Jefferson’s varsity golf team defeated Justice High School 156-186 in their senior night game on Sept. 6. 

Although the team managed to secure a win, team captain and senior Nathan Cheng believes that he could have done better individually.

“My senior night performance was the worst performance I’ve ever had, including freshman year. It was an absolute disaster,” Cheng said.

Despite his disappointment, Cheng was excited about the team’s victory and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere of the game.

“Golf is mainly an individual sport, so it’s all about making it more of a team experience. Everyone on the team is really close, and we all try to come together and have fun,” Cheng said.

One way the team promotes a sense of community is through senior night, which is an event that honors the seniors and their time on the team. Along with Cheng, the team celebrated seniors Viraj Bala, Patrick Gaucher, Allen Huo, Jason Lee, Neel Sharma and Kevin Sridhar.

“For golf senior night, it’s usually pretty casual. We take pictures, have fun and just talk to each other,” Cheng said. “We also all buy gifts for the coach, and some of us will go eat dinner together when the game’s done.”

After winning on senior night, the team hopes to continue their strong performance in their remaining games against John R. Lewis High School and Annandale High School before heading to districts.

“Right now, we’re getting ready for districts. Everyone is working really hard, so hopefully we can do really well,” sophomore Marina Lin said.

Cheng is also optimistic about the team’s prospects and hopes to finish the season on a high note. 

“Overall, we’re looking really good this year. I think we can potentially make it to states, because we have some top players. I’m really excited to see what our team has in store,” Cheng said.

For Cheng, these last few games of the season also mark the bittersweet ending of his time on the golf team.

“It’s kind of nostalgic, since it’s been four long years. I came in as a 5’2″ freshman, and now I’m a senior and passing it on to the next generation,” Cheng said.

Even though his journey has been full of ups and downs, Cheng will always treasure the memories he made.

“I have had a lot of choke moments and been sad, but the times I remember most are the dinners and practices we had together, the pushups we did together and the overall fun we had together,” Cheng said.