.

St. Vincent, led by Craig Schumer's 74, shot a 305 total Monday on the par-70 layout. Gallatin is second at 314 with Greenwood and Viburnum are tied for third at 318. The final 18 holes will be today.

Schumer, a senior, was tied for second in the individual play and senior teammate Jonathan Paulus was tied for eighth with a 75. Mark Gotto and Andrew Prost both shot 78 to round out the Indian score. Wes Richardet had an 81 but his total did not count toward the team score.

Greenwood junior Rick Seagrave led the individual play with a 1-over-par 71.

"It was very windy today and balls were flying everywhere," said St. Vincent coach Tom Prost. "I was really happy with that score to tell you the truth."

The Indians finished second to Gallatin last year and placed third in 1999 with the Bulldogs again winning the title.

"It's nice to be in front of them for a change," said Prost. "Hopefully we can stay there."

Added Prost, "We need about the same score. We could shoot a little worse, but not much. There are four teams within 13 strokes and all of them have good players that can shoot low if they play to their potential."

Both Schumer and Paulus were freshman members of St. Vincent's last state championship, which came in 1998. Schumer is looking for his second all-state performance, having accomplished the feat as a freshman. Paulus medaled the last two years, including a fourth-place finish last year.

The top 15 individual finishers medal.

Class 2A

REPUBLIC, Mo. -- The Notre Dame Bulldogs are in contention for their first state golf trophy after shooting a 335 total at Island Green Golf Club.

The Bulldogs, making their fifth state appearance as a team, are just four shots out of fourth, the final spot rewarded with hardware.

Pembroke Hill leads the 16-team field with a 313 and is followed by Dixon (318), Southern Boone County (327), Westminster (331), John Burroughs (332) and Notre Dame (335).

Tim Buerck paced the Bulldogs with an 80 with teammate Nick Martin right behind at 81. Elliot Maschmann and Adam Fenwick completed the team score with 87s.

"We've come out a lot of years and never been in position to finish in the top four," said Notre Dame coach Chris Janet. "We're in good shape and could do it."

Class 4A

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- Jackson's Peyton Sims is tied for 40th and Cape Girardeau Central's Nick Harter is tied for 85th after one round at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club.

Sims shot an 81 on the par-72 course. He is eight shots off the lead. Harter shot an 86.