A rivalry beyond football

Photo provided by: DSP

As senior Luke Roberts tees off during his match, he looks to assist the team in continuing their undefeated streak, as they are currently 5-0 on the season. “The match definitely gives everyone insight on what my teammates and I have to get better at moving forward,” Roberts said.

With the onslaught of this year’s “Break” Mary rivalry week, the boys varsity golf team was able to win a significant match against Lake Mary High School, as the team beat the previous 3A state title-holders, making them undefeated this season. In similar spirits, the girls varsity golf team has continually won their golf matches, lengthening their season in hopes of making school history. 

On Sept. 6, the boys varsity golf team traveled to Alaqua Lakes to play Lake Mary High School and, with a score of 166 to 176, the team won after five holes in a match that was canceled early due to rain. This ten stroke win in a rivalry game provided the school with the motivation to head into “Break” Mary Week with high hopes.

“The win against Lake Mary felt great and was undoubtedly the top win of our season,” senior Luke Roberts said. “We were all very motivated and wanted to prove ourselves as a squad, especially given that they have some really solid players. It’s always nice to show that the rivalry between the two schools expands beyond football.”

Roberts, having the second best score of the match with 41 strokes, was able to continue to qualify to play in the team’s next match against Winter Springs High School. Alongside the rest of his team, the boys were able to crush the Bears 169 to 216 on Sept. 13. 

“The match was really fun,” Roberts said. “I definitely didn’t have my best game today and wish I could have some shots back, but what matters is that we played good enough to win as a team, and I played good enough to contribute to that win, even if things didn’t always go to plan. The match definitely gives everyone insight on what they have to get better at moving forward.”

As the boys team continues to dominate this season, the girls varsity golf team has also shown major victories throughout the season both on and off the golf course, after their win over Winter Springs High School. 

“The match I played today went really well,” senior Hannah Williams said. “It was a pretty slow-paced match, but our win clearly shows that we’re excelling this season. I am really looking forward to working hard to keep the winning streak alive, and to have a fun season now that we know that we are capable of winning each match.”

Even though the girls team has been undefeated this season, the weather has created a significant obstacle that has disrupted their season.

“The team has done well this season,” varsity girls golf coach Gabe Zornick said. “Although it’s been a challenging season with many cancellations due to the weather, the team continues to strive for excellence. We have won the two matches we have had and we hope to have another undefeated season.”

Despite these setbacks, both of the varsity golf teams have been able to persevere and maintain an undefeated season.

“I definitely look forward to building off of what we have been doing to set higher individual standards for ourselves, while also continuing the team standard for winning,” Roberts said. “Every match brings about new sense of possibility and optimism and when I play well, the goal is to repeat it the best I can and when I struggle, I can leave knowing what I have to work on moving forward in order to further myself as a golfer and contribute to our team goal of winning every match we play.”