Sussex Academy golf swings into spring season
Two years removed from a state title and coming off a top-10 finish in 2023, the Sussex Academy golf team has high hopes for low scores in 2024.
“We finished eighth in the state, we had five guys qualify for the state tournament, and all five made it to the second day,” said Seahawks coach Doug Grove.
Those five – Dominic Piperno, Keenan Williams, Austin Dostal, Quentin Bowman and McKenna Danahy – marked a program high and, along with C.J. Norton, will be relied on to keep the team up to par with the higher standards established at Sussex Academy.
“All of these guys are capable of shooting upper 30s, low 40s [for nine holes],” Grove said.
Grove said he believes if those six golfers can play up to their abilities, the Seahawks should be in the top 10 again. One of his leaders is a bit more ambitious.
“I’m trying to get in the top five this year,” Piperno said.
The junior knows it will take work, and he will try to improve on his putting while encouraging the team to physically play together as much as possible. Piperno said the team’s home course, Kings Creek Country Club in Rehoboth Beach, is his favorite, and Grove believes it’s advantageous for the golfers to lay claim to a tougher course.
“It’s very narrow,” Grove said. “It’s not overly long, but it is tight. There’s out of bounds on just about every hole on the front side where we have most of our matches.”
Grove said there are quite a few bombers in the conference, but his guys never sweat a longer hole. Experience is another plus, and Williams is hoping that leads to more wins.
“This year, I want to try and stay a little bit more consistent,” Williams said.
Williams said his experience winning the title in 2022 has given him more confidence heading into the 2024 season.
“We were all on the team in 2022 [when] we won the championship,” Williams said. “It gives us confidence and a way about ourselves where we know we can be the best. Like Dominic said, I think a top-five finish is in the cards for us this year.”
Sussex Academy will tee off against Cape Henlopen at 3 p.m., Monday, March 18, at Kings Creek Country Club to start the season.
Aaron Mushrush joined the sports team in Summer 2023 to help cover the emerging youth athletics scene in the Cape Region. After lettering in soccer and lacrosse at Sussex Tech, he played lacrosse at Division III Eastern University in St. David's, PA. Aaron coached lacrosse at Sussex Tech in 2009 and 2011. Post-collegiately, Mush played in the Eastern Shore Summer Lacrosse League for Blue Bird Tavern and Saltwater Lacrosse. He competed in several tournaments for the Shamrocks Lacrosse Club, which blossomed into the Maryland Lacrosse League (MDLL). Aaron interned at the Coastal Point before becoming assistant director at WMDT-TV 47 ABC in 2017 and eventually assignment editor in 2018.
