May 31, 2023 at 6:51 p.m.
Consistent at the top
DeRome stays on track as Jay wins regular-season finale
Consistent at the top
By Andrew Balko-
If there was a word to describe Caleb DeRome’s season, it would be consistent.
He has been so consistent that Patriot coach Dave Haines declared him the “most consistent player” and handed him an accompanying award to show it at the team grill-out.
There is no word more fitting for DeRome’s performance earlier in the night as well.
DeRome shot a 38 to lead the Jay County High School boys golf team to a 166-195 victory over Daleville in the Patriots’ final regular-season match Tuesday at Portland Golf Club.
“I was looking through his scores for the year and 38 seems to be fairly consistent,” Haines said. “He’s almost boringly consistent and he’s never very far off of par.”
DeRome averaged 39.6 strokes during the regular season in nine-hole matches. The only statistical outliers were a 44 at Albany Golf Course on April 19, 46 at Timber Ridge Golf Course on May 5 and 33 at McMillen Golf Course (par 32) on May 10.
In home matches he averaged 37.7 strokes, scoring 38 in three out of the seven.
On Tuesday, he earned his 38 with a birdie on the 374-yard, par-4 fourth hole, and three bogeys, including the 385-yard, par-4 third that he saved from disaster.
DeRome striped his first shot down the middle of the fairway, sitting 130 yards away from the pin. His second shot sailed too far left behind two trees and into the weeds.
Rather than taking a drop, DeRome took some practice swings and went for the shot. He successfully chipped the ball up to the fringe. After another chip that came up short, DeRome sunk the putt from about 5 feet away for a bogey.
“I just hit it hard and knew that if I got it out I’d probably make bogey and I made a long putt and made bogey,” DeRome said.
“I knew that if I made bogey there were two easy birdie holes coming up, five and six, I ended up parring both, but I knew it wasn’t over if I bogeyed it or double-bogeyed it. It wasn’t going to end my round.”
Zach Cooper was Daleville’s top golfer, shooting a 43 on the day. He shot for par three times and converted a birdie on the 471-yard, par-5 hole No. 6.
In comparison, Jay County’s next leading scorers, Gage Sims and Cody DeHoff, both shot one stroke better with a pair of 42s.
Sims got off to a hot start, after a bogey on hole No. 1. Rather than playing the second hole safe by aiming to the left to avoid the pond, Sims was aggressive and shot over it to hit the green directly. His ball came to a rest just beyond the flag, and then he sank the putt for birdie.
“That was a really good feeling,” Sims said. “It rolled right down the center of the cup and it was a great feeling.”
Sims also recorded a birdie on hole No. 4.
DeHoff’s 42 came as a result of pars on holes No. 1, 3 and 4. He only had a double-bogey on the fifth hole.
Haines said he was particularly impressed with DeHoff’s performance on hole No. 6, where he chipped his ball in to save himself from a second double-bogey.
Despite two double-bogies, Liam Garringer hit for par three times to earn a 44, bringing the Patriots to their final score of 166.
Luke Fugiett’s score of 47 did not count toward the Patriots’ team score.
Isaac Homan and Sylas Wenk both shot 42s for the junior varsity team as well.
Earlier in the season, Haines challenged his players to improve their short game and eliminate three-putts. He said that will be the key to the Patriots’ success at the regional.
The Patriots will compete in the sectional tournament Monday at Hickory Hills Golf Course in Farmland.
“It’s going to be short game again,” Haines said. “It’s improved. We have Delta, Yorktown and Winchester. We have to beat one of those guys to be a top-three as a team and get into regional. That’s going to happen if we do a good job with our short game. “
JCHS placed third behind Yorktown and Delta last season to earn just its fourth regional berth in school history.
The Patriots have developed some momentum going into the sectional tournament, shooting in the 160s in three of their last four matches.
“It can’t hurt,” Haines said. “When we went to Winchester I said, ‘Look, we shot a 165 the week before that so you guys know you can do it.’
