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05/21/2014 12:00 AMIn a new season under a newly realigned SCC, the Guilford versus Hand golf rivalry still brings out the best between competitors.
The match on May 12 at the Madison Country Club was no different with Hand earning a 147-160 victory as Guilford improved by a stroke on its initial meeting just five days prior when the Tigers scratched out a 149-161 decision on that afternoon. Despite the loss, Head Coach Art Fonicello was quite pleased with the Indians notching their second-lowest total for the spring.
"You know 160 is a good score for us. You figure in playing Shelton [who was playing a makeup match with Hand that Guilford wasn't involved in] and Hand, two great teams, that it's nice to put up a good score versus two good teams," said Fonicello. "Obviously, we aren't in their caliber, but you have to concentrate on your own game, and I'm glad to see the kids not fall apart versus good competition."
The Indians are now in Tier 2 of Division I of the SCC (that includes Notre Dame-West Haven, Shelton, Hamden, and North Haven) with the old divisions of the Hammonasset, Oronoque, Housatonic, and Quinnipiac gone in favor of a two-division league with two tiers of each division. Even with the changes and Guilford battling newer and tougher adversaries, Fonicello welcomes the realignment.
"It's good for us; the kids are focusing in on moving their stroke average. It's not about winning and losing matches," said Fonicello. "We know we will lose our fair share of matches this year, so it's good to see them practicing after matches are done and trying to get even better. In the long run, it might not be as cool as being 15-5 or 18-3, but it will be better for the program."
Hand (10-1-1) was led by senior Brian Carlson with his one-under-par 33, and his counterpart in the No. 1 spot of the lineup was senior Jamie Webb, shooting a 40. Webb started with a double bogey before shooting par on the next pair of holes. He then shot one-over on four of the next five prior to ending his day with a par-three on the ninth.
Rounding out the Tigers on the day was junior Tommy Pellatt (38), plus seniors John Collins (39) and Sam Jablonski (41), while the Indians' scorers were sophomores Ethan Bedell (38), Aidan Kellaher and Ben Fazzina (each earning a 41), along with senior Sienna Fucci (42).
"All around, I'd say I was putting really well, so that helped me a lot," said Bedell. "For me, I started off shaky this year, but I've been picking it up recently, and the team is also doing well I would say. We lost a lot of players from last year, but we are picking it up now this year. We just have to keep doing what we are doing. We've been playing better lately, so we have to keep doing that and we should be alright at the end."
Guilford (5-9) then dropped a 149-158 decision to Shelton on May 14. Scoring for the Indians were Bedell (37), Kellaher (39), Webb (40), and senior Jeff Tucker (42). They then fell to North Haven the next day by a 165-180 margin. Representing Guilford on that day were Webb (38), Kellaher (44), sophomore Steve Thibault, and Tucker (both shooting 49).
As the regular season winds down, Guilford now focuses on Tuesday, May 27 with the SCC Championship at Racebrook Country Club in Orange at 8 a.m. in which the conference's top nine teams based on lowest stroke average qualify. The Indians are currently in that last spot and Fonicello added that his team needs to just concern themselves with the final tallies down the stretch to lock down that No. 9 slot.
"We are just hoping to qualify for SCCs right now. We are right around that ninth spot and it's between us and a couple other teams so, hopefully, we will make it," said Fonicello. "It comes down to what we shoot these next few matches."