Williston Golf Teams Enjoy Mid-Season Winning Streaks

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Jacob Zaranek ’17 of South Deerfield was match medalist with a 37 last Wednesday vs Pomfret and WMA.

Williston’s Boys and Girls Varsity Golf teams have been  playing well below par in recent weeks—and in golf, that’s a good thing.

After a slow start to the season, which saw both teams’ records hover around .500, the Boys (9-3) have won 9 of their last 10 matches—narrowly losing to NMH by two strokes in the loss—while the Girls (7-3) are  carrying a four-match winning streak into this week’s matches.

Boys Head Coach Mike Fay spoke about his team’s talent. “They seem to be living up to their expectations as we hit mid-season. For the first time in my time coaching the Varsity team, we have a 9-hole team match average below 40 strokes,” he said.

Coach Fay added that a great team effort has also been a key to their success this spring. “We have had several players who earned match medalist this season, like Jacob Zaranek ’17, Jack Phelan ’18, and Tyler Senecal ’19, and we have also had consistently strong play from Nick Randolph ’17, Owen Randolph ’19, and Junya Ozaki ’18.”

Ozaki, a sophomore who comes from a family of accomplished professional golfers, echoed Coach Fay’s point about a harmonious and hard-working group. “Our team has been doing so well this season. We focus on every single practice and help each other as one.”  Phelan, a junior from East Longmeadow, also highlighted the team’s camaraderie. “I feel comfortable playing with, and for, my teammates, and that defiantly helps me play my best.”

As a result of the team’s strong play this season, they have enjoyed big wins over Avon Old Farms, Loomis, and Deerfield, who are typically among the top teams in New England.

Coach Fay said he feels confident about the remaining weeks of the season. “It should be an exciting second half,” he said, “and we feel capable of challenging for the season-ending Kingswood Invitational Tournament championship.”

Right now the Wildcats look forward to a rematch against Suffield this Wednesday. Suffield beat Williston by  two strokes in the first match of the season.

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Sabrina Sampson ’16 shot a career-low 36 against Westminster!

While strong team play has also been a key to the Girls’ success this season, it has been the exceptional play of senior Sabrina Sampson that has led the Wildcats to wins over Hotchkiss, Loomis, Miss Porter’s, and Westminster over the past week.

Sampson shot a career-low 38 in her match against Loomis and Miss Porter’s on April 27, only to break her record in the very next match against Westminster, shooting an astounding 36.

Sampson highlighted the team’s  growing confidence as a key factor in its recent success. “I think it took a little while for the team to get going, and we all had to build confidence and prove to ourselves that we could win,” she said. “Once we all started improving, the team as a whole has been on a winning streak ever since.  In one of our earlier matches this season, we lost to Loomis, but we recently beat them, which was a great accomplishment for us.”

Head Coach Ann Pickrell praised her team’s improvement over the past month. “Everyone has worked hard on their swing at the practice range and improved their short game and course management,” she said. “As a result of their hard work, three players had their career-low rounds in our most recent match at Southampton Country Club of 36, 40, and 44; quite an improvement for the month of April.”

Coach Pickrell is optimistic about the  final weeks of the season. “All of our golfers are playing their best golf of the season,” she said. Girls Varsity Golf will travel to Westminster on Wednesday in hopes of extending its winning streak when the team takes on Choate, Loomis, and Westminster. Good luck, Wildcat golfers!

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