By Ken Morse, Citizen’s News
WATERTOWN — The Naugatuck and Woodland golf teams ended the season on a high note at the NVL golf championship June 3 at the Watertown Country Club.
Only three schools — Watertown, St. Paul and Holy Cross — competed for the NVL team championship, which St. Paul won with a score of 344.
Teams throughout the league, though, sent golfers to shoot 18 holes and vie for individual glory. Matt Downes of St. Paul shot the best round of the day at one over par 72.
Woodland and Naugatuck each had one player break the 100 mark.
Woodland junior Mark Barbarito finished tenth with a round of 91.
“Mark really had a good day out there finishing in the top ten,” Woodland head coach Bill Carangelo said. “We had a tough season being such a young team. But this really gives us something to build on with Mark being only a junior and will be back next year to lead the team.”
Woodland senior Ryan Bucciferro shot a 109. Bucciferro and Albert Marchant were the only seniors on the squad this year.
“We knew going into the season that is was going to be a rebuilding year. Mark was only able to play a few matches for us. But we should have a more experienced group next year and we are looking forward to it,” Carangelo said.
Naugatuck junior Logan McKinney led the Naugy trio at the championship with a round of 98. Senior Ryan Hunt (All-NVL) shot a 108 and sophomore Vin Ferrucci finished with a 110 for Naugatuck, which ended the regular season with back-to-back wins.
“We finished on a high note winning the last two matches,” Naugatuck head coach Peter Kovalski said. “I had set a challenge to the team a few weeks ago and set a goal to shoot a personal-best round before the season ended, and they did just that.”
Kovalski said there were a lot of positives to look back on this season, including a 35-stroke improvement over the course of the year.
“But to come out here and compete against the rest of the league for 18 holes at a great course like Watertown Country Club and to do as well as they did, it’s certainly a great way to finish the season,” he said.
The Greyhounds will only lose Hunt to graduation.
“We have a good solid group of players who gained experience and confidence, and now it’s up to them with how much work they put in over the summer to get better,” Kovalski said.
