Cape’s golf team roster varies but results remain the same

The Cape golf team used different sets of starters April 14 and April 16, and enjoyed success with both.

The Vikings traveled to Heritage Shores April 14, as a senior-only contingent, winning 168-242 against Woodbridge. Jacob Gabbard won medalist honors with his two-over 38. His score bettered by seven the 45 he posted at the same course during Cape’s April 1 match against Sussex Tech.

Travers Johnson posted a 42 in his first varsity match of the season. Eddie Ghabour shot a 43 for third-best Viking of the day. Joe Skelly played his first varsity match for 2025, completing the team’s scoring with his 45.

Dalen Daminger’s 46 and Brendan Staggs’ 49 did not count toward the team total. This was Daminger’s second varsity start for the season and Staggs’ first. 

A different set of golfers boarded the Cape May-Lewes Ferry April 16, for the second of the Cape-to-Cape Series against Lower Cape May Regional High. Playing at Cape May National in sunny but windy conditions, Cape Henlopen won 165-181. 

Senior Tyler Healy won his first medalist honors of the season with his two-over 38. Junior Ryan McNett took second for Cape with a 39. Daminger and Jack Tunnell completed the team scoring with a pair of 44s. Gabbard and Ghabour’s two 45s did not count.

Viking assistant coach Tanya Humes loved the fact that the two Cape teams came together for the golf match.

“Lower Cape May’s head coach Anthony D’Aleo welcomed us with smiles, scorecards and some advice about navigating Cape May National. His assistant coaches were just as welcoming. We shared coaching ideas and plans for future matches, ending with dinner provided by the host team’s moms. It truly was what the game is about – camaraderie and just playing good golf,” she said.

Sussex Academy loses first match 

The Sussex Academy Seahawks suffered their first loss of the season in their first away match for 2025, losing to Polytech 164-173 at Wild Quail Golf & Country Club April 10.

Poly’s Kylie Yiengst won medalist honors with her even-par 36 on the front nine. Sussex Academy’s Ryan Dostal finished three strokes back.

Seahawks eighth-grader Sam Metz came in second for his school with a 44. Fellow Seahawks Quentin Bowman, Austin Dostal and Jordan Green all finished with 45s, but only two of those scores counted toward the team total.

“We just weren’t that good that day,” said Sussex Academy coach Doug Grove. “We’d been scoring in the 150s, and then we went right past the 160s and into the 170s. It was cold and windy.”

The Seahawks next traveled to Heritage Shores April 15 to face Woodbridge, after morning showers. Both teams dealt with winds over 20 mph, but Sussex Academy won 168-244. 

“Nobody told me before I moved here a few years ago that this is the windiest state in the country,” Grove said. “Sammy [Metz] led us with a 38, which was great in all that wind. He can flight his ball to keep it low. If you shot under 45 today, you did a really good job. Even putting was difficult. Sometimes our players were just about to putt and had to step back and wait for the wind to slow down.”

Bowman and Austin Dostal both had 43s, while Green and Ryan Dostal posted a pair of 44s. 

Grove also complimented Woodbridge coach Josh Getka, who is also active with Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth Beach. He noted that unlike some past seasons, this year the Blue Raiders have been able to field a full team of six starters plus alternates. “Josh is doing a good job recruiting players, including some from other sports,” Grove said.

Delmarva Christian loses to Salesianum

Delmarva Christian traveled north to the Nemours course at DuPont Country Club April 10, to face Salesianum, the powerful Wilmington Catholic prep school. 

Despite a fine two-under performance by Avery Brown, Sallies had no serious challenges in defeating the Royals team 154-176 on the par 36 front nine.

Senior Nicholas Belgrade earned medalist honors for the Wilmington school with a great four-under par 32. The other contributing Sallies golfers included Adam Zink (39), Anthony Manzi (41) and Paul Sanfrancesco (42).

Joel Perry was second best for the Royals with his 42, followed by Cole Parker’s 49. Nicholas Gipko took the fourth spot with his 51.