WHS varsity golf falls to Greely but shows early season improvement

By Matt Pascarella

After Windham varsity golf opened its 2024 season with a big win over Westbrook, Windham traveled to take on Greely on Thursday, Sept. 5 at Val Halla in Cumberland. That’s a par 36 course and although WHS turned in a strong effort, it lost, 10-3, to the Rangers.

Windham senior Joe Donnelly watches his putt during a prep
golf match against Greely at Val Halla Golf and Recreation
Course in Cumberland on Thursday, Sept. 5.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

Windham senior Joe Donnelly shot a 43, while senior Fiona Harmon shot a 44 and junior Nolan McPhail shot a 48. Sophomore Wyatt Richards earned 2 points for the team going 3-and-2 and shot a 51. Junior Davis Jordan shot a 50 and earned 1 point for the team, going all-square, meaning he and his opponent had an equal number of points.

“I think we did good, obviously the plug greens were a little bit of a curve ball, but I think we did alright,” said Donnelly. “I personally played OK; the team played OK, but I think the plugged greens got us, but we’ll come back and beat them next time. For me, posted off the tee pretty good ... we just had a little bit of approach shot issues, putting was fine, but we played OK. Chipping needs work.”

Plugged greens create a bumpy surface on the course which often occurs through aeration during maintenance and helped WHS golfers during the Greely match.

“The course was in great shape,” said Harmon. “I was struggling off the tee a little bit, overall, I did well. My short game was pretty good, greens were aerated so it was kind of hard. Long irons and getting off the tee (still need work).”

In total strokes, Windham was less than 20 strokes behind Greely, 220-238.

“We have notoriously struggled when we play at Val Halla,” said Windham varsity golf coach Adam Manzo. “I think the match was closer than the score reflected. Many of the matches came down to the last few holes, half of the medal scores were all within three to five shots, and while I do not think we gave them our best shot, this was an improvement for us at their course.”

Both Davis Jordan and Wyatt Richards were able to come away with points in the five and six spot. Davis tied both match and medal and had an opportunity to win both on the last hole and Wyatt won both match and medal.

Manzo said each match in the top six matters, so he was happy that both Jordan and Richards were able to come away with some points for the team.

“Team score wise, our goal would be to be below 220,” he said. “I do believe as the season goes on, we will be able to move in that direction with the ultimate goal of saving our lowest round for the Southern Maine Activities Association Qualifier in early October.” <