By Alex Hampl
alexandrianews.org
The T.C. Williams golf season began last week with the ServPro Invitational and will continue this Tuesday and Wednesday with the Patriot District Preview. The Titans finished fourth among Patriot District teams at ServPro, the highest finish for the team in years, and many golfers think that the team can only improve this season.
T.C. Williams Junior, Zach VeShancey. (Photo: Regan Kireilis)
Last year ended with T.C. in 6th place in the district and top-ranked golfer Zach Veshancey in regional play. Veshancey, now a rising junior, shot a two-day 164 to become the first T.C. golfer in five years to advance to the regional round. He is one of many team members with high expectations for this season.
“I think we can definitely finish fourth, maybe even third in the district,” Veshancey said. “[Individually], I’m considering anything short of states as a failed season… I’ve been playing just about every day since last golf season, even during the off season.”
Veshancey leads a young core back from last season’s team, which featured three seniors who figured into the playing rotation and only one who played in the district tournament. Juniors Garrett Kennedy and Nathan Ribyat, senior Eric Fries, and sophomore Chris Darr also return from last season’s tournament lineup.
Kennedy, the team’s second-ranked golfer, has similar goals to Veshancey. “I think we should compete for the top spot in our district if our top four players could consistently play well,” he said. “My personal goal is to make it to the state competition and for the team, I think our goal should be to be in contention for a spot at regionals.”
Joining returning senior Eric Fries is senior Jordan Dieter. Fries has competed for T.C. golf since his freshman year, and has played in the year-end tournament every year since his sophomore season. He led the team at the ServPro tournament with a two-day total of 156, the only T.C. golfer to shoot under 80 both rounds.
“For the team, I think a reasonable goal would be to have no more than three losses, and hopefully finish third at districts,” Fries said. “Personally, I hope to improve enough to shoot around a 150 at districts.
“Compared to last year, I think we will do much better. Although we lost [three seniors], our overall talent pool has improved… Thanks to all of our hard work and dedication, we broke several school records [at the ServPro Invitational]. For the first time ever on the Lakes Course, the top four out of our five scores averaged below 80 (79.75, with myself shooting a 77, Garrett a 78, Zach a 81, and Chris a 83). Basically, we have all greatly improved, and so has the team. Our team easily has the potential to finish top three in the districts, probably behind Lake Braddock and South County. However, we could go higher if we play very well. Hopefully things work out and we can send multiple players to regionals this year.”
Fourth-year coach Dee Marrara still leads the team, although in a different capacity. Marrara has been promoted at T.C. to serve as a 10th grade guidance counselor, a move that affords her less time to be with the team. She and assistant coach John Kennedy will now serve as co-coaches, with Marrara in charge of scheduling and logistics, and Kennedy traveling with the team and handling day-to-day business.
“I am excited about my new position; it was time for a change,” Marrara said.
At the ServPro invitational, T.C. finished 12th out of 22 teams, with a total score 33 strokes better than last year’s at the same event. The Patriot District Preview is on Tuesday, August 17. The Titans’ first match is August 19 against W.T. Woodson.