New school record caps perfect season (06/04/04)

PORTLAND — With the numbers they put up Thursday it would be logical to think the Jay County golfers would be happy. Of course, instead, they were agonizing over they shots they could have made for an even better result.

It’s probably that slight compulsion that has made the team so good this year.

The Patriots (13-0) finished their perfect season in the most impressive fashion, setting a school record with a 148 in a three-way meet with the Muncie Southside Rebels (191) and the Southern Wells Raiders (203) at Portland Country Club.

The score broke the 15-year-old school record of 150. The team had already tied the record earlier in the season against Muncie Burris.

“Of course the highlight is a new school record,” said Jay County coach Butch Gray, whose team went 10-4 last year. “And this is the first time they’ve played the front nine (in competition) this year.

“This group has been in the 150s all year. Shooting a 148 is something I never thought of doing, dreamed of doing.”

Ben Freeman was the individual runner-up Thursday with a 36, one back of fellow junior Tyler Johnston. As is typical, Johnston headed right back onto the course after his round to play a few more practice holes.

“It’s nice,” said Ben Freeman, understating the best round in the school’s 30-year history. “We already had the record, but it’s nice because the guys who set the record at 150 thought it was never going to fall. We tied it earlier this year, and now we broke it.”

Right behind Freeman and Johnston was senior Jesse Shawver, as he finished his home career with a 37 on Senior Night. Nathan McClung rounded out the team scoring with a 40, and Adam Foster and Alex Hunt each shot 41.

The top score by an opposing player was matching 41s from the No. 1 and 2 players from Muncie Southside, Joey O’Connor and Mike Carroll. Eric Johnson had the best Southern Wells score at 49.

It would be difficult for Freeman and Johnston to be much more consistent than they were as they finished with six and five pars respectively.

Freeman posted his lone birdie on the 471-yard, par-5 sixth hole. He hit the green in two strokes, and two-putted to finish the hole 1-under.

After starting his round with back-to-back pars on the eighth and ninth holes, he finished with pars on numbers four and five, the birdie on six and another par on No. 7.

Johnston joined Freeman as one of the four Patriots to birdie the six hole. He also had a birdie on the 414-yard, par-4 fifth hole, and added pars on one, two, four, seven and nine to finish at even par.

“It was a good round,” said Freeman, still showing the team mentality as he lamented a coupled of missed shots which could have made it even better. “I had a couple of up and downs. It‘s the best round of the year (for me).”

Shawver started with a par on the 435-yard, par-4 ninth hole, and followed by crushing a second 300-plus yard drive on the 335-yard, par-4 first. He rolled his chip to within 10 feet of the hole and nailed his birdie putt to move to 1-under.

He was back to even after a bogey on No. 2 and pars on three and four before running into trouble on No. 5.

His drive flew well right on the fifth hole, traveling over the sixth fairway and out of bounds. His second drive try was a squib shot, but he still saved a double-bogey and regrouped on the sixth hole.

Shawver bounced back with a birdie on No. 6, and added a par on the 129-yard, par-3 eighth to finish his round.

McClung’s lone birdie came on the 385-yard, par-3 third hole, and he added three pars.

Foster birdied holes four and six, and Hunt finished with four pars.

“I think the big thing is they have become more mentally sharp,” said Gray of why he thought his team has posted record numbers in two of its last four outings. “I think we became mentally fatigued (earlier in the year) more than physically fatigued.

“And a couple of them have shot even better in practice over the last few weeks than they did tonight.”

Now Gray faces the difficult task of choosing which five of his six will compete in Monday’s sectional tournament at LaFontaine Golf Club in Huntington. The Patriots struggled to a 328 at Lafontaine during the Olympic Athletic Conference meet earlier this year.

They finished second behind Marion last year with a 320, and will probably need a similar or better score to earn a trip to the regional round this year. Four teams — Jay County, Huntington North, Norwell and defending champion Marion — will likely be vying for the three regional berths.

“We’re going to have to play some really good golf,” said Gray. “This is what these kids have worked for all year.”

The Patriots will tee off at LaFontaine Monday at 8 a.m.[[In-content Ad]]