JC golfers win fourth straight (04/29/05)

PORTLAND — For a team that holds the school record, a 161 isn’t very exciting. But on a course that was already wet, playing in a nearly constant drizzle, it was a solid round.

The Jay County boys golf team won its fourth straight match Thursday, fighting off sloppy conditions for a 161-174 victory over the Blackford Bruins at the Portland Golf Club.

“We haven’t had much time to practice this week, and the conditions today were tough,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray. “Overall I’m happy with it ... A 161 in conditions like this, I’m pleased.”

The Patriots, who were undefeated last season and set the school record of 148, had just three birdies, but racked up the pars and had two rounds under 40.

Ben Freeman and Adam Foster, two of five seniors in the starting lineup, had the most consistent rounds as they each shot 39. Neither player shot anything lower than bogey.

Foster racked up five pars, matching Freeman’s effort on the 10th and 12th holes. He also was even in the 150-yard, par-3 13th, the 168-yard, par-3 15th and the 344-yard, par-4 17th.

Freeman had one of the team’s three birdies on the 520-yard, par-5 14th. He parred the 498-yard, par-4 12th, and had pars on the 348-yard, par-4 10th and the 354-yard, par-4 16th to share match medalist honors with Foster.

“He’s keeping the ball in play, keeping out of penalty strokes,” said Gray. “I think there’s a comfort level. ... I let them know, ‘I’m going with you five, and those are the five that are going to play the sectional as long as nobody gets hurt.’”

Tyler Johnston got off to a rough start with double bogeys on two of the first three holes. But, the Patriots’ No. 1 player rallied on the next three. He nailed pars on the par-3 13th and 15, and hit the best shot of his round on the 14th.

His drive on No. 14 went well to the right on the par-5. The ball landed in playable position, but left Johnston right behind a bush with no clean look at the green. Still, he played a near-perfect shot, blasting a shot around the right side of the bush and drawing the ball back into the fairway.

Johnston then chipped onto the front of the green and rolled in his birdie putt. After the par on No. 15 he finished his round with three consecutive bogies to card a 41.

“Tyler puts so much pressure on himself,” said Gray of Johnston’s start. “He just needs to relax sometimes. All of them just want to go out and do so well.”

Nathan McClung capped the team scored with a 42, and Alex Hunt was right behind him with a 43.

McClung garnered the team’s other birdie on the second hole of the day, the 370-yard, par-4 11th. McClung also had pars on the 14th and 17th as Jay County improved its record to 5-1.

Hunt had pars on the 11th, 12th, 14th and 17th, but was hurt by double bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes.

Gray said he’s been happy with the way the team has played since taking a loss to Delta in the second meet of the season. They will hit the course again Saturday at the Winchester Invitational as they prepare to host the Olympic Athletic Conference tournament for the first time May 16.

“I think we need to concentrate more on the scoring,” said Gray of what his team needs to work on to be successful in this year’s big tournaments. “It’s the mental aspect of the game. It’s the concentration level they have to keep.”[[In-content Ad]]