Wake-Up Call Stuns Golfers, Motivates Team for Postseason

Posted April 5, 2019 / Last updated April 8, 2019

The Blue Jays entered the first Tuesday of April with an unbeaten spring record and the humble confidence of a championship-contending golf team. They left Bayou Oaks at City Park with no district title, their first spring loss, and an alarming wake-up call. Falling by four shots to Brother Martin on the Crusaders’ home course, the Jesuit High School golf team can only look forward to the postseason—the District, Regional, and State Championships.

It is important to clarify the difference, besides the capital letters, between the district title and the District Championships. For Jesuit, winning a district title requires winning the Catholic League, and having a better 9-hole match record than any other district 9-5A team at the end of the spring season. On the other hand, the postseason District IV Championship is an 18-hole tournament that ended this way last year:

1st Place – St. Paul’s (323)
2nd Place – Jesuit (331)
3rd Place – Brother Martin (336)
4th Place – Holy Cross (352)
5th Place – Fountainbleau (398)
6th Place – Rummel – 457

While Jesuit golfers finished second in this tournament last year, they still won the Catholic League and earned a 2018 district 9-5A title. Therefore, the upcoming 2019 District Championship is simply a postseason qualifier for the Regional, which is just a qualifier for the LHSAA State Tournament.

Through the Lens…

View the Photo Gallery from Jesuit’s Tri-Match vs. BM and HC

Senior John Bendernagel strikes one down the fairway.

By the Numbers…

Jesuit vs. Br. Martin, April 5, 2019
Bayou Oaks Golf Club

Jesuit Golfer	+/-	Total
Andrew Barreca	+3	39
Britton Khalaf	+6	42
Jackson Maniscalco	+1	37
John Bendernagel	+5	41
Taylor Boasberg	+6	42
Total – Jesuit	+15	159
Total – Br. Martin	+11	155
Total – Holy Cross	+17	161

In His Words…

“This has been an off year for golf, weather-wise, with us lacking the ability to play, practice, and schedule matches,” head coach Owen Seiler ’75 told his golfers after the tough loss. “But, I want you guys to be able to look back at this and know that you took the right steps in this final month of the season. Our competitors in the Catholic League are improving, and every team in this state wants to outplay us in this final stretch. It’s our job to represent Jesuit and finish the season the right way.”

On the Horizon…

The Jays play in the District IV Championship on Monday, April 15, at Joseph Bartholomew Golf Course.

Golf Page on the Jesuit Website

2019 Golf Schedule

2019 Golf Roster

Galleries

Golf 2019: Jesuit (159) vs. Br. Martin (155) and Holy Cross (161), Bayou Oaks, April 2, 2019

Taylor Boasberg takes the club back and...
Boasberg glances at the camera after hitting the fairway.
Taylor Boasberg chips from the side of the green.
Bendernagel hits a birdie putt from the fringe.
Jackson Maniscalco watches as his par putt drops in the hole.
Khalaf hits a 3-wood off the tee.
Jackson Maniscalco watches his shot fly.
Britton Khalaf walks with satisfaction as his par 3 tee shot sits just 10 feet from the hole.
Barreca keeps his head down through the swing.
Barreca watches as his par putt drops in the hole.
Barreca walks to his tee shot on the par-3 14th hole.
Andrew Barreca pitches the ball up the hill and toward the pin.
...through.
Senior co-captain Britton Khalaf stretches out before his opening tee shot.
Bendernagel watches his clobbered drive down the par 5.
John Bendernagel at impact
Andrew Barreca walks alongside his Brother Martin and Holy Cross playing partners.
Khalaf marches down the fairway.
Maniscalco watches as the ball drops in the hole.
John Bendernagel tees off in front his teammates.
Maniscalco leads the pack down the first fairway.
Merrick Rotolo tosses his golf ball in the air as he waits his turn to tee off.
Jackson Maniscalco tees off on hole #10 at Bayou Oaks.
Starters and second-team players watch their teammates as they tee off.
Khalaf pipes it down the fairway.