Patriots crush Jets (04/23/08)

Butch Gray has repeatedly asked his Patriots not to allow one bad shot to derail their round. Tuesday night, they took the advice to heart.

No. 1 player Adam Gray hit the opening shot of the night for the Jay County High School boys golf team into the trees along the left side of the fairway at Portland Golf Club. But the junior bounced back to par the first hole and he and the Patriots went on to their best rounds of the season in a 159-183 victory over the visiting Adams Central Flying Jets.

"I'm very surprised," said Butch Gray, who also got a career-best 39 from Adam Horn as the team posted its best nine-hole score of the season by nine strokes. "It was a nice win for us.

"They get a lot more comfortable and relax (when they're on their home course.) When they stand on the tee they go out there and they know where to hit the ball."

Adam Gray's first shot took a good bounce, leaving him relatively safe despite the errant flight from the tee. He rolled in his par on the opening hole, and then set the tone for his round on the second.

His tee shot on the 176-yard, par-3 second hole landed in the rough to the left of the green, but just two inches off the fringe. His chip rolled perfectly toward the hole, and the ball lodged between the pin and the side of the cup for a birdie.

Gray followed with two more pars to sit 1-under after four holes, and also had a birdie on the 358-yard, par-4 seventh as he finished with an even-par 35.

John Goulet turned in the best score for Adams Central with a 42.

"He's been trying to work on his weaknesses," said Butch Gray. "I think all the way through it's his putting that he's needed to improve. He's been trying to get better with that ... And his chipping, and that came through on No. 2."

"I think the other thing that has helped him, so he can attack a course now, is that he's gotten stronger.

"He was hitting the ball awfully well."

Horn turned in his best round with a consistent effort, bouncing back from bogeys on two of the first three holes to steady his round. He put his second shot on the 374-yard, dogleg left fourth hole on the bottom of the green, and two putted for the first of three consecutive pars.

He added pars on the final two holes to finish with a 4-over 39.

"He's had some spots in there where he has shown that he can score," said Gray of Horn. "It's just that he stays away from trying to hit one of those career shots. He needs to be in a situation where he's just playing smart."

Jonathan Fennig trailed Gray and Horn, but also had the highlight hole of the day. He finished with just two pars and no birdies, but played a perfect 471-yard, par-5 sixth hole for the Patriots' first Eagle of the year.

Justen Moser had two pars in the final four holes as he rounded out the team score with a 44.

Chase Wellman birdied the 385-yard, par-4 third hole and was en route to a good round before stumbling on Nos. 6 and 7. He finished with a 53, but was just 5-over-par on the remaining seven holes.

Gray said even with the great score - the school record is a 148 set in 2004 - he still sees room for improvement.

"I think a big part of it is going to be the mental side of it," he said. "Now we just have to transfer it and (and score well on) a course away from (Portland)."

Junior varsity

Three rounds in the 40s lifted Jay County to a 194-218 victory over the Flying Jets.

Adam Mescher paced the Patriots, turning in a par on the 471-yard, par-5 sixth hole. He limited mistakes, scoring double bogey or better on every hole for a 46.

Drew Houck had one par in his round of 48, Isaac Poole shot 49 and Brad Horn finished at 51. Jordan Moser shot 58.

Zack Gagle and Mason Baughman each shot 51 to lead Adams Central.[[In-content Ad]]