“It’s just about going out and putting other score on that board and we did that at Winchester. We did really good that day.”
He has been so consistent that Patriot coach Dave Haines declared him the “most consistent player” and handed him an accompanying award to show it at the team grill-out.
There is no word more fitting for DeRome’s performance earlier in the night as well.
DeRome shot a 38 to lead the Jay County High School boys golf team to a 166-195 victory over Daleville in the Patriots’ final regular-season match Tuesday at Portland Golf Club.
“I was looking through his scores for the year and 38 seems to be fairly consistent,” Haines said. “He’s almost boringly consistent and he’s never very far off of par.”
DeRome averaged 39.6 strokes during the regular season in nine-hole matches. The only statistical outliers were a 44 at Albany Golf Course on April 19, 46 at Timber Ridge Golf Course on May 5 and 33 at McMillen Golf Course (par 32) on May 10.
In home matches he averaged 37.7 strokes, scoring 38 in three out of the seven.
On Tuesday, he earned his 38 with a birdie on the 374-yard, par-4 fourth hole, and three bogeys, including the 385-yard, par-4 third that he saved from disaster.
DeRome striped his first shot down the middle of the fairway, sitting 130 yards away from the pin. His second shot sailed too far left behind two trees and into the weeds.
Rather than taking a drop, DeRome took some practice swings and went for the shot. He successfully chipped the ball up to the fringe. After another chip that came up short, DeRome sunk the putt from about 5 feet away for a bogey.
“I just hit it hard and knew that if I got it out I’d probably make bogey and I made a long putt and made bogey,” DeRome said.
“I knew that if I made bogey there were two easy birdie holes coming up, five and six, I ended up parring both, but I knew it wasn’t over if I bogeyed it or double-bogeyed it. It wasn’t going to end my round.”
Zach Cooper was Daleville’s top golfer, shooting a 43 on the day. He shot for par three times and converted a birdie on the 471-yard, par-5 hole No. 6.
In comparison, Jay County’s next leading scorers, Gage Sims and Cody DeHoff, both shot one stroke better with a pair of 42s.
Sims got off to a hot start, after a bogey on hole No. 1. Rather than playing the second hole safe by aiming to the left to avoid the pond, Sims was aggressive and shot over it to hit the green directly. His ball came to a rest just beyond the flag, and then he sank the putt for birdie.
“That was a really good feeling,” Sims said. “It rolled right down the center of the cup and it was a great feeling.”
Sims also recorded a birdie on hole No. 4.
DeHoff’s 42 came as a result of pars on holes No. 1, 3 and 4. He only had a double-bogey on the fifth hole.
Haines said he was particularly impressed with DeHoff’s performance on hole No. 6, where he chipped his ball in to save himself from a second double-bogey.
Despite two double-bogies, Liam Garringer hit for par three times to earn a 44, bringing the Patriots to their final score of 166.
Luke Fugiett’s score of 47 did not count toward the Patriots’ team score.
Isaac Homan and Sylas Wenk both shot 42s for the junior varsity team as well.
Earlier in the season, Haines challenged his players to improve their short game and eliminate three-putts. He said that will be the key to the Patriots’ success at the regional.
The Patriots will compete in the sectional tournament Monday at Hickory Hills Golf Course in Farmland.
“It’s going to be short game again,” Haines said. “It’s improved. We have Delta, Yorktown and Winchester. We have to beat one of those guys to be a top-three as a team and get into regional. That’s going to happen if we do a good job with our short game. “
JCHS placed third behind Yorktown and Delta last season to earn just its fourth regional berth in school history.
The Patriots have developed some momentum going into the sectional tournament, shooting in the 160s in three of their last four matches.
“It can’t hurt,” Haines said. “When we went to Winchester I said, ‘Look, we shot a 165 the week before that so you guys know you can do it.’
“It’s just about going out and putting other score on that board and we did that at Winchester. We did really good that day.”
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