The Cape Henlopen High School golf team began its Henlopen Conference title defense from last year with a flourish March 25.
The Vikings defeated the Caesar Rodney Riders 168-180 on the par-36 front nine at Rehoboth Beach Country Club.
The victory marked the first time since 2003 that Cape beat CR in a regular-season golf match, back to when two-time state champion Tyler Wittman led the Vikings to the win in his senior year. Cape’s record of continual futility is unmatched against any other golf team the Vikings have ever played.
In other respects, this opening contest was typical for Cape, especially for home openers at RBCC. The temperature hovered around 46 degrees, with a wind chill making it feel like the mid-30s. The damp and occasional 20-mph gusts blowing in from Rehoboth Bay did not help.
Seniors Kingston Davis and Ryan McNett earned co-medalist honors with a pair of 41s. An eagle on the par-5 fourth hole was Davis’s highlight of the day. “The wind was with us, and I had a hundred yards in for my second shot,” he said.
McNett made no secret of his preference for warmer playing conditions. “I couldn’t feel my hands the last few holes,” he said. “I just need to get back into the swing of things.”
Junior Gabby Hamstead finished third for Cape with her 42, only a stroke higher than her 41 in the team’s opening match in 2025, which took place in much better weather. “My irons felt good,” she said. Hamstead also made four pars for her round.
Senior Cameron Hartstein completed the team scoring with his 44. The match was his very first varsity match for the team, after a year playing on the reserve squad in 2025. Several family members were also present to see him compete. “It went better than I expected, honestly,” he said.
Fletcher Austin and Nathaniel Clark tied for best among the Riders with a pair of 44s.
Sophomore Jack Tunnell finished fifth for the Vikings, a stroke behind Hartstein’s 44. Some early struggles were offset by three straight pars he made to finish his round. Junior Cooper Forcucci finished his very first varsity match with a 47. He pointed to putting issues as the best explanation for what he considered a disappointing round.
Vikings head golf coach Bill Geppert said, “Brutal conditions today. I’m proud of how our team played. They had some tough shots, they made them, and they did what they needed to do to get the job done.”
The Vikings’ next match is an away contest at Southern Delaware Golf Club Thursday, April 2, against Milford, just before spring break.
Sussex Academy wins first match
The Sussex Academy golf team won its first match of the 2026 season with a 163-194 victory over Milford High School March 24 at Southern Delaware Golf Club.
Competing on the front nine, junior Ryan Dostal won medalist honors with his 3-over par 39. Three sophomores completed the team scoring for the Seahawks. Nicholas DeEmedio shot 41, Ryan Kline shot a 42, and Bodhin Williams posted a 43.
Milford senior Dominic Ortiz led his Buccaneers squad with a 43.
The Seahawks’ next scheduled match was a March 26 trip to Hooper’s Landing GC to face Laurel High.
Duca Del Cosma
I made a return stop at the Duca Del Cosma booth at the 2026 PGA Show to see what’s new with the European shoemaker.
For over 20 years, this Dutch-owned company put Italian leather into the capable hands of Portuguese craftsmen to create beautiful leather golf shoes. More recently, it also introduced recyclable microfiber materials from Asia for the uppers, presenting nice looks at a somewhat lower price point.
I again met Evelien Lauwers, the Dutch company’s manager director for North America and global sales. She showed me a few of their newest candidates for fashion-friendly golfers.
The Amantea ($209 SRP) features the microfiber on top and finished with leather highlights. Lauwers said it uses the company’s new Air Play Venezia spikeless outsole design, making it easy to transition from the course to regular wear.
In the men’s category, she expects the microfiber Osimo model ($209) to do well this season. In part her optimism comes from the white version, because its green accents and heel element match the colors seen each spring at a certain Augusta, Georgia golf course that people seem to like.
Lauwers also said the Vieste model ($199 SRP) should appeal to women who enjoy a sneaker look for the golf shoes instead of the more formal designs.
Lauwers reacted firmly when I asked about the effect of the new U.S. tariffs on its business. As she described it, last year’s back-and-forth over how much tariff would be charged caused significant uncertainty when deciding when or even if to bring product in from overseas, over and above the tariffs’ bottom-line impact.
If the tariff rate stabilizes, however, the company can more easily deal with it along with the other costs of doing business internationally.