Jake Hollerback makes Sussex Central golf history
DELAWARE — A great season of high school golf in Delaware culminated in something the state hadn’t seen in decades
at the DIAA Championship at St. Anne’s Golf Links in Middletown.
With the second day of competition cancelled due to weather, Sussex Central golfer Jake Hollerback took home the boy’s individual championship after shooting a personal best total of 68 in round 1.
Hollerback became the first Sussex Central golfer in 40 years to win an individual championship. Only a sophomore, Hollerback broke down the great round he had at St. Anne’s: “Right away I rolled a couple putts in good to start, and iron shots first hole and second hole were great. The third hole is one of the hardest holes on the course and I played it well. And then once you get past those first couple holes on the front nine you’re in a great spot.”
As for what comes next for the underclassman champ, Hollerback said, “Next is really states here next year. I’d like to defend it and maybe win it again.”
40 years ago it was Sussex Central golfer Bill Hansen who took home the boy’s individual crown in his senior season, shooting 150 across 2 days at Maple Dale. Henson went on to play Division 1 golf at Penn State, and he still gets out on the links when he can, now as co-owner of First State Chevrolet in Georgetown.
Hansen reflected on what he remembered from that championship four decades ago, saying, “My senior year, not only did I win the individual, but our team was 2nd in the state which was also the highest that central had ever finished in the entire state, so we had a really good run over several years, had a lot of good players that were good friends of mine, and we’re still close today a lot of the guys that were on the team.”
Reacting to the news that someone had etched their name next to his in the record books, Hansen said, “I thought it was pretty cool. All records and all things are meant to be equaled or broken. So, good for him that he’s done that, I believe as a sophomore in high school, so he’s got a couple more years to improve on that.”
