Woodstock Academy coach Earl Semmelrock had a little playoff during practice early last week at the Quinnatisset Country Club.
The five top finishers in that practice got the honor of playing in the Wildcat Invitational at the Norwich Golf Course May 7.
Ciara McKinnon snuck in by a stroke. Each team was allowed five players in the event, the best four scores counted.
After the first four golfers came in, Bacon Academy was on top.
McKinnon played the last two holes in a bogey and a double bogey to finish with a 62. It was enough to give the Centaurs the 224-232 win over the Bobcats and the first-place finish in the Invite. NFA was third with a 238 followed by E. Lyme at 249.
Senior Katherine Harrington also saved her best for her last Wildcat Invitational as well. Harrington surprised herself a bit since the Norwich Golf Course has been “notoriously tough” on her and her Woodstock Academy teammates.
Harrington finished with a 51, her best-ever performance at the Norwich Golf Course, to capture medalist honors at the event.
“It was awesome,” the senior said of taking home the first-place trophy. “I, obviously, didn’t expect it going into (Tuesday) but doing so in my senior year feels really good. It’s a really great way to finish at this tournament.”
Harrington struggled on the first hole. She hit her tee shot out-of-bounds and had to re-tee. She recovered to finish with a 7 on the hole, but it could have been worse.
Kailey LaChappelle also had her share of struggles on the course, but overcame most to finish with a 53, good for third place overall, just a stroke behind runnerup Taylor Rochette of Bacon Academy. Linda St. Laurent posted a 58 for the Centaurs.
“It was unexpected,” Semmelrock of the first-place finish.  Harrington said it also displayed a little character on the Centaurs part.
The Centaurs came back home May 9 and found the going a little rough against Glastonbury. The Central Connecticut Conference team raised its record to 10-1 with a 182-202 win over Woodstock Academy.
Despite the loss, four golfers scored their individual bests of the season in the match played at the Quinnatisset. St. Laurent led the Centaurs with a 45 while Avery Jones added a 49. McKinnon shot a season-best 54 and Alex Vaida posted a 57 which was also her best effort thus far of the year.
The Centaurs traveled May 10 to the Pakachoag Golf Course in Auburn. The Rockets got a little payback for a six-stroke loss to the Centaurs at Quinnatisset the week before with a five-stroke win on their home course, 199-204. St. Laurent was the only golfer under 50 for the Centaurs who finished the week with a 6-4 overall record. St. Laurent shot a 47 while both Harrington and LaChappelle carded 52s and Jones finished with a 53.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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