Golfers won’t let small roster stand in way

Mark O'Connell / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: August 8, 2007

Long-time coach Shirley Gray is accustomed to having 15 to 20 players come out for the golf team.

And because he typically keeps 12 or 13 golfers on the roster, yearly cuts are inevitable.

But this year, things are different.

With just seven players on the roster, Gray won't have to worry about trimming the numbers or making the cuts.

"It's hard to say why the numbers are down this year," Gray said, "but most of the players from last year's team did return.

We lost three players, Davis Gilmore, Michael Ellis and Cody Lillard, to graduation, and Gilmore and Ellis represented half of the team's scoring a year ago."

Even if the numbers were there, finding the leader of the pack wouldn't be difficult.

Senior Chad Mozingo is clearly the team's No. 1 player.

"The team will be built around him," said Gray. "He's the No. 1 man. He gave up baseball to concentrate on golf and he has vastly improved. He played in junior tournaments all over the state and in other states and he's one of the top golfers in the state. He's dedicated and he has put in the time playing golf. I'm looking for him to have a fantastic year."

Mozingo was the team's lone representative at last year's Group AAA state golf tournament at the Bide-A-Wee Golf Course in Portsmouth.

Gray expects Mozingo to return to the state meet again this year.

"There's no doubt we'll have one of the top golfers in the state with him," Gray said. "How competitive we will be as a team depends on how well the supporting cast from the rest of the players does. If they can shoot between 40-44 (over nine holes) we'll be a competitive team. We know that Chad can play with anyone but unless he has a strong supporting cast, team-wise, it's going to be a long season."

Joining Mozingo on this year's squad are fellow seniors Justin Carlson, Jake Maloy and Miles Albritton.

Tommy Jocz, a junior, has varsity experience and Thomas Byberg, another junior, played on last year's B team. The team's lone newcomer is Randy Smyth, a senior.

The Blue Devils enjoyed a successful season last year and Gray hopes the team can be as successful this year. A year ago, Culpeper finished second to Fauquier in the Cedar Run District Tournament and then placed seventh at the Northwest Regional Tournament where Mozingo qualified for the Group AAA state meet.

During the regular season, the Blue Devils finished ninth at the Stafford Invitational, which was comprised of 28 teams, fifth at the Spotswood Invitational (nine teams), second in the District Round Robin (six teams) and fifth at the Woodberry Forest/Orange County High School Invitational, which was comprised of nine teams.

Here's a look at each of Culpeper's seven golfers on this year's squad:

The list has to start with Mozingo, who had an 18-hole average round of 76 a year ago and a 9-hole average of 39. His personal best last year was a round of 72 and he was selected to the All-Tournament Team at the Spotswood Invitational, named First Team All-Cedar Run District, and placed 47th out of 72 golfers at the Group AAA state meet where Cox High School claimed the team title and Deep Run was runner-up.

Jocz had an 18-hole average of 102 and a 9-hole average of 48. He played in six tournaments and his personal best performance came at the Woodberry Forest/Orange County High School Invitational where he shot a 97.

Byberg played on the B team last year but Gray said he "has shown great improvement in his game this season."

Albritton played in only two tournaments last year but, like Byberg, has "greatly improved this year," said Gray.

Maloy played in 13 matches and recorded an 18-hole average of 94. His best outing was an 84. Maloy brings much-needed experience to the team that lacks the numbers.

Carlson had an 18-hole average of 93 and played in 15 matches for the Blue Devils a year ago. His personal best was an 85 at the Spotswood Tournament.

Smyth is the team's only newcomer. Though he's a senior, this is his first year out for golf and Gray said that Smyth "shows potential as a golfer."

The Blue Devils open the season tomorrow when they host Stafford in a dual match at the Country Club of Culpeper. The two teams will tee off at 9:00 a.m.

Gray knows that his team has to overcome the shortage in players and time will tell what players will comprise the much-needed supporting cast. It all leads him to obvious conclusions.
"If our players step up as a supporting cast for Mozingo, we'll be a competitive team. If they don't we won't be competitive."

Another year represents another challenge for the long-time skipper and he looks forward to what lies ahead.

"We have a great group of kids to work with," he said.

A golfer himself, Gray knows that golf is a funny game.

"One day you can play well and the next time you don't," he said. "There's a lot we can learn. Golf is a humbling game but we expect to have a lot of fun working with the kids this year."

Mark O'Connell can be contacted at