GENERAL BRAXTON
Saratoga’s Braxton has sights set on collegiate national championship
SARATOGASPRINGS, NY » Word was traveling quickly last Saturday through Van Patten Golf Course on the kind of dayWill Braxton was having. The Saratoga senior was leaving nothing on the table in the final match of his varsity career.
“For me, it was all a bonus. Therewas a time over the summer, where there was a big spike in cases, that I didn’t think we’d even be back in school,” Braxton said. “To finish the season with the team championship and shooting 63 to finishmy high school career, it was a great day and it was awesome. I got to play with a great group of teammates, Coach Zanetti was awesome and I had a lot of fun this season.”
The Suburban Council Tournament wasn’t the last time Braxton will play competitive team golf and he now has his sights set on a much greater prize.
The Blue Streaks star senior golfer is committed to play golf atWashington and Lee University next year, in Lexington, Virginia.
“Washington and Lee was a
school that I was fortunate enough to visit, back in February before the pandemic. I really had a good sense of what the school has to offer. I have a really good relationship with the coach. When it came down to it and had to make the decision, I really felt like it was the best fit for me. It was the place that I could see myself at, even if I didn’t have golf which was a really big factor.”
Braxton doesn’t yet have a major picked out, but he has begun to let big goals for the next four years.
“I’m very excited about being there next year and I think the group we’re going to have under Coach [Pete] Gyscek is going to have a good chance of winning a national championship in the years to come.”
It was in late August, a time where much was still uncertain about high school sports, that Braxton made the call to become a General.
“I think knowing that I was going to have more team golf in the future made it so when we did have a high school season, it was all an added bonus and that it wasn’t a last resort,” he said.
As September 21 came closer, it became apparent that there would be a 2020 golf season, but Braxton and his teammates weren’t aware there would be a championship tournament until two weeks before.
“If you toldme the day before that Iwas going to shoot 63, I would have looked at you funny,” Braxton said of his performance, which was nine-under par. Although, he was quick to give credit to his teammates in their overall team championship.
“As much as the seniors contributed, a huge reason we did so well as a team is because of those underclassmen. Kellen Dean, Carter Sica, Charlie Blake, Chaz Colucci, they all contributed tremendously this fall. There were a lot of matches where Kellen and Carter were the co-medalists.”
On Saturday, Braxton spent his day with three other golfers from around
Suburban Council, including Connie van Epps from CBA, Travis Taylor from Columbia and Aidan Campbell from Shenendehowa.
“Heading into the tournament, I wouldn’t say that I had a number in mind. I knew if I did everything right and played well that I would shoot under par. I played well and was making some putts. Pretty quickly, I got to a point where I was 5-under through seven holes. At that point I knew I had something going and I wanted to try to get as far under as I could.”
Braxton led the rest of the Suburban Council field by a total of eight strokes, leading the pack in a match that was never really close.
“The gap on the field that Will was able to create was extremely impressive,” said Saratoga coach Jake Zanetti. “Everyone I’ve talked to over the last few days in and around Section 2 golf haven’t ever seen anything like it. Everyone knew he was capable of a low-round, but I think Will may have even surprised himself. His commitment to the game and work ethic is top-notch.”
Braxton talked aboutwhat conversations were like in his group as he continued to get further and further under par.
“As we worked our way through, I’d keep making birdies and they’d look over and say ‘are you kidding me, man?’ It was a fun day out there for sure,” he said. “We had a really good time out there. Everyone in the group was a fast player, which definitely helped. I’m thankful that I was not only able to start theway that I did, but to finish the way I did as well.”
In the immediate future, Braxton is going to attempt to learn how to play tennis next spring and is looking forward to finishing his time as a Blue Streak. He’s also thinking a bit further into the future as well.
“I think the biggest goal for the next four years is going to try to win a national championship as a teamwith the guys down there in Lexington. To do that, I’m going to have to put in a lot more work intomy own game, which I’ll do this winter with my coach Anders Mattson. I owe a lot of credit to him for helping me get to where I am today.”