By Greg Fennell
Soft spikes, collared shirt and either shorts or slacks will draw a nod of approval from any golf course professional. Lab coats? Not so much.
Those are for folks who experiment, but they may be necessary with a couple of the Upper Valley’s Vermont-based golf teams this spring. Hartford has tasked Mike Hathorn and Bill Veilleux — Hurricane graduates and both good amateur golfers — to start the Hurricanes on a path back to Division I contention. Woodstock’s Jim Gunnare doesn’t have a lot back from last year’s state finalists, but he’s inherited a huge influx of hockey-influence newcomers interested in seeing if they can be successful holding a different kind of stick.
Rivendell possesses the area’s highest hope. A year after giving up ownership of the Vermont Division III state title after a two-spring run, the Raptors have one of their larger rosters in memory, with the plan of riding last year’s memory for fourth at states to a higher plane.
The state boys golf championship returns to its former longtime home, Middlebury College’s Ralph Myhre Golf Course, on June 8.
The girls will stage their finals at Randolph’s Montague Golf Club on June 7.
A capsule look at the area’s teams:
Coach: Mike Hathorn (1).
Last Year: Missed state tournament.
League: Vermont Division I, south district.
Home Course: Quechee Club, Quechee.
Returnees: Seniors — Sam Dwyer, Brandon Chiasson.
Newcomers: Senior — Bryce Landon. Juniors — Julia Nulty, J.D. Hawks, Jack Heller, Conor Joyce. Sophomores — Cory Ouellette, Ben Healy, Kobe Labonte, Kody Wessel.
Etc.: Mike Hathorn takes over as coach for his brother, Roy, who held the reins the past 11 years. Former Hartford sports standout Bill Veilleux, also a talented amateur golfer like the Hathorns, joins as an assistant coach.
Analysis: While nothing about them says mad scientist, that just might be the approach Hathorn and Vielleux will take this spring. It’s been a while since Hartford has made states, and the south’s small roster of D-I schools means only two schools will advance from the region anyway. Only two Hurricanes have such experience, “so this will be a year to get some different rotations on the course and see what happens,” Hathorn said. “Our team strength is that we have a great group of kids that enjoy practicing. … We look to rebuild the program back to the teams we had in the past competing for state championships.”
Coaches: Gary Ott and Kent Dahlberg (10).
Last Year: Qualified for states, finishing fifth.
League: Vermont Division III, south district.
Home Course: Quechee Club, Quechee.
Returnees: Senior — Catherine Haas.
Newcomers: Seniors — Claire Alden, Anna Seale. Sophomore — Nate Twarog. Freshman — Seth Elifritz. Eighth grade — Chloe Alden, Hunter Cooper, Tommy Gong, Cade Paquette, Dylan Patel, Sam Twarog.
Analysis: As they ascended the D-III ladder, the Eagles could always count on at least one or two serious golfers as anchors. Not anymore: Haas is the only MVCS golfer with any experience. However, with six eighth-graders and enough girls to field their own team, if they wish, the Eagles have a bright future. “Realistically, our boys varsity team this spring is TBD; I’d anticipate Hunter Cooper, Cade Paquette, Dylan Patel, Seth Elifritz, Nate Twarog and Sam Twarog,” Dahlberg noted. “But that is an early estimate, and all of these kids are pretty green.”
Coach: Anthony Stevens (3).
Last Year: Missed state team tournament. Senior Chase Andrews qualified as an individual and placed 14th.
League: Vermont Division II, north district.
Home Course: Bradford Golf Club, Bradford, Vt.
Returnees: Seniors — Jon Clements, Mick Johnson.
Newcomers: Senior — Montana Miller. Freshmen — Evan Flaherty, Emerson Burns.
Analysis: The Olympians will seek to rebuild after losing Andrews, Matt Thompson and Miles Garone to graduation. Clements and Johnson will provide the leadership, Miller has some experience on the links, and Flaherty and Burns are showing a desire to learn. Stevens: “The team is hoping to be competitive this year in Division II and focus on improving short-term goals with long-term vision.”
Coach: Justin Bonnett (10).
Last Year: Ended two-year state championship run with fourth-place finish at Green Mountain National.
League: Vermont Division III, south district.
Home Course: Lake Morey Country Club, Fairlee.
Returnees: Seniors — Sam Kamel, Ryan Landgraf, Jake Perkins. Sophomores — Jake Kamel, Will Ussler, Zackery Peebles, Kyle Gelenian, Noah Martel.
Newcomers: Freshmen — Sam Suprenant, Tanner Siemons, Isaac Martel.
Analysis: Even with significant graduation losses the last two seasons, the Raptors were only eight shots away from a championship three-peat last June. With the entire 2015 back and growing depth in the program, Bonnett — the longtime assistant pro at Lake Morey — can look toward this season with confidence. “Despite my three seniors, we are relatively inexperienced on the back end,” Bonnett said. “In a way, it will help to create some competitive qualifying. … It’s been pretty remarkable for me to watch Jake Perkins, Sam Kamel and Ryan Landgraf grow throughout the last three seasons. I have come to expect them to be positive role models while taking the program to new heights.”
Coach: Pat Allen (3).
Last Year: Team missed qualifying for states by four strokes. Senior Brian Meagher represented the Yellowjackets as individual.
League: Vermont Division III.
Home Course: John P. Larkin Country Club, Windsor.
Returnees: Senior — River Merriam. Junior — Ben Thornton. Sophomore — Jacob Curtis.
Newcomers: Seniors — Mike Bradley, Tanner Fitzherbert. Junior — Caleb Harrington. Sophomore — Ben Meagher.
Analysis: After nearly making states, the Jacks will try to build on what they accomplished in 2015. Merriam, Thornton and Curtis all gained experience from sectionals, and Windsor’s newcomers have plenty of rounds in their systems, too. “It’s tough losing Brian Meagher to graduation; he was a good leader and skilled golfer,” Allen noted, “so we are looking to have someone step up into that role. We have some skilled golfers coming back, and the newcomers seem eager to learn.”
Coach: Jim Gunnare (10).
Last Year: Team reached D-II states and finished fifth. Junior Joe Bianchi tied for eighth in division with round of 87 at Green Mountain National.
League: Vermont Division II, south district.
Home Course: Woodstock Country Club, Woodstock.
Returnees: Seniors — Joe Bianchi, Andrew Borden, Lucas Godfrey.
Newcomers: Seniors — Alex Crompton, Michael Hirschbuhl, Braden McCarthy, Jake Newberry, Kevin O’Connell, Brian Townley, Peter Wilson. Juniors — Hartley Walker, Erik Weiss, Benjamin Beaudoin, Evan Bloch, James Kamb. Sophomores — Sadie Kuhn, Micah Cole, Steven Townley. Freshmen — Peter Borden, Ely Chenowyth, William Crompton, Ava Pawelczyk.
Analysis: After reaching states last year, Gunnare expects a level of rebuilding this year. Bianchi and Borden, veterans of 2015’s trip to states, will serve as the foundation. Meanwhile, Gunnare has struck a gold mine of potential players, many of whom are testing the notion that being good hockey players (at least eight skaters from Woodstock’s boys and girls teams) translates into being good golfers. “Joe Bianchi has the potential to win the state individual championship,” said Gunnare, the longtime pro at Woodstock CC. “Braden McCarthy has a lot of potential, as well as Brian Townley and Lucas Godfrey, so we could make it back to the state championship.”
Greg Fennell can be reached at gfennell@vnews.com or 603-727-3226.