NEW MARKET — Stonewall Jackson's golfers had a down season in 2004. The perennial Shenandoah District front-runners finished fourth in the regular season in 2004 and fifth in the district tournament. The disappointment of last season was more than enough to fuel the fire for the Generals in the offseason.
"[Last season] motivated us a lot," Stonewall Jackson's Ben Young said. "Everybody came out and hit three or four days a week in the summer to get ready for this season."
The Generals didn't waste any time in reclaiming the top spot in the district. They won the first four district mini-tournaments of the season to cruise to the regular season title and the automatic Region B berth that comes with it.
Stonewall did it with a young team. Three of the Generals' top four players this season are underclassmen, including freshman Corey Roadcap.
Generals' coach Scott Wymer said it hasn't surprised him that the team has done so well.
"I've seen what these kids have done over the last two years and I knew what they were capable of," Wymer said. "They've been playing a lot in the offseason and it shows."
Junior Kyle Polk has led the Generals all season, and said he's just tried to work hard at being consistent with his game.
"I haven't really played bad in any of the matches," he said. "When we play nine holes I try to keep my scores in the 30s and I just try to keep the ball in the fairways."
One player who knows a lot about the tradition at Stonewall Jackson is Kyle Linski. The junior watched as his sister, Katelyn, helped guide the Generals to back-to-back district titles in 2002 and 2003 as well as a berth in the Group A state tournament in 2002.
Linski said consistency has been the biggest key to the team's success.
"All of us can score in the 80s and Kyle [Polk] shoots even lower than that," Linski said. "We can't have a score higher than a 90, that's what we try to shoot for. We all play together a lot as well, and we're all friends and that helps."
Roadcap said it was tough for him early in the season as he tried to prove that he belonged in the top six and even top four. The Generals' first five matches were in the district mini-tournaments and Roadcap put up strong scores to show he truly belonged.
"I've just worked really hard," Roadcap said. "I've been playing for about three or four years now and just working hard out here every day. I wanted to be on the golf team and to help the team out."
With a berth in regionals already locked up, the Generals won't be facing any pressure in Monday's district tournament held at Luray Caverns Country Club.
The regional berth also gives the Generals a chance to play on their home course with a state berth at stake. The Region B tournament will be held on Oct. 3 at Shenvalee in New Market, where the Generals practice every day.
"It definitely should help us having the home-course advantage," Roadcap said. "It would be disappointing if we didn't play good at regionals. We plan on doing decent."
A strong performance at regionals could lift the young squad back to the Group A state tournament, held at Shenandoah Valley Golf Club in Front Royal, for the second time in four years.
Wymer said he doesn't set any goals for the team, he just wants the Generals to work hard and give it all they have.
"I always tell the guys to enjoy themselves, but at the same take it seriously and try to play your best," he said.
