Cape golf team has up and down month
April 30, 2010
Cape Henlopen High School’s Viking golf squad experienced a few highs and a few lows since returning to competition after spring break.
The team hosted Sussex Tech at Rehoboth Beach Country Club April 14, and suffered through their first loss of the season, 165-175. Dustin Miller of Tech took medallist honors with a 39. James Fenstermaker and Connor Jones paired up for best scores among the Vikings with their 43s. Shane Ghigliotty fired a 44, while Casey Anderson completed the team scoring with his 45.
On the next day, the Vikings bounced back with a close-fought victory over Polytech High School at Kings Creek Country Club, winning by two strokes, 177-179. Polytech’s Mason Mendoza came in first among all golfers with a fine 38. Nick Purnell shot a 42, his best score of the year, to lead Cape’s scorers. Anderson and Devin Medd followed close behind with a pair of 43s, while Ghigliotty struggled a bit with his 49.
Thanks to the iffy weather at the start of the season, the Vikings then played Milford in a rescheduled match on April 16 at Shawnee Country Club. In a highly unusual finish, the four top scorers for both teams tied after completing play on the front nine. Following conference rules, the teams then compared their fifth golfers’ scores, which brought Milford their first victory over Cape in a few years, by a single stroke.
Anderson and Milford’s Brandon Nelson shared medallist honors with a pair of 43s. Medd’s 44, Jones’ 45, and Fenstermaker’s 48 made up the first four scores with Anderson. Purnell’s 51 proved to be not quite good enough for the Vikings that day.
On April 19, Cape traveled north a second time to Shawnee CC to play Lake Forest High School, which in the past was often an easy win for the Vikings. This year, however, Lake Forest is fielding a much-improved squad, and Cape only won by a single stroke, 172-173. Ghigliotty took medallist position with his 42. Anderson and Medd tied next for Cape with a pair of 43s on the front nine, whilc Jones completed the team scoring with his 44.
Three days later, April 22, Laurel High School hosted Cape at Sussex Pines Country Club in Georgetown, with the Vikings winning handily, 178-239. Ghigliotty again won the medallist spot, with a 40. Medd shot a 43, and Jones fired a 45. Matthew Kersey completed the team scoring with a 50.
On Monday, April 26, the Vikings returned to Kings Creek Country Club to host a match against Indian River High School. A light drizzle fell on the players as they finished, with Cape again winning easily, 168-185. Ghigliotty won the medallist position yet again, with a fine three-over par 39. Medd took second among the Vikings with his 42, with Jones’ 43 and Purnell’s 44 rounding off the rest of the team’s total.
The next day, however, was another low point for the Vikings’s 2010 season. They traveled to Wild Quail Golf Club near Camden to face their long-time competitive rivals from Caesar Rodney High School.
The Riders’ Nino Rosal and Dominic Cacesse paired up for co-medallist honors with their 41s, leading their team to a 168-184 victory over the Vikings. Medd’s 44 was the Viking’s best score for the day. Kersey shot a 46, and Ghigliotty and Anderson tied each other with a pair of 47s.
Head golf coach Claudio Smarrelli said, “They’re all hitting well off the tee, but their chipping and putting are off a bit during the rounds. Connor Jones and Devin Medd are showing tremendous improvement since last year. The co-captains [Anderson and Jones] feel the team can play better. They all felt bad about the loss to Milford. They learned that they can’t rely on other teammates to keep the scores low, they all have to do their own part.”