Massachusetts golfers sweep New England titles
Wilton’s Elia low player from Connecticut
BALTIC — It was a clean sweep for Massachusetts in the first New England golf championship held during the fall season.
Joey Lenane from Xaverian Brother High in Massachusetts, fired a 2-underpar 70 to earn medalist laurels in the 30th New England Interscholastic Golf Championship held at the Mohegan Sun Golf Club on Monday.
“It was pretty straightforward. The only thing that was tough was the greens. They have a good amount of slope and some tough spots,” said Lenane, who has committed to play college golf at N.C. State. “I like to play in the wind. It separates the field a little bit. It’s more fun to play.”
Lillian Gulleserian, a 14-year-old freshman from Westwood High in Massachusetts, posted a 1-overpar 73 to earn medalist laurels.
“It sounds really good (to be the New England champion). I was happy with the way I played today,” Gulleserian said. “I was aiming to win, but it is a little surprising.”
Alex Elia from Wilton was the low player from Connecticut, shooting a 3-over 75 on a sunny, windy day at the Mohegan Sun GC, making for some tough conditions.
“I think it was a little colder and definitely a little windier (than two weeks ago in the Division I state championship meet),” Elia said. “I’ve never seen this course, it’s pretty tight, you have to hit it on line. You really have to make sure you are striking your irons well and I did that for the majority of today. There were a couple that got away, but that’s golf.”
The two-time FCIAC Player of the Year, Elia said he plans to make his college decision in the very near future.
“In the coming weeks I have to make a decision,” Elia said. “It flew by for me, the switch to the fall and not having a season (2020), they always say it (high school career) flies by, but I took that granted. Then it flew by
faster than it did for other people.”
Connecticut completed its first season splitting the state’s golf teams, with 51 of them moving to the fall for the first time.
The New England championship has been played the past 24 years in June at Bretwood GC in Keene, New Hampshire (not in either 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The first New England meet was held in Connecticut in 1991 at the Lyman Orchards Jones Course in Middlefield, then the following year at Tallwood CC in Hebron.
Donn Friedmann, executive director of the Council of New England Secondary Schools Principals’ Association, hopes the championship remains at the Mohegan Sun GC. There is not an agreement beyond this year.
“We’re hopeful the people here at Mohegan Sun will welcome us back if we are all in agreement to do so,” said Friedmann, a Colchester resident. “For 24 years, we did not have to think about where to go. It’s not an easy tournament to host, to keep the cost down for the athletes and the schools.”
Friedmann said the club waived the greens fees for each participant.
Connecticut’s girls golf teams remained in the spring. But there were two participants at Monday’s meet because they play for boys teams. That included Brooke Zajac from Southington, who tied for 15th with an 86.
Zim McAuliffe (Housatonic Regional) and Angad Manaise (Westhill) were the next-best state finishers, tying for ninth place with 76. Will Gregware from Conard (77) tied for 11th place and Robbie Sluga (St. Joseph and Dan Casanta (Pomperaug) tied for 14th (78) and 17th (79), respectively.