Impressive start is an early statement by Henderson golf squad
By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
LONDON GROVE >> It’s very early in the high school golf season, and it’s unclear if anybody is really taking much notice, but the West Chester Henderson boys squad is making a statement.
The Warriors topped host Avon Grove 197-213 on Tuesday at Inniscrone Golf Club to improve to 2-0 both in the Ches-Mont and overall. And head coach Joel Cummings noted that his team broke 200 for the second time, following a victory last week against West Chester East.
“Our goal this whole season is to stay under 200. And with the talent we have, it is going to happen,” he said.
There are a lot of good teams in the Ches-Mont, and Henderson sure fits the bill. And confidence is not an issue.
“We have 11 pretty solid golfers. We are a young team, but we can score well. The competition is tough in the Ches-Mont, but I think we can handle every single team,” Cummings said.
“I really don’t see other teams in the Ches-Mont putting scores like we are putting up,” added junior Josh Baker. “I don’t think anybody else in the league was aware of Henderson this season, but we haven’t even played to our full potential yet. We have several players that can go really, really low.”
The Red Devils (1-1 in the league, 1-1 overall) found that out as the Warriors’ top four all outplayed Avon Grove’s top performer, junior Tyler Sikorski. And even though neither side played particularly well around the greens, Henderson still had four players shoot 40 or better.
“Henderson played well,” said Devils’ head coach Bart O’Connor.
“Off the tee and from the middle of the fairway, we were fine, but we struggled with putting,” Cummings added.
“But to come out with two 38s and a couple 40s, those are good scores here. Nobody had a blowup hole. This group knows how to persevere, even if they had a bad hole.”
Baker and sophomore Sam Houchen shared medalist honors with the 3-over-par 38s. Baker came within a whisker of a hole-in-one on the 6th from 150 yards out, but his shot hit the pin and landed about a foot away for a tap-in birdie. He notched four pars, but had several 3-putts, including one for par on the par-5 7th.
“Every putt seemed like a different speed, so it was tough to gauge,” Baker said. “I felt like I was making pure rolls and the ball wasn’t falling.
“This is the best my swing has ever felt, so I left a lot of strokes out there.”
Houchen also notched a birdie (on No. 7). Senior teammates Sean Surowiec and Austin Stot were third overall with identical 40s.
“We’ve made huge improvements since last year,” Houchen said. “It feels good to have this kind of confidence after our first two matches.
“We were unsatisfied with last season, so a lot of the players – myself included – have worked harder in the offseason. Plus, we have great team chemistry.”
Sikorski and Rider Nicholl paced Avon Grove with a 41, and teammate Grady O’Rourke chipped in with a 43.
“It was a tough day today,” O’Connor acknowledged. “We did not putt well, and our approach shots were not the best.
“I’m not happy with our scores compared to our practice scores. We are better than this, but we’ll be OK.”
Earlier in the week, Sikorski fired an even-par 35 at Inniscrone. But on Tuesday he was saddled with consecutive bogeys on 4, 5 and 6, and then took a double bogey at the 8th.
“The greens were tricky today,” he said.
“But I still think our team is so much better than last season. We work better as a unit and are doing the things we need to get some wins.”
A prime example is that half a dozen Devils have already qualified for the Ches-Mont individual tournament, which is a round of 9-over or better.
“We had three more qualify for Ches-Mont’s today and that makes six so far,” O’Connor reported. “We are in a lot better position than we were last year, where we only had five qualify for the whole year. We are a much better team.”
The Warriors have already notched some impressive milestones. In the opener against West Chester East, all of Henderson’s top five players were under 40. And now a 16-stroke victory on the road.
“The improvement we are going to make is through working on the short game,” Cummings said. “This group drives the ball great, and approach shots are almost perfect.”
Baker added: “In previous seasons, there was a lot of pressure on a few guys. Today, I didn’t play my best but I knew my teammates were going to get it done and help us get the ‘W.’”
West Chester Henderson 197, Avon Grove 213
Par 35 at Inniscrone GC
W.C. Henderson: Baker 38, Houchen 38, Surowiec 40, Stot 40, J. Lynn 41.
Avon Grove: Sikorski 41, Nicholl 41, O’Rourke 43, Colonna 44, Neil 44.
