High school preview: Boys, girls golfers to watch this spring
The boys and girls golf season is hoping to get underway this week. Here’s a short preview and players to watch lists:
Boys Golf
Norwich Free Academy coach Bill Howard begins his 28th season with the Wildcats.
“I expect to be competitive,” Howard said. “(Nick) Wigfield and (Tyler) Hollis have the potential to be two of the better players in the conference, while the other starters have vastly improved and will be solid contributors.”
Killingly alum Jeff Clang replaces Kevin Marcoux, who is in his first year as the athletic director at East Lyme, and is aiming to continue the amazing success Marcoux had while building Killingly into a perennial ECC and state championship contenders.
“We’re going to compete for a fourth straight ECC tournament title and continue the winning tradition of Killingly High School boys golf,” Clang said.
Plainfield also has a new coach as girls basketball assistant coach Brett Weldy takes the helm this spring.
“Our big goal is to compete for the division championship,” Weldy said. “We want to improve in all aspects surrounding golf.”
In the Connecticut Technical Conference, Norwich Tech’s Wallace Anderson (fifth year) is looking for the Warriors to be competitive in their conference while looking to qualify for the CIAC state championships, while Ellis Tech’s Roger DeGray (ninth year) returns just two players (Jarrett Towne and Jacob Stone) with match experience.
“Other players have shown plenty of improvement but will have to become more consistent in order for us to do well in conference play,” DeGray said.
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Boys Golfers to Watch
Harrison Allard, Senior (Killingly), Jaun Bernal, Senior (Ellis Tech), Derek Cobb, Senior (Norwich Tech), Jack Gahrman, Senior (Norwich Tech), Mason Gardner, Senior (Norwich Tech), Kane Geddis, Sophomore (Killingly), James Herman, Sophomore (Plainfield), Tyler Hollis, Freshman (Norwich Free Academy), Cooper Kilpatrick, Sophomore (Norwich Free Academy), Will Kotcher, Senior (Plainfield), Keegan Lyons, Senior (Ellis Tech), Layne O'Leary, Senior (Killingly), Liam O'Neil, Senior (Norwich Free Academy), Tyler Parmentier, Senior (Ellis Tech), Trent Pichie, Junior (Killingly), Marcelo Raposo, Sophomore (Norwich Free Academy), Linus Savoie, Sophomore (Plainfield), Sebastien Sierakowski, Sophomore (Killingly), Brayden Staskivitch, Senior (Plainfield), Jacob Stone, Junior (Ellis Tech), Jarrett Towne, Senior (Ellis Tech), Nick Wigfield, Junior (Norwich Free Academy), Colin Williams, Junior (Plainfield).
Girls Golf
Norwich Free Academy head coach Jessica Chapman returns for her second year (after a leave of absence last spring). After spending several years as an assistant coach with Bill Howard, Chapman led the Wildcats to the ECC championship in 2022.
“We have our set on an ECC championship,” Chapman said. “The team has several young, up-and-comers, who will see substantial playing time to continue growing the program.”
Matt Tocchio begins his first season with the Killingly/Ellis Tech cooperative program. The team has grown from three to six golfers and will compete this spring as a team that could qualify for the ECC and state tournaments.
Killingly will be led by sophomore Mackenzie Pothier, the defending ECC tournament individual champion.
“We expect to compete with the best teams in the ECC,” Tocchio said. “Mackenzie, Kendra (St. Marie), and Sadie (Murray) all have good chances to take the top spot at the ECC tournament.”
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Girls Golfers to Watch
Caroline Goderre, Sophomore (Norwich Free Academy), Sadie Murray, Junior (Killingly/Ellis Tech), Erin O'Farrell, Junior (Norwich Free Academy), Mackenzie Pothier, Sophomore (Killingly/Ellis Tech), Kendra St. Marie, Junior (Killingly/Ellis Tech), Madeline Smith, Senior (Norwich Free Academy).
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: High school preview: Boys, girls golfers to watch
