| Briar Woods High School players and coach Mike Benson pose with the championship trophy after winning the 2011 Dulles District golf tournament Sept. 20 at 1757 Golf Club in Dulles.—Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Carl Lukat |
Briar Woods High School shot a four-player total of 324 in rainy conditions Sept. 20 at 1757 Golf Club in Dulles to win the team championship at the 2011 Dulles District golf tournament. Loudoun Valley’s Ian Hildebrand shot a 3-over par 73 to earn top individual honors.
With each of its top four golfers shooting below 90, Briar Woods edged runner-up Heritage by four strokes and regular-season champion Dominion by 11 shots for the tournament title.
“I think that’s a real strong score, especially considering 13 or 14 of the holes were played in the pouring rain,” Briar Woods coach Mike Benson said of his team’s 324 total.
Nick Vazzana paced the Falcons with his 5-over par round of 75, while Adam Ochs (77), Nicole Flores (84) and David Calder (88) also factored in the scoring.
“The good thing about our team is we are pretty strong up and down,” Benson said. “So when one doesn’t have a good day, another does have a good day. It really balances out.”
Briar Woods and Dominion - based on its regular-season title - qualified as teams for the Region II golf tournament, set for Oct. 3 at the Old Trail Golf Club in Crozet.
Hildebrand, along with Heritage’s Ryan Douglass (74) and Ryan O’Sullivan (75), Tuscarora’s Alec Gard (78), Potomac Falls’ Christian Fortier (78) and Woodgrove’s Danny Moore (78) qualified for regionals as the top six individuals from the district tourney not on qualifying teams.
Despite the rain falling hardest during the early portion of his round, Hildebrand played his best golf on the front nine with birdies on holes six and nine.
“I just wanted to come out here and basically qualify for regionals,” Hildebrand said. “I started having a good day and had a number in my head. I slipped a little bit down the stretch but still won by one.”
Proud day for RGA
Patrick McGuire, Director for Raspberry Golf Academies, watched with delight as several students of Raspberry Golf Academy in Leesburg filled the leaderboard at the district meet.
“It was very rewarding,” said McGuire, noting that 13 of the 18 golfers advancing to the Region II tournament are students at RGA. “As part of what we do helping people with their golf game, seeing their success is our greatest reward.”
Included in that group of students is nearly the entire Briar Woods team, Kurt Funkhouser of Dominion, Hildebrand, Douglass and O’Sullivan.
“It was pretty spectacular what they did,” McGuire continued. “All these kids were in here working all winter. They have been working hard and what do you know, it really paid off Tuesday. That’s why we built the junior program that we did.”
Team Standings
1. Briar Woods (324)
2. Heritage (328)
3. Dominion* (335)
4. Loudoun Valley (340)
5. Tuscarora (341)
6. Woodgrove (345)
7. Potomac Falls (363)
8. Loudoun County (394)
9. Park View (435)
*Regular season champions
Top Individuals
1. Ian Hildebrand (LV) 73
2. Ryan Douglass (H) 74
3. Ryan O’Sullivan (H) 75
3. Nick Vazzana (BW) 75
5. Adam Ochs (BW) 77
Region Tournament Qualifiers
Teams
Briar Woods
Dominion
Individuals (top 6 on non-qualifying teams)
1. Ian Hildebrand (LV) 73
2. Ryan Douglass (H) 74
3. Ryan O’Sullivan (H) 75
4. Alec Gard (T) 78
4. Christian Fortier (PF) 78
4. Danny Moore (W) 78
Full scores (top four count for team scores)
-Briar Woods (324)
Nick Vazzana - 75
Adam Ochs - 77
Nicole Flores - 84
David Calder - 88
Joey Corlett - 91
Will Corlett - 94
-Heritage (328)
Ryan Douglass - 74
Ryan O’Sullivan - 75
Ty Kobylinski - 86
Andrew Bayer - 93
Zack Hopeck - 99
Jacob Smith - 107
-Dominion (335)
