Preview – Girls’ Golf
Centaurs golf with good
numbers this spring
One never knows about the weather in New England. Sometimes, golf teams have not even been out on the golf course as of yet at this time of year.
Not the case in 2025.
“The weather has been OK,” said Woodstock Academy girls’ golf coach Earl Semmelrock.” It has been cooperative. We started about a week ago and we had one day inside and five days outside. (The) Woodstock (Golf Course) is very good to us in terms of letting us use the facility and range balls. We’re, at least, out here swinging and we have a week to put together a team for our first match.”
Fortunately, the Centaurs will not be scrounging around for additional athletes as the numbers are better than the previous two years.
The Centaurs had only six golfers last year but only Isabella Siwko graduated from that group.
The Centaurs have five returning varsity players in senior Bella Mawson, junior Lilliana Moran, and sophomores Reagan Scheck, Isabelle Tedisky and Sophia Giourelis.
Sophomore Finley Hamilton and freshmen Colbie O’Connor and Elizabeth Thomas will round out the varsity unit to start.
“I’m very excited. We recruited so many girls, got them interested in the sport and I am feeling very optimistic about this year,” said Scheck who will serve as captain.
Why are more athletes coming out?
“It’s a growing sport. More girls are learning about it. My uncle got me into the sport,” said Moran.
And some have been prepping for this season over the winter even though the golf courses are closed.
They went indoors to play on golf simulators.
“I have been doing so much and to be out here now, I’m just really happy. I want to make the States as an individual this year and get into the 30’s. I know I was in the 40’s a year ago but I think I can do a lot better,” Scheck said.
Semmelrock said he thinks all five returning starters have improved over a year ago. The five freshmen who have come out are also showing potential, at least, on the driving range.
The Centaurs finished 5-11 as a team last year and Semmelrock believes that mark can be eclipsed this year. He would also like to see the Centaurs compete for the Eastern Connecticut Conference regular season title which was won by Killingly last year. Norwich Free Academy was the league’s tournament champion.
“The ECC is getting better, Semmelrock said. “You are seeing more girls participate. A few new names come up every year, NFA and East Lyme both have some good golfers and I think Reagan is good. The talent seems to be improving. It’s a work in progress but it seems to be headed in the right direction.”
There is also a new team in the league. Putnam and Tourtellotte have formed a cooperative Quinebaug Valley program.
At the start of the season, the goal is always the same: Get the girls to hit the ball consistently and in the right direction.
“I’ve been playing a lot of bogey golf and if I could just get a few more pars, it would be a lot easier for my score to go down,” Scheck said.
“I’ve been working on my driver most because I have been slicing it a lot and working on my putting. The team has got a lot better from last year and the new players are pretty good too,” Moran added.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
.
caption:
Top: Bella Mawson, the only senior on the girls’ golf team, tees it up. Sophomore Reagan Scheck, who Woodstock Academy coach Earl Semmelrock considers to be one of the better players in the ECC, tees off during practice.Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.