Devils downed at home

Mark O’Connell
Published: August 26, 2008

Culpeper’s golf team has traditionally played its best golf at the Country Club of Culpeper, its home course.

Yesterday, not even home course advantage was enough to offset the level of experience that a visiting team can bring.

Cedar Run District rival Liberty brought such a team, and the Eagles soared to a 30-stroke, 169-199, victory over the Blue Devils.

“Liberty has a very experienced team,” CCHS coach Shirley Gray said. “All six of their players shot in the 40s. We simply could not match them with our inexperience.”

The two teams played on the front 9 where par is 36 and Steven Massei led the Eagles with a match-best 5-over-par round of 41.

Senior Tommy Jocz led Culpeper but was three strokes behind Massei after he carded a 44.

Tommy’s younger brother Tim, a sophomore, shot a 48 and teammates Derek Orshoski carded a 53 and Trevor Bates a 54 to round out the team’s total.

In support of Massei came teammates Walker Riley (42) and John Nettles and David Harvey who both shot a 43.

For Gray, the elder Jocz is the team’s recognized leader and most experienced player on this year’s team. Yesterday, his younger brother usurped him for the coach’s praise.
“I was very pleased with the performance of Tim,” said Gray. “It was his first time out for the team. Tommy is three strokes better than what his score was today.”

Orshoski was the player Gray recognized as the surprise addition to the team when the season began.

“Derek simply didn’t have a good day,” said Gray, who expects Orshoski and his teammates to continue to develop as they gain the necessary experience.

Bates made his varsity debut and earned a little praise from the long-time Blue Devil skipper.

“His score of 54 was pretty good for a golfer with no varsity experience,” said Gray who, when asked which golfer made the shot of the day, without reservation pointed to what Massei did on 9.

“He hit his tee shot on 9 and the ball almost went into the hole on the fly,” said Gray. “The ball ended up a foot from the cup and Massei had a great opportunity for the birdie but when he missed he ended up scoring par on the hole.”

With the loss, Culpeper falls to 2-1 in dual matches after defeating both Caroline and Eastern View in its most recent outing.

The Blue Devils play host to Orange County on Thursday at 4 p.m.

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