Erik Dulik - 79
Kurt Funkhouser - 82
Sam Stillwell - 83
Brenden O’Hara - 91
Sam Allen - 91
Taylor Newman - 105
-Loudoun Valley (340)
Ian Hildebrand - 73
Trevor Colby - 87
Scott Mumpower - 89
Matt Simpson - 91
Trey Mumpower - 103
Mark Shayka - W/D
-Tuscarora (341)
Alec Gard - 78
Daniel Friend - 80
Joey Harrison - 90
Jorden Schreder - 93
Thomas Truluck - 98
Phillip Corcoran - 100
-Woodgrove (345)
Danny Moore - 78
Nick Kovach - 83
Maclendon Aiken - 87
Daniel Faubet - 97
Eric Kardos - 102
D.J. Hughes - 109
-Potomac Falls (363)
Christian Fortier - 78
James Collins - 89
Brian Peak - 90
Matthew Taylor - 106
Justin Martinez - 109
Frank Daniels - 115
-Loudoun County (394)
Jake Cunningham - 90
Parker Graham - 99
Will Flavin - 102
Kevin Howard - 103
Zach Bolyard - 110
DJ Grieco - 115
-Park View (435)
Kirby Struhar - 81
Matt Morley-Hillen - 104
Bobby Pick - 123
Jeremiah Burkel - 127
Drake Spriggs - 130
Ryan Carter - 136
| Loudoun Valley's Ian Hildebrand with coach Troy Mezzatesta.--Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Carl Lukat |
| Dominon High School's golf team won their first Dulles District regular-season golf championship this season.--Times-Mirror Staff Photo/Carl Lukat |
ITS HOW IT IS AND GUESS WHO WON STATES!!!!!!!!!SPORTS ARE SPORTS
@“Dominion Student”.... what you stated was extremely ignorant. Comparing Sam Allen to Adam Ochs is ridiculous. This isn’t football where you can have a player out and just throw another one in and it be no big deal. With golf you need your TOP players and Adam Ochs was a top player for Briar Woods. Him and Nick Vazanna lead that team this year. Nothing was heard of Sam Allen being out as if it was a big deal. And same goes for Dominion if Sam Stilwell was out. He lead that team this year and without him Dominion would be nothing. There is no replacing good golfers. That’s just the way THIS sport is.
A season is a season how they play is how they play. BW just lost fair in square thats how sports go if your hurt.(Adam Ochs). How they play in the MINIS shows that they are good and just because Adam ochs is hurt doesnt mean it should bring them down. They should be able to perform if he is present or not. Dominion did play a couple of matches without Sam Allen. Even though not a #1 player they still coped and pulled through. This is how sports are played just because one guy is hurt doesnt mean they should make an excuse of not winning the District Title. That being said I go to Dominion and we won fair in square…...Briar Woods try again next year….
@“RJ”...... when I say golf is about numbers and not athletic ability, that simply means you do not have to be an athlete to make a golf team. In other words, you are not being evaluated on your athletic performance. YOU ARE WHAT YOU SHOOT, no evaluations necessary! Case closed there! Case two… when you talk about Adam Ochs you act like you know the kid by saying “love ya mannn.” Just out of curiosity, what’re you to him?? Case three… you’re right about BW and DMH possibly having a chance at making it to states as a team, it’s about numbers and if their teams have good days they could pull it off. Finally the last case… DHS ONLY and I repeat, ONLY, won the regular season because Adam Ochs was out for the first District Mini at Loudoun Golf and Country Club and he was also out for the dual match against Woodgrove. Had he played, Briar Woods would’ve been regular season AND tournament champions without a doubt. So I guess that’s where Dominion’s “luck” came into play.. a top player on the opposing team not being able to play. Thank you.
Briar Woods Beat dominion a week before AT THEIR HOME COURSE. Tell me that briar woods isn’t better than dominion? Then we come in the next week and beat dominion by 11.
