High school boys golf preview
As we prepare for the first high school fall golf season here is a look at the top golfers to watch from CIAC schools. This list does not include golfers whose schools will compete in the spring:
TOP PLAYERS TO WATCH
Dan Casanta, Pomperaug, Jr.: Top returnee for the two-time SWC champion tied for third in last season’s SWC meet and tied for eighth in the CIAC Division II championship.
Marc DeGaetano, New Canaan, Sr.: Tied for 6th in last spring’s Division I meet. Will help the Rams’ chances at an FCIAC repeat.
Alex Elia, Wilton, Sr.: Won the 52nd Borck Junior championship earlier this month on his home course, Silver Spring Country Club. FCIAC Player of the Year and GameTimeCT all-state selection last spring.
Colin Firda, St. Joseph, So.: Teamed with Andrew Flynn to win the Chappa Invitational, then shot 77 to help the Cadets win the Division III championship, the program’s first state championship.
Sam Funk, New Canaan, Sr.: Shot 74 at the FCIAC championship meet to help the Rams win the team title, then shot 79 at the Division I championship meet to help New Canaan place sixth.
Brett Richards, Darien, Sr.: One of the FCIAC’s top returnees shot 75 at the Division I championship meet, good enough for a tie for 12th.
Charles Schrohe, Greenwich, Jr.: Co-medalist at the FCIAC meet (73, Fairchild Wheeler GC) and tied for second at the Division I meet (72, Tallwood CC) to earn a spot on the GameTimeCT all-state team.
Jack Szabo, Pomperaug, Sr.: Placed sixth in the SWC meet at Great River GC (78) and tied for 14th at the Division II championships held at Timberlin GC (77).
STORYLINES
Let the fall season commence: After years and years of surveys and hopes of moving the entire boys golf season to the fall, that hope ended in February of 2020. But the CIAC Board of Control extended an olive branch: those teams/ leagues that wanted to explore the opportunity to move to the fall season could do so. Now, we have 51 teams competing in the fall: the entire FCIAC, SWC and Berkshire League, along with half of the CCC.
Early start, early finish: While all other fall sports begin after Labor Day, the boys golf season begins a week before on Aug. 30. The window to complete the regular season is smaller than the spring due to the potential for bad weather. The two state championship meets will be held Oct. 18. All regularseason meets need to be completed by Oct. 13.
Thrice is nice for Pomperaug: It’s unknown where the South-West Conference tournament will be held, but we know who the favorite will be. Pomperaug won by 32 strokes last spring and return three of the top nine scorers in last year’s meet at Great River GC: Dan Casanta, Luke Brower, and Jack Szabo. There are never any guarantees or sure things, but it’s hard to bet against the Panthers for a three-peat.
Who has a leg up in the FCIAC?: New Canaan returns three key members to attempt to defend its league tournament title: Marc DeGaetano, Sam Funk and Taylor Pinkernell. The Rams look to be the favorite. Charles Schrohe, a GameTimeCT all-state selection last spring, leads Greenwich, the runner-up last year. Darien returns the majority of its team from last year’s third-place finish, Wilton’s Alex Elia should be in the hunt for tournament medalist laurels come October.
Change of heart: If any leagues or teams choose to move seasons again, they can petition the CIAC to return to the spring season, as long as the official request is in by Jan. 1, 2022. Any team or league that decides to switch cannot compete again until the spring of 2023. Also, any team or league requesting to move to the fall season can do so beginning in late August, 2022.
MATCHES TO WATCH
Pomperaug at Masuk, Sept. 1, 3 p.m.: Masuk was the runner-up in the SouthWest Conference tournament last year. Masuk hosts this battle of the Panthers at Whitney Farms GC. Pomperaug is the two-time reigning league champion and now with the golfers coming off a summer of playing instead of a winter of doing very little, it’s going to be hard to catch a Pomperaug off-day.
Greenwich at New Canaan, Sept. 29, 3:15 p.m.: Country Club of New Canaan is the host for this tilt featuring the defending champ (New Canaan) and Greenwich, the former two-time Division I state champion (2018, 2019).
Darien at New Canaan, Oct. 4, 3:15 p.m.: New Canaan gets to host back-toback FCIAC rivals Greenwich and Darien to help determine the league’s regular-season champion.