CIAC BOYS GOLF

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 BOYS GOLFERS TO WATCH

Dan Casanta, Pomperaug, Jr.: Top returnee for the twotime 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.

Charlie Dolan, Glastonbury, Sr.: Tied for ninth at the Division I championship, then tied for 14th at the State Open a few days later.

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.

Connor Goode, Glastonbury, Sr.: Shot 72 to tie for second at the Division I state meet. Won the State Junior Amateur at Watertown GC.

William Gregware, Conard, So.: Shot 69 at Stanley GC to earn medalist laurels at the CCC meet, then tied for sixth place at the Division I meet to earn GameTimeCT all-state honors.

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.

Caleb Smith, Farmington, So.: Shot 75 at Tallwood CC to place seventh in the Division I state championship meet.

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 regular-season 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 South-West 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.

Avon Invitational at Blue Fox Run GC, Sept. 17, 11:30 a.m.: This event moves to the fall with Avon and the rest of the top Central Connecticut Conference teams. Litchfield, last year’s Berkshire League champion, is also competing.

Conard vs. Farmington, Sept. 22-23, 3 p.m.: The two CCC foes square off on back-to-back days, first at Rockledge GC in West Hartford, then at Tunxis CC in Farmington. Conard returns Will Gregware, last year’s medalist in the CCC tournament, while Farmington returns both Caleb Smith and Michael Guerrera.

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-to-back FCIAC rivals Greenwich and Darien to help determine the league’s regular-season champion.