The Lakeland golf team put themselves in the pole position for their first regional berth of the millennium after the first day of the Southeastern District golf tournament Tuesday at the Nansemond River Golf Club.

Another full day of golf awaits beginning at 9 a.m. today. By starting off with a 324, the Cavaliers are currently sitting in third place behind Great Bridge (304) and Hickory (306).

The Bruins and Hawks have already earned regional spots via their regular season record, and the next best team after today’s 18 will also qualify.

The Cavaliers were paced by Ben Hunter’s 75.

Hunter had sides of 37 and 38 playing in Lakeland’s number one position.

Nick Howell (79), Augie Camacho (84) and Josh Winslow (86) made up the rest of the Lakeland total.

Nansemond River’s 335 is good enough for fourth place and King’s Fork’s 345 sits in seventh.

The second big story of the district tournament is individual qualifiers.

Besides the players on the top three teams, the next five individuals with the lowest 36-hole totals will move on to compete in regionals.

At the end of play Tuesday, 80 was the cut line for individual qualifying.

NR’s Nolan Butler (77), NR’s Rashad Hunt (78), and KF’s David Brown (78), are in position to qualify if the Warriors or Bulldogs cannot catch Lakeland.

KF’s Shane Doherty (81) and NR’s Calvin Mason (85) are within striking distance of getting into the five individual spots, but have ground to make up today.

andrew.giermak@suffolknewsherald.com