Jay struggles in opener (04/14/06)

“I knew we might have these nights ...” said Butch Gray.

It didn’t take long.

Jay County’s boys golf team played its first dual of the season Thursday night. It scored a 193, losing to the Wapahani Raiders 183-193 at Portland Golf Club.

It also lost to the Patriot junior varsity, which posted a 187.

“... we had one of those nights tonight,” Gray added. “It is so different from playing JV. All of a sudden you’re up on varsity ... and people are watching you and looking at your score.

“We made some bad decisions out there tonight. We tried to do some things that we can’t do. The kids just have to come out and play their game ...

“I would take boring golf any day ... straight bogey we would have been fine from everybody.”

With no one who saw varsity action in either 2004 or 2005, Gray has a varsity/junior varsity mix of players whose scoring averages are bunched together.

Thursday four of the top six Jay County scores were carded by junior varsity players.

While the varsity had just four pars and no birdies, the junior varsity crew had nine pars and one birdie.

Freshman Adam Gray led the Patriot varsity with a 45. After a double-bogey to open play on the 10th hole, he put up six consecutive bogeys.

Gray’s tee shot on the par-4 17th hole landed in the right rough, and he put his second shot in the rough just off the back side of the green. He chipped on to within three feet and rolled in a par putt on the way to his team-best score.

Josh Hall was the only other varsity player in the 40s. He got off to a good start, dropping his second shot on No. 10 on the green. He put his putt within a couple of feet and tapped in for the first of his two pars.

He also played the 354-yard, par-4 16th hole even and finished with a 47.

James Brosher had five bogeys for his 50, and Gray Suman finished with six bogeys and shot 51.

“I think they’ll get some things righted,” said Gray. “All they need is for some of them to shoot a decent number and the confidence will be there and they’ll be OK. I know they’re capable of it.”

Wapahani also had its struggles, but was bailed out by No. 3 player Alex Holt. He played a consistent round with pars on the 10th, 11th and 14th holes. He went on to close with three straight pars to earn medalist honors with a 39.

Joining Holt were Tyler Parks (45), Dustin Tobias (46) and J.D. Morris (53).

“They were upset that they lost,” said Gray. “They want to play well, they want to do well. They’re searching to find what’s going to be the key.

“I really think down deep we’ve got about two or three that can be consistent. What we’re looking for are those other two that are going to be able to do it.”

Junior varsity

Jay County clobbered the Raiders, 187-282, finishing with four scores in the 40s.

Kyle Cook posted the best score for any Patriot on the day as he put together a great finish. He had pars on holes 14, 16 and 18 to go along with the lone birdie of the day at No. 17 to finish with a 44.

C.J. Comer had two pars for a 47, Jonathan Fennig notched one to also score 47 and Chris Shannon added two pars in a round of 49. Aaron Daniels finished with a 52.

“I like that the younger kids, the JV kids, played well,” said Gray. “Maybe they’ll keep pushing. We’re going to get better from the competition within the team.”[[In-content Ad]]