Blue Devils Capture League Crown, Run Win Streak to 49
Jim Smoot has never tasted a dual meet defeat. The splendid Huntington High School golfer has seen his team win every single one of the meets he’s played in. The Blue Devils finished the league season with a 12-0 mark last Friday, running their winning streak to 49 since 2011.
Huntington edged Half Hollow Hills East at Bethpage State Park, 6.5-2.5 to capture the Suffolk League III title. It’s the fourth straight undefeated season for the Blue Devils. Smoot has been a member of the team for all of the spotless campaigns.
The final victory of the fall was far from a sure thing since Hills East is one of the county’s best teams. In an impressive display, Huntington putted its way past the Thunderbirds twice in three days last week by identical scores.
Smoot, who serves as the team’s captain, turned in a score of 2-over-par 39, notching a birdie on his final hole. Teammates Tyler Gerbavsits (1-over-par 38), Tom Kopstein (2-over-par 39), Matt Giamo (3-over-par 40), Dan Brown (43) and Tom Drake (45) rounded out the Blue Devils’ magnificent six.
Smoot has started every single match since he was in ninth grade and Huntington has never tasted defeat in a dual meet over the course of those four years. “The streak is important to the boys,” head coach Mike Marinello said. “It’s something they are very proud of.”
Huntington will now turn its attention to the league tournament, where it hopes to qualify all six golfers for the Suffolk finals. The league tournament is set for Wednesday at Rock Hill Golf & Country Club in Manorville.
“This team was very focused on each match this season,” Marinello said. “We knew that if we did not bring our “A” game we would take a loss. We knew there were some talented teams who were looking to knock us off, but on each occasion the players raised their level of play.”