Whipping winds and cold air enveloped senior Nicholas Benson as he stepped up to the first tee. In his first match of the season, Benson knew he had to deliver for his teammates. On the difficult first hole at Ashbrook, Benson secured a birdie which propelled him to an even round with a score of 36.
Despite an impressive performance from Benson, the Blue Devils struggled in an unforgiving environment, conceding the match to SPF with a score of 159-149. In the No. 2 seed spot, sophomore Colin McGeehan recorded a respectable score of 40.
After an impressive season last year, the Blue Devils have had a slightly rocky start to this season. Head coach Ryan Daly said, “Everyone is trying to get back into their form after the summer and fall.”
McGeehan echoed that sentiment while reflecting on his own round. After an early double bogey, he stayed composed and fought his way back into form.
“It was definitely cold out there, and the weather played a factor,” McGeehan said. “I didn’t start the way I wanted, but it was good to make some comebacks during the round. It always stings to lose to SPF, but we’ll be ready next time.”
Beyond early jitters and weather conditions, the team has to deal with losing a significant amount of seniors from last year. While this is difficult, Benson said it also provides an opportunity, “It can be tough but sometimes the taller trees have to fall so the younger ones can thrive in the sunlight.”
Furthermore, senior captain Ben Barshtak is unable to play due to injury. Barshtak said, “I definitely wish I could be out there with them, but we have a good group of young guys with a bright future and we’re hoping to repeat our county, section and state titles from last year.”
Looking ahead, Daly emphasized the importance of consistency and daily effort as the team progresses through the season. “You have to stay on the grind,” Daly said. “Every day matters. You can’t take anything for granted, especially in a competitive program like ours.”
While the loss to SPF marks a challenging start, the Blue Devils plan to return to the drawing board to keep improving to reach the level of play they know they’re capable of. The Blue Devils will be back in action on April 10 as they head to Heron Glen Golf Course at 9 a.m. to compete in the Red Devil Invitational.
