Cape golf team in good mid-season form
May 1, 2009
The Cape Henlopen High School golf team enjoyed more success in mid-season, both before and after their spring break.
The day after their April 7 178-204 victory over Lake Forest, the Vikings planned to host Delmarva Christian at Rehoboth Beach Country Club. Unfortunately, the religious school could only field two players, and so Cape won by forfeit. The kids wanted to play anyway, however, and the coaches agreed.
Shane Ghigliotty, a promising Cape ninth-grader, won medallist honors in the April 8 non-conference “match,” with a fine one-over par 37. Senior Dan Scrutchfield was second-best among the Vikings with his 43, while fellow senior Sean Toner scored a 46. Devin Medd finished the Cape side with his 45.
On April 9, Cape hosted Laurel High School, and won the conference match fairly easily, 169-196. This time Captain Tristan Karsnitz took medallist for the day with a very good even-par 36 over the front nine at Rehoboth Beach CC.
Mathew Kersey had his best match of the season with a 43, to place second among the Vikings. Ghigliotty followed up his 37 against Delmarva Christian with a 44 against Laurel, while Casey Anderson completed the team scoring with a 45.
Head coach Claudio Smarrelli planned to have the kids play several times at different places during spring break, but rainy weather cut short his plans. “We did get to go down to Cripple Creek [Country Club] on Friday to play 18 holes, but we had a lot of rain otherwise,” he said.
The Vikings resumed their good play after the break with a relatively easy 161-190 win over Milford High’s Buccaneers on April 21, bringing their won-loss record up to 5-2. This time Scrutchfield won medallist for the day at his home course, with an interesting 3-over par 39.
“I was four over [par] on the first three holes, and then I played the last six with two birdies and one bogey,” Scrutchfield said. “It was a beautiful day, with a little wind.”
It was also the team’s best performance yet this season. After Scrutchfield’s 39, Karsnitz followed up with a 40. Ghigliotty and Anderson tied for third and fourth-best among the Vikings, with a pair of 41s.
The squad then traveled to Seaford Country Club April 23 for a match against their hosts, the Jays of Seaford High School. The Vikings won again, with Karsnitz’s 42 matching Seaford’s Matt Lank as the day’s co-medallists. “We got to the course just as we had to tee off,” Smarrelli said. “We had no time to warm up.”
Despite that challenge, the Vikings continued to improve, with another new player contributing among the top four scoring positions. Ghigliotty and Anderson tied for second and third-best among the team with a pair of 43s, while Nick Purnell scored a 45 for his first varsity score for this season.
The Vikings were to host Smyrna at Rehoboth Beach on April 28, and were to travel to Bear Trap Dunes on April 30 for a match against Sussex Central. There are only a few matches left before the conference meet and the season-ending state championship tournament, traditionally held the week after Memorial Day.
Kings Creek Country Club to host college scholarship fundraiser event
Steve Lett is finishing up a lengthy bit of service as president of Kings Creek Country Club, and the organization found a nice way to honor his contributions to the club.
On May 29, Kings Creek members are invited to play in a one-day fundraiser event for a new scholarship fund for a lucky college-bound high school senior, who will be awarded $2,500.
The Lett’s Play Golf tournament has a 1 p.m. shotgun start, with a best two balls of four format, but with a twist or two. For example, on one par 3, each team can decide to use Lett’s score for the hole. On another par 3, players will be able to wager on whether they can put their tee shot inside Lett’s.
If they do, the Men’s Golf Association will match the wager, but if they don’t, the players will double their contribution to the scholarship fund.
There’s also an evening event, with the $50 ticket also going to support the new fund.
For more information, contact head golf professional Kevin Wiest, at 227-8953.