By: Dan Sousa
Leesburg (Sept. 26, 2006) – Six super sophomores from Briar Woods teamed up Tuesday to steal the Group AA Dulles District golf tournament title and earn the second-year school’s first ever championship banner.
An improbable golf season that ended in a five-way tie for first place in the dual meet season was just as close in the tournament as the young Falcons scored 327 to finish one stroke ahead of defending tournament champion Loudoun County and two strokes ahead of 2005 regular-season champion Heritage. Broad Run finished fourth at 333 and 2006 regular-season champion Potomac Falls placed fifth at 333.
About the only predictable thing about Tuesday was County senior Kevin McLister defending his individual title with a blistering 4-under par 68 at the River Creek Country Club golf course.
Heritage’s Christian Darden finished second with a 72 but his team suffered a heartbreak final week of the season as they went from undefeated in district dual play to a one-stroke loss to Broad Run, a tw0-stroke loss to Briar Woods and then Tuesday’s narrow defeat which leaves the team out of regional action.
County had been shooting the lowest rounds in the weeks leading up to the tournament and the Raiders had a four-stroke advantage over Heritage after the first and second seeds came in. Briar Woods was almost off the radar, some 13 strokes behind the Raiders at that point.
“Briar Woods just kind of snuck in there,” said County coach John Laycock.
Even Briar Woods coach Bob Vitti couldn’t believe the final tally, especially with three teams separated by three strokes.
“I thought somebody was hoaxing me,” said Vitti.
When the Falcons realized that they had indeed captured the schools first-ever varsity title — it was celebration time.
“One player turned around and almost tackled me,” said Vitti.
The story of the Falcons championship may be the play of No. 3 T.J. Bailey who posted a 76 for the third-best individual score Tuesday and No. 5 seed Robbie Mitchell who shot an 84, a score that was better than many of the No. 1 and 2 seeds Tuesday.
Mitchell came to the 18th tee Tuesday and nailed a 4-wood down the left side of the fairway, past several bunkers, some 280 yards. Vitti, knowing that the team race was so tight that every stroke in the final groups would count, told Mitchell: “You owe me a birdie on this on.”
And sure enough, Mitchell put his approach shot to within four feet and then calmly sank the putt. His birdie turned out to be the final difference Tuesday.
“It was Hollywood stuff,” said Vitti.
Tuesday’s tournament got underway at 11 a.m. but didn’t finish until near dusk as the players struggled on the long course.
“The course was playing about 6700 yards today and that is pretty length. The most they have played on this year is probably around 6300 yards,” said Laycock. “This is one of the longer venues we’ve played and there is lots of trouble out there. You add in the pressure of a district tournament and it makes a difference.”
At one point, groups were stacked up on holes like planes flying into Dulles. One high-handicapper had to hightail it back to the clubhouse midround to get another sleeve of golf balls.
McLister, like several other players in the field including Darden, is a member at River Creek and he used the course familiarity to use advantage.
“I know this course like the back of my hand,” said McLister.
McLister agreed with the assessment of several of the coaches that the recent aeration at the course had made putting on the greens quite tough Tuesday and may have accounted for some of the rise in scoring.
“It is tough to make putts so you better get it close to the flagstick,” said McLister.
McLister was on fire to start his round, shooting 4-under on the first six holes. On those four birdies, he knocked his approach to within five feet each time.
The quick start was part of his gameplan going into the tournament.
“It was very important to start fast as I was kind of expected to win again and that put pressure on me,” said McLister. “While it means a lot to me to win the district title, I’d like to see my whole team go to regionals.”
The entire Potomac Falls and Briar Woods teams will play at the Region II tournament next week along with. McLister also qualified along with the next five highest singles players (not on Potomac Falls or Briar Woods): Darden, Freedom’s Tyler Blake (78), Broad Run’s Mike Moser (82) and Tyler Campos (82) and County’s Adam Peterson (83).
Darden actually would have posted a 2-under 70 but he had to take a 2-stroke penalty when he and Kevin Yerks of Broad Run hit each other’s golf balls on one hole. Of course over 18 holes, there were tales from each foursome of balls inches into out bounds and other strokes won and lost.
The Panthers got a pair of 79’s from Nick Vico and Wyatt Endress and Briar Woods also got a 82 from Carl Brendes and 85 from Michael Birmingham.
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