Jay County golfers defeat Broncos

The Patriots are stuck in a rut.
No, not their golf ball. The team as a whole.
Jay County High School’s golf team on Tuesday defeated the Daleville Broncos at Portland Golf Club, 175-192.
But it was the fourth straight match the Patriots have shot in the 170s.
Consistent, yes. But coach Butch Gray said they can’t be complacent with consistency, especially in Monday’s sectional tournament at Hickory Hills Golf Club in Farmland.
“We have to be a little bit better to get out Monday,” Gray said. “We kind of hit a lull. I think part of it is we’re trying too hard.”
Kyler Hudson paced the Patriots with a 41 to earn match medalist honors. He bogeyed his first four holes, and had a chance at birdie on the  520-yard, par-5 14th. His birdie putt from 25 feet away was slowed down by the wet green, and the ball stopped just short of the hole.
“The course has played longer than it has because you weren’t getting any roll,” said Gray, noting the amount of rain that had fallen on the area the previous two days. “The greens were a little slower.”
Hudson then alternated par and bogey on his final four holes to close out his round.
Jay Houck and Graham Haines followed with scores of 43 and 44 respectively. Houck bogeyed the first four holes of his round before also making par on 14. A double-bogey on 15 put him 6-over through six holes, and he finished with two bogeys and a par.
Houck’s shot from the tee box on the 178-yard par-3 18th landed below the elevated green near the creek on the left. His approach shot didn’t quite make it up the hill thanks to the soggy conditions. His subsequent shot stopped 3 feet from the pin, and he sank the putt to close his day with a bogey.
Gray noted the wet, soggy course has a big affect on how the ball plays.
“Oh, it does for those that don’t hit it as long or they hit and want it to roll up on the green,” he said. Houck’s second shot on 18 was a prime example. “We got to the point to where that’s how this course was playing — hit it short and let it roll up on (the green). It’s not doing that now. You have to fly it to the green.”
Haines was 1-over through his first four holes, but hit out of bounds and had to settle for triple bogey on the 14.
Nick Hayden closed out the Patriots’ team score with a 47, including making par three times.
Collin Haines also competed, shooting a 53.
Zach Sizelove led Daleville with a 47, with Kaleb Rench and Cole Meeker both scoring 48. Scott Anthony was close behind with a 49.
“We’re coming down to crunch time,” Gray said. “We have to play for score and we have to get it done going into Monday.
Jay County tees off its sectional tournament at 9:50 a.m. and will be paired with Delta and Winchester. Yorktown is the likely favorite, so the Patriots will be fighting Muncie Central, Wapahani and Delta for the final two regional qualifying spots.
All four of those squads have beaten Jay County this season in invitationals.
 “We’ve got to overcome some hurdles there,” Gray said.