This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/28/2021 12:00 AMThe Branford golf team posted an outstanding campaign during the spring of 2021. Relying on a mixture of senior leaders and fresh-faced underclassmen, the Hornets notched a dozen wins on the season and capped off their year with a solid showing at the Division II State Championship.
Branford turned in an overall record of 12-2 for the regular season this year, rattling off a 10-match win streak along the way. Head Coach Jen Kohut’s club used the early portion of the season to go through different combinations of golfers and see which ones would guide the Hornets to their highest level of success.
“They were definitely very young. Even only one senior has played all four years. Losing last year’s competition was tough. I could only imagine where they’d be if we had last year,” said Kohut. “We just tried to figure out what our lineup would be. It changed a lot, and we tried different combinations to see what worked.”
Following the regular season, Branford competed in the SCC Championship and finished in ninth place at the meet. Senior Billy Linder recorded the Hornets’ best score with an 87 for his 18-hole round. Junior Justin Acquarulo and sophomore Colin Deane both shot a 96, sophomore Keegan LaLonde finished with a score of 97, and senior Finn Thompson carded a 104. While Branford didn’t turn in its best performance at SCCs, Coach Kohut is hoping that her returning golfers learned a lot from the experience of playing on the big stage.
“There were just some jitters and nerves. They had some scores that were higher than I’ve seen before,” Kohut said. “I’m anxious for next year, because I know they could play better. I’m hoping this summer they get some tournaments under their belts and are more comfortable in that situation.”
After SCCs, Branford went on to finish in 11th place out of 21 clubs at the Division II Championship. Thompson led the way for the Hornets by finishing in a tie for 35th place with a score of 83. Linder was tied for 44th with an 86, LaLonde tied for 50th with an 87, Acquarulo tied for 58th with an 88, Deane shot a 94 to finish in a tie for 80th place.
Coach Kohut was pleased with how her team rebounded from its performance at SCCs by putting forth a quality performance in the state meet.
“That was absolutely fantastic. It was really great,” said Kohut. “The kids were excited to be in it. To be put in that spot, they did great. There was some disappointment coming off of SCCs, and I think they felt better at states. There’s definitely room to grow.”
Banford’s captains for the season were seniors Luke Albinger, Anna Dendas, and Sean McCarthy. Dendas was the lone senior who competed for the team since freshman year. Branford’s senior class also included Linder, Thompson, Sean McCarthy, and Katherine Parsell.
Coach Kohut was impressed with Thompson’s play during his first season with the team. Kohut said that all of her seniors proved pivotal to Branford’s success this year.
“The leadership they brought was great. They set a solid foundation. They kept the kids together, sent information out, and delivered messages. They all did a great job with that,” Kohut said. “This was Finn’s first year playing, and he ended up in the starting six mix. That was nice to see.”
Acquarulo and LaLonde will serve as Branford’s captains next season. Branford’s other underclassmen for the 2021 campaign were junior Jacob Knapp, sophomore Matthew Morgan, and freshmen Patrick LaLonde and Joseph Robinson. Coach Kohut has high hopes for her returning Hornets. She said they all love being out on the course and should continue to improve as they gain more experience.
“There’s a lot more out there for them. I hope they get out and play as much golf as they can,” said Kohut. “They were a tight group, and they loved to golf. They just couldn’t get enough golf.”
As the Hornets move forward, Coach Kohut is hoping that her golfers can use this year’s accomplishments as a stepping stone for continued success. On the heels of a watershed season, Kohut feels that her team has an excellent understanding of what it takes to succeed in the SCC.
“We want to win our division for sure. The kids now understand what it takes to win the division,” Kohut said. “Golf is a different sport from every other. Wins and losses don’t matter. It’s just your team differential at the end of the day. They started pushing each other to reach that spot.”