Licklider golf tourney

FRONT ROYAL — At the end of the 2022 golf season, Handley coach Troy Mezzatesta said he hoped all year that his team could shoot a four-player of 312 to 315, but with a season-best score of 316 the Judges came up just short.

On Wednesday at the Shenandoah Valley Golf Club, Handley's four best scores added up to a total well short of 315. But the experienced Judges received another sign that they're very much capable of playing the type of golf that will make them a threat in any competition they're in.

At the 23rd Curly Licklider Memorial Golf Invitational — which counts all six scores for a team instead of the typical four — Handley led all local teams by placing 14th in the 33-team tournament with a six-player score of 518. All six Judges who played Wednesday are seniors.

Jack Thome and Jag Fitzsimmons — who each posted 18-hole stroke averages in the 70s last year — each shot 6-over par 78s while playing on the par-72 Red and Blue combination. (At the Licklider, the No. 1 and 2 seeds for each team play on Red and Blue nines. Seeds 3 and 4 play on the Blue and White nines and seeds 5 and 6 play on the White and Red nines, which are both par-71 combinations.)

But what was encouraging for the Judges is that Fitzsimmons' twin brother Dash broke 80 in competition golf for the first time with a 7-over 78 on the Blue and White nines. And while Jackson Bouder struggled with a 93 on Wednesday, he's also someone who shot a 77 at last year's Class 4 Northwestern District tournament to lead the Judges.

With four players capable of shooting in the 70s right now, the Judges — who also received a promising debut performance from Henry Felix (88) — are looking strong.

"We can do some damage in the region, for sure," Thome said. "If we all play our game, there's the potential for states. But we've got a long time before [the postseason]. Overall, I'm pretty happy for our team today. Dash shooting a 78 is good. Jag shooting a 78 as well is good to get some consistency in. We can shoot better than 78. This was a decent start, so I'm excited."

Two-time defending Class 5 state champion Independence — the only school to field two teams at Wednesday's tournament — blew away the field with a 432, 46 strokes better than second-place Heritage (478). (Independence's B team took eighth with a 493.) James Wood (523) finished one spot behind Handley in 15th. Clarke County (531) tied for 18th, Millbrook (587) placed 27th and Sherando was one of three teams that did not send out enough golfers to receive a score.

Albemarle's Addie Doroh competed in the top flight and shot a 5-under 66 to win the tournament by four strokes over Independence's Ashika Varadi, who played in the second flight on the Blue and White nines. Four golfers shot 71s in the top flight. Locally, five players each shot 78s, with James Wood junior Brayden Rockwell (six-over in the top flight) and junior Ian Longo (seven-over in the second flight) also recording scores of 78.

Thome had to pick up his play in order to shoot that 78. The area's only state qualifier and 2022 Winchester Star Golfer of the Year started off on Blue No. 2. Thome said he was "seven or eight over" after his first nine holes.

"I definitely overthought on the first nine holes," said Thome, who birdied three holes on his back nine. "Then I kind of settled down and was one or two under for the last nine holes. I played solid, birdied the [two] par-fives and got up and down when I needed to. I started to hit a little bit better, made some better decisions a little better off the tee. On the front nine, I don't think I played too bad, but I just don't think anything went my way.

"It was definitely a shaky start, but it was good to come back on my back nine and not just blow up entirely, and post a respectable score."

Thome said he came into the season with some momentum. He recently won a 20-player Virginia State Golf Association junior tournament on the second playoff hole at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Clifton. Thome was one three people in the playoff.

"That was a big confidence-booster," Thome said.

Mezzatesta said Dash Fitzsimmons' confidence should keep growing after Wednesday. Mezzatesta said he thought Dash shot 80 a couple times last year, but he had been frustrated during practice recently.

"I was like, 'We know it's in there. Keep trusting the process,'" Mezzatesta said. "He went out and played nine after practice [Tuesday] and felt like he found something. It was great to see him respond well."

Mezzatesta said the players as a whole might have put a little too much pressure on themselves at times on Wednesday, but he likes the Judges' potential.

"We've just got to not press and let the match come to us," Mezzatesta said. "When you go out and try to make a [low] score, usually that means you're going to make a big score. When you go out with an open frame of mind of what the round might look like, it's easier than trying to lock in a mindset of, 'I'm going low today.'"

For James Wood, Rockwell had an exceptional pre-high school golf season. He tied for 25th at the Under Armour Junior Nationals in Miramar Beach, Fla., in February to qualify for the Under Armour Junior Tour World Championship in Orlando, Fla., in July. He tied for 37th out of 66 golfers in that tourney at the Reunion Resort & Golf Club, shooting a 77 on the second day to improve on his 85 on the first day.

"[Those Under Armour tournaments] helped to improve my game and helped me to realize what good competition there is if you go to other places," Rockwell said. "It was just a fun experience overall."

On Wednesday, Rockwell couldn't manage any birdies, but he did what he needed to do post a solid round. For example, on Blue No. 4, after hitting a ball that went off a cart path to leave himself 50 yards away from the green, he pitched his next shot to within a foot of the hole and made it for par.

"Today was OK," Rockwell said. "I was hitting my irons well. My wedges were OK. I struggled to make putts today, but I think my putting is going to be big for me [going forward]."

James Wood coach David Oates said he thinks if Rockwell starts hitting more fairways, he can see him shooting in the mid to low 70s because of the strength of his overall game.

Oates didn't get to see Longo play much Wednesday, but was impressed.

"He kept a nice, even keel all day," Oates said. "He told me what he was shooting, and he hung in there. He didn't get ahead of himself. It was a good experience for him."

The Colonels were also led by juniors Jake Bursey (83) and Lauren Van Horn (87).

"We're real young," Oates said. "With our experience, I think we pretty much scored right where I was hoping."

Four Bull Run District schools competed on Wednesday, and Clarke County not only had the best six-player score among them, but also the best four-player score. One of those Bull Run schools was Mountain View. The Generals took second while the Eagles took third at last year's Region 2B tournament to deny Clarke County a state berth.

Clarke County was led by senior Hunter Breece (80), freshman Grace Trent (86), sophomore newcomer Jonah Ziercher (87) and senior Jack Bowen (90).

"They exceeded my goal," Clarke County coach Phil Facemire said. "I wanted them to shoot 540, an average of 90, and they shot a 531. The two newbies (Trent and Ziercher) were absolutely phenomenal. And I got to see Caleb Erickson make a birdie on the sixth hole for Red on a 35-foot, downhill, breaking left putt. It was a great day.

"We're looking forward to a great season. I think we can make it to states as a team. We've got the talent."

Millbrook was led by Rich Pell (80), Anthony Gelormine (92) and Travis Hambrick (93).

"I saw a lot of good golf," said Pioneers coach Tim Deegan. "It's about constant improvement, and that's what I saw. It wasn't necessarily our best day, but nobody gave up, everybody kept fighting through it. I can't wait to see how we move forward."

Sherando was without three of its best golfers on Wednesday for various reasons, so only three people took the course for the Warriors. Sophomore Sam Brooks led the way with a 100.

"Most teams, when they practice, they're practicing in the evening and getting seven, eight holes in," Sherando coach Paul Gerometta said. "Our players are not used to walking 18 holes, so this was a good experience for them."

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