Cape’s golf team roster varies but results remain the same
April 18, 2025
The Cape Henlopen High School golf team used different sets of starters April 14 and 16 and enjoyed success with both.
The Vikings traveled to Heritage Shores on April 14 as a senior-only contingent, winning 168-242 against Woodbridge. Jacob Gabbard won medalist honors with his two-over par 38. His score bettered by 7 the 45 he posted at the same course during Cape’s April 1 match against Sussex Tech.
Travers Johnson posted a 42 in his first varsity match of the season. Eddie Ghabour shot a 43 for third-best Viking of the day. Joe Skelly played his first varsity match for 2025, completing the team’s scoring with his 45.
Dalen Daminger’s 46 and Brendan Staggs’ 49 did not count toward the team total. This was Daminger’s second varsity start for the season and Staggs’ first.
Cape’s golf team took the Cape May – Lewes Ferry April 16 to play at Cape May National against Lower Cape May Regional HS. Pictured here (l-r): Jacob Gabbard, Jack Tunnell, Joe Skelly (alternate), Eddie Ghabour, Ryan McNett, Dalen Daminger, and medalist Tyler Healy.
On April 16 a different set of Viking golfers boarded the Cape May-Lewes Ferry for the second of the Cape-to-Cape Series against Lower Cape May Regional High. Playing at Cape May National in sunny but windy conditions, Cape Henlopen won 165-181.
Senior Tyler Healy won his first medalist honors for the season with his two-over par 38. Junior Ryan McNett came second for Cape with a 39. Daminger and Jack Tunnell completed the team scoring with a pair of 44s. Gabbard and Ghabour’s two 45s did not count.
Viking assistant coach Tanya Humes loved the fact the two Cape teams came together for the golf match. “Lower Cape May’s head coach Anthony D’Aleo welcomed us with smiles, scorecards, and some advice about navigating Cape May National. His assistant coaches were just as welcoming. We shared coaching ideas and plans for future matches, ending with dinner provided by the host team’s moms. It truly was what the game is about – camaraderie and just playing good golf,” she said.
The Vikings next match was scheduled for April 17 against Delmar’s Wildcats at Hooper’s Landing in Seaford.
Sussex Academy loses first match
The Sussex Academy Seahawks suffered their first loss of the season in their first away match for 2025, losing to Polytech 164-173 at Wild Quail Golf & Country Club on April 10.
Raven Kylie Yiengst won medalist honors with her even-par 36 on the front nine. The Academy’s Ryan Dostal finished three strokes back as the best Seahawk that day.
SAS eighth-grader Sam Metz came in second for his school with a 44. Fellow Seahawks Quentin Bowman, Austin Dostal, and Jordan Green all finished with 45s, but only two of those scores counted toward the total as the third and fourth best for their team.
“We just weren’t that good that day,” said SAS head coach Doug Grove. “We’d been scoring in the 150s, and then we went right past the 160s and into the 170s. It was cold and windy.”
The Academy next traveled to Heritage Shores April 15 to face Woodbridge, after morning showers. Both teams dealt with winds over 20 miles per hour, but SAS won 168-244.
“Nobody told me before I moved here a few years ago that this is the windiest state in the country,” Grove said. “Sammy [Metz] led us with a 38, which was great in all that wind. He can flight his ball to keep it low. If you shot under 45 today you did a really good job. Even putting was difficult. Sometimes our players were just about to putt and had to step back and wait for the wind to slow down.”
Bowman and Austin Dostal both had 43s, while Green and Ryan Dostal posted a pair of 44s.
Grove also complimented Woodbridge head coach Josh Getka, who is also active with Clear Space Theater in Rehoboth. He noted that unlike some past seasons, this year the Blue Raiders have been able to field a full team of six starters plus alternates. “Josh is doing a good job recruiting players, including some from other sports,” Grove said.
The Seahawks’ next game was scheduled for April 17, an away match against Milford at Southern Delaware Golf Club.
Delmarva Christian loses to Salesianum
The Delmarva Christian Academy Royals traveled north to the Nemours course at DuPont Country Club April 10 to face Salesianum, the powerful Wilmington Catholic prep school.
Despite a fine 2-under par performance by DCA’s Avery Brown, Sallies had no serious challenges in defeating the Royals team 154-176 on the par 36 front nine.
Senior Nicholas Belgrade earned medalist honors for the Wilmington school with a great 4-under par 32. The other contributing Sallies golfers included Adam Zink (39), Anthony Manzi (41) and Paul Sanfrancesco (42).
Joel Perry was second best for the Royals with his 42, followed by Cole Parker’s 49. Nicholas Gipko took the fourth spot for DCA with his 51.
DCA’s last pre-spring break match was scheduled for April 17, a tri-meet with Conrad School and MOT Charter at Frog Hollow Golf Club in Middletown.