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Golf in the spring is never easy.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs boys’ and girls’ golf teams got their first taste of the outdoors on March 19.
When they will be able to set foot on a golf course is another story.
“It’s spring in New England so we have to deal with what we have,” said Centaurs girls’ coach Earl Semmelrock standing on the Woodstock Academy Commons watching his team practice shooting balls into a bucket on a blustery and chilly March afternoon.
Snow still lined the ground behind his players.
Fortunately, it wasn’t feet deep and there was a lot of dormant grass to be seen.
“We’re cautiously optimistic that, because there is only a little bit of snow on the ground that we will have an early opening,” Semmelrock said. “Typically our home course (Quinnatisset Country Club) doesn’t open until the middle to end of April. Maybe that can be sped up, but the good news is that most of our matches in April are away from our home course and the courses along the shoreline in E. Lyme and Norwich will likely be open. We just may be at a deficit if we don’t get much time on the course.”
The Centaurs experienced good turnouts for both the boys’ and girls’ programs and likely were going to have to make some cuts with 20 out for the boys’ team and 22 for the girls.
The Centaurs boys finished with a 14-7 record and tied for second with Stonington in Division II of the Eastern Connecticut Conference with a 7-3 league mark.
Gone from that team, however, is two of its top talents, Jack Gelhaus, who averaged a 40 in dual matches last spring and with a 9-5-3 win/loss record, and Eli Child (12-6-2, 42.8).
Mason Stewart tops the list of returnees.
The senior finished tied for second on the team with a 42.8 dual match stroke average and posted a 13-3-1 record.
Stewart won the Crestview Junior Invitational in Agawam, Mass., over the offseason with a four-over par 76 and took the runner up spot in the Sandri Junior Invitational at Fox Hopyard. He finished tied for first with a 1-over, 72 in that match but lost in the playoff.
Seniors Owen Borski (16-3, 47.5) and Robert Maheu (10-7-1, 50) also return as do juniors Jake Starr (2-3) and Nick Zogrodney (1-2).
Other returnees for the Centaurs include: Aidan Anderson, Eddy Chen, Pan Chrisovechotis, Justin Marcotte, Rockwell Valentine and Grayson Walley. The Centaurs are scheduled to open April 4 at home against E. Lyme.
Centaur Girls’ Team
The Centaurs girls had a bigger than anticipated turnout.
Semmelrock looked over the Commons and saw 22 girls working on their chipping.
“I’m really excited. I wasn’t expecting this many girls to come out,” said senior captain Katherine Harrington.
Semmelrock said the turnout, if it continues, may mean the team will have to make cuts, and while that prospect is never looked forward to, it does show an interest in the program.
The Centaurs finished second in the ECC last year with a 6-2 league record, second to Waterford’s 8-0 mark. The Lancers will not field a girls’ team this season. The Centaurs finished with a 10-7 overall mark.
Gone from that team are Caroline Eaton and Caitlin Cannon.
Harrington is one of the anomalies for Semmelrock who enters his sixth year as head coach of the program — a four-year player.
“Her attendance is impeccable, she strives to get better all the time, and she’s a leader,” Semmelrock said of Harrington.
“It takes a couple of weeks to get in shape,” Harrington said. “Over the winter, I try to get out there and keep my swing together, but it’s going to take a couple of weeks, a little transition, some practice, by the time we get to the course, we’re usually ready to go.”
Harrington said her goal is to win the ECC individual title, get her average to around 50 per nine-hole match and get someone from the team to qualify for state competition.
Off the course, Harrington has other hopes.
“I want to get really close to the team, be a good captain, and get to know all my teammates,” she said.
The Centaurs also return ECC All-Star Kailey LaChappelle.
The sophomore finished third in the ECC championship match last season with a 45 to earn All-Star status.
Juniors Linda St. Laurent, who shot a 50 in the ECC championship, and Avery Jones (54) also return.
Newcomers include Olivia Ott, Ciara MacKinnon, Rachel Roberts, and Maria Santucci.
“We want to win the ECC, which should be attainable; we only lost last year by (5 strokes). I would love to see an individual, if not the whole team, qualify for states. We’ve been knocking on the door for a number of years and just can’t seem to bust it down. Maybe this will be the year,” Semmelrock said.
The Centaurs girls’ golf team is scheduled to open April 8 against E. Lyme at the Old Lyme Country Club.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
Boys’ golf schedule
Date Opponent(s) Time/Location
Apr. 4 E. Lyme 3 p.m. / Home
Apr. 9 Killingly 3 p.m. / Home
Apr. 11 Griswold 3 p.m. / Away
Apr. 22 Plainfield, Putnam 3 p.m./ Home
Apr. 23 NFA 3 p.m. / Home
Apr. 25 Waterford 3 p.m./ Home
Apr. 30 New London 3 p.m./ Away
May 2 Tourtellotte 3 p.m./ Home
May 6 Wildcat Invite (at Norwich) TBA/ Away
May 8 NFA, Old Lyme 3 p.m./ Away
May 9 Stonington 3 p.m. / Away
May 13 Killingly 3 p.m. / Away
May 16 Waterford 3 p.m./ Away
May 20 E. Lyme, Morgan 3 p.m./ Away
May 21 Stonington 3 p.m./ Home
May 23 Tourtellotte 3 p.m./ Away
Girls’ golf schedule
Date Opponent (s) Time/Location
Apr. 8 E. Lyme 3 p.m. / Old Lyme
Apr. 10 NFA 3 p.m./ Norwich GC
Apr. 15 NW Catholic, E. Hartford 3 p.m./ Wampanoag CC
Apr. 24 Bacon Academy 3 p.m. / Chanticlair GC
Apr. 30 Glastonbury 3 p.m. / Glastonbury Hills
May 1 Suffield 3 p.m. / Copper Hill GC
May 9 Glastonbury 3 p.m. / Home
May 15 E. Lyme 3 p.m. / Home
May 16 Suffield 3 p.m. / Home
May 22 Bacon Academy 3 p.m. / Home
May 23 NFA 3 p.m./ Home
May 28 NFA 3 p.m. / Away
May 30 ECC Championship TBA/ Home
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