By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
EAST CALN – The race for the Ches-Mont National Boys’ Golf Championship may already be over, and the season has barely started.
In the opening eight days of the campaign, surging Downingtown West has already vanquished four of the top contenders for the division crown, including an ultra-impressive 177-204 victory over visiting Avon Grove on Thursday at Downingtown Country Club.
“I challenged our team to break par as a team, which I thought was a very lofty goal, and they went out and did it,” said second-year head coach Nick Wolfe.
“I don’t know what to say,” added Red Devils’ head coach Jon-Michael Socaris. “As a coach from the opposing team, you just have to applaud them for playing that well. What can you do against a team that shoots under par?”
The Whippets improve to 4-0 in the division and overall. West has already topped defending C-M National champs West Chester Henderson, up-and-coming Coatesville and West Chester East in addition to Avon Grove, who entered the day unbeaten.
“We know what we are capable of, especially on our home course,” said junior medalist Justin Marcus. “We have talent on this team, and it was one of those days were we just clicked. Even if a guy or two is having a day off, the rest of the team can pick us up.”
The 177 is a collective 2-under-par for West’s top five scorers, which may be a program record at its par-36 home course.
“Even in practice, we’ve shot 183-184, but not 177,” Wolfe said. “I don’t know the school record, but I’m sure if we didn’t set the record, we are pretty darn close.
“We really are maturing as a group. And it’s pretty neat to see that we have 10 players that could contribute. We just don’t have enough spots to take all of our players.”
And how is this for depth: two of the Whippets top half dozen did not compete Thursday. Junior Aiden Muir, the team’s solid No. 4, is out with strep throat, and Gus Wolfe also did not play. In addition, sophomore Ian Larsen had one of the worst outings of his high school career with a 40.
“Ian only shot in the 40 once in all of last season,” Wolfe pointed out. “His average was 36.5, so if he would have had his normal round, we would have been even better off.”
It’s a scary thought. West did get outstanding rounds from its top four, including a 4-under-par 32 from Marcus. His round included an eagle on the par-5 8th, birdies on Nos. 3 and 5, and six pars.
“I’ve come close to that a couple times on this course, but never a 32,” Marcus admitted.
“Justin’s round was pretty darn good,” Wolfe added. “He’s a very good ball-striker, and he’s worked hard on his putting. He used to burn the edges on putts and now he is making some.”
Marcus and about six of his teammates started lifting weights in the offseason, and it sure has made a difference. On the near 500-yard 8th hole, a monster drive led to a short iron into the green. Marcus then made a 15-footer for the eagle.
“I have been practicing a lot, even if I wasn’t seeing instant results,” he said. “I’ve been keeping my head down and working on my game.
“And going to the gym on a daily basis has definitely helped. We are all hitting the ball a lot further off the tee.”
Fellow juniors Avery O’Neill and Dominic Mendez notched identical 2-under 34s, and sophomore Luke Fediukov a 37 for West. Mendez’s card included just one par, at the 9th, but also featured an eye-opening five birdies.
“(Mendez) also shot a 35 at Coatesville (Country Club) last week,” Wolfe said. “He’s been a much more solid player this season and he’s gained a lot of confidence.”
Incredibly, the Whippets top 11 players are either sophomores or juniors. West fell to the Devils by a single stroke at Downingtown CC a year ago.
“(Downingtown West) played really well today,” Socaris said. “I saw them hit some great drives and make a lot of putts. That’s the name of the game.
“(The Whippets) will be a formidable bunch for the next few years.”
Juniors Trevor Sikorski and Rider Nicholl paced Avon Grove with 39s. Senior Grady O’Rourke (41) and sophomore Shane Cornell (42) were close behind.
“Last season (Cornell) didn’t play any matches for us,” Socaris said. “So this is his first time playing Downingtown (Country Club). He had a lost ball on No. 6, so without that he would have probably been in the 30s.”
Wolfe added: “(Avon Grove) is certainly a team to contend with, and we will see them again at their course (Inniscrone Golf Club on Sept. 18).”
Downingtown West 177, Avon Grove 204
Par 36 at Downingtown CC
Avon Grove: Sikorski 39, Nicholl 39, O’Rourke 41, Cornell 42, Stoltzfus 43.
Downingtown West: Marcus 32, O’Neill 34, Mendez 34, Fediukov 37, Larsen 40.