Ok so let me understand what “district fan” blurted out-golf is about numbers not athletic ability,hmmm, I guess that means anyone can play as long as they have low numbers?? Correction -The golfers that win are skilled, and play alot of golf. Some are even priviledged to be members of golf clubs and play everyday, and the golfers on these district teams have been Professionally coached by PGA Pro’s, low scores are not taught, they come with skill and lots of luck. The more skill the luckier they get, ya think?! The best don’t always win, (Tiger comes to mind-ya think), the best golfer is the low score on that day. I guess Adam Oches (who I do agree is a very good golfer) wins only when he has the lowest score. Is he the BEST of all the golfers in this area, sorry Adam, love ya mannn, but I can name a dozen who win and have won just as good as he, and some even luckier than he. ANY skilled and well practiced golfer can win in this game, but I personally, have never known anyone who has ever picked up a golf club, go out and shoot a low score and win - (a novice or a seasoned pro)without playing using mulligans,give me’s,or “putting insurance gimmics”, you have to have some athletic ability - correct Me if I’m wrong.Ok?! I said it!
I will respectfully correct the Dist.fan and say BW was the best team at the District Championship -they did win, but as the titan fan pointed out a record of 21-2 is pretty good results and certainly an MVP season for them. Hey dist.fan, you said it best when you said, its a numbers game, BW or DHS won’t be the best teams at the Regionals or possibly the states, but they are there and they have a chance, because when skills and luck come together like it did for BW - it can come together for everyone that will play in the regionals and the states Tournaments - and oh by the way - the golfers that played in the district championship last week- all have athletic abilities or they wouldn’t have made their respective golf teams- some have more skills, some practice more, some even have more luck, but they are certainly ATHLETES who can win or lose on any given golf course.
..states* as a team…
.........golf is a game about numbers, not athletic ability. What you shoot is what you get and obviously Briar Woods is the best team in the district, they WON. You have to win to be the best and correct me if I’m wrong but they did. Dominion was 11 back and have absolutely no shot at going to regionals as a team and in all honesty, same goes for Briar Woods. 324 won’t cut it in this region and 335 definitely won’t. Dominion is just lucky they “won” the regular season because otherwise there wouldn’t be any Titans at regionals. So much for an “MVP.” I’m looking for Adam Ochs and Nick Vazzana to go low at regionals with Ochs coming out with the victory if he plays his game. I’ve seen him play since he was a freshman and I can’t say I’ve seen a better player for four years running. Good luck to all the players competing next week.
updated results just to be correct- Titans 6-2 in mini’s - certainly not half of the season (BW math teachers may have to ck homewk assignments closer), Overall, 21-2, pretty impressive compared to a distance of 3 matches - BW-18-2-1 hmmmm the BW Fan may have to look ahead to another yr down the road to be the best team in golf in this district…..hey everyone has to give credit to the golfers of Loudoun County for being 1 of the top teams ever to play the game of golf in this area- kudos to Brantley and company!
THE LOUDOUN JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION would like to Congratulate all of the High School Golfers in the District Championship at 1757 Golf Course! It is truly a pleasure to see the great talent in golf in Loudoun County and the surrounding areas. The LJGA is proud to have had all the golfers that have gone from the Novice Division grow and excell all the way up to the MASTERS DIVISION and on to their High School Golf programs! Good Luck in the Regionals, States, and in your journey to the college tours, and hopefully the PGA TOUR!
THE Briar Woods comment is totally wrong, the TITANS didn’t have to win the DISTRICTS- it would have been nice, but when your 18-2or3? in the mini’s you basically BEAT EVERYONE in the DISTRICT ALREADY!?! HEY THE TITANS ARE GOING TO THE REGIONALS as the #1 TEAM- that’s an MVP SEASON 1ST DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP - so maybe they win there?!? Bring on your game BW! SO AGAIN GREAT JOB TITANS and THE M.V.P. season goes to and IS STILL the “BIG D”- DULIK that is, a real TEAM PLAYER!
There lucky that they’re weren’t any grammar requirements out their. Then what whould Briar Woods Fans have done?
Awsome results for an mvp season? The titans came in 3rd in the district tournament! There lucky they played well in the minis because they lost head to head half the time. Briar woods has the best golf team in the district.
AWESOME RESULTS FOR AN MVP SEASON for “BIG D” and The entire TITANS GOLF TEAM! GOOD LUCK at the Regionals!! TIME TO TAKE the TITANS TO THE STATES!!
The M.an who arri V.es ready to P.lay will be the champion!