Jay wins 4th in a row (04/30/08)

The Patriots followed their best 18-hole round of the season with their worst nine-hole round. But it was still enough for a victory.

Jay County High School's golf team played the back nine at Portland Golf Club for the first time this season Tuesday, defeating the visiting Wapahani Raiders 186-196.

"Tough night," said JCHS coach Butch Gray. "And I think it got older as we played. The ball wasn't carrying.

"For some reason, this is a boys team that is a little more comfortable playing the front. Because there have been a lot of times we have been a back side team."

The team's score was one stroke worse than its total against Bluffton at Timber Ridge Golf Course following a season-best 332 at Saturday's Winchester Invitational.

Even so, the Patriots had plenty for a fourth straight victory as Adam Gray led them with a 4-over-par 39.

The Patriots were without Adam Horn, who has developed into their No. 2 player, and Kyle Wellman, who will both miss several matches because of a band trip. Horn shot 80 at Winchester and posted a 39 at his last nine-hole event.

"If you take out whomever who was in the 50s and put Horn in there in the low 40s we're talking about a pretty respectable score," said Gray. "I don't feel as good today as I did Saturday. But I'm happy that they're not (satisfied even though) they were scoring well. They're willing to go out and work on their chipping and putting to get better. That makes me happy."

Adam Gray got off to a solid start, knocking in pars on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes at PGC. He followed with a birdie on the 520-yard, par-5 14th hole to make him even after five holes. But he struggled a bit down the stretch, taking his lone double bogey on No. 16 as he played the final four holes at 4-over.

Jonathan Fennig turned in a strong finish to his round to post the No. 2 score for Jay County. He parred both the 344-yard, par-4 17th and 178-yard, par-3 18th holes to finish with a 44.

"I'm not unhappy with Jonathan Fennig," said Gray, noting that the senior was just a couple of holes away from a very good round.

"He got himself hurt on a par-3, took a triple there, and then took a triple on 16. ... We try to talk to them about par and bogey, and he got away from that a little bit."

Justen Moser, Brad Horn and Chase Wellman each had their struggles in trying to fill in the final two Patriot scores, but did enough to give the team a victory.

Moser has a tough time on the par-5s with a pair of triple bogeys, but bounced back from his difficult 14th hole to pick up back-to-back pars on the 168-yard, par-3 15th and 354-yard, par-4 16th. He finished with the No. 3 score for Jay County at 51.

Horn, in his first varsity match, picked up his lone par on the 17th hole for a 52, and Wellman had a par on the 14th as he shot 53.

Gray said the biggest thing his players need to work on is being more consistent.

"One time they'll come out and shoot a decent number, and then the next time they won't," he said. "I don't know if it's concentration.

"I think it was a combination of not practicing last night because of weather ... and then when you move them around they way we did, it took some kids out of what has been a bit of a comfort zone for them. They played out of their rotation."

Junior varsity

Three Patriots scored in the 40s as they matched the Wapahani varsity score and defeated the Raiders 196-246.

Isaac Poole, a junior and first-year golfer, closed his round with back-to-back pars on the 12th and 13th holes. He had a four-par round for a team-best 47.

Caleb Fennig and Drew Houck had one par apiece - each on a par-3 - and finished with matching 49s.

"Those JV kids are pushing the kids up at the top," said Gray, "and that's what makes you better."

A.J. Fuska rounded out the team score with a 51, and Jacob Heitkamp shot 57.

David Coats had the best score for Wapahani with a 50.[[In-content Ad]]