Staples Girls Golf Wraps Up Successful Season

Every year the Staples Girls Golf Team hears about the winning tradition of the program in its preseason meeting.

And again, the 2023 Wreckers reached their goals to qualify for both the FCIAC and State Championships, that were held at Fairchild Wheeler June 1 and Timberlin Country Club on June 7, respectively.

“It’s 15 years in a row (since I’ve been coaching at Staples) that we have qualified for the State Championship Tournament. We actually won back-to-back FCIAC and States in 2006 & 2007 before I was here, so qualifying for States probably extends at least two decades,” stated Head Coach Patty Kondub. And only once in the past 15 years has Staples fallen short to qualify for the FCIAC (county) championship as a team.

The Wreckers managed to finish 4th in the FCIAC and 12th in the State without the talent of senior Captain Ellery Vishno due to injury.

Vishno had a very solid season and ended up ranked 17th in the FCIAC, earning FCIAC 3rd Team Honors.

Leading the way scoring in both post-season tournaments, as they were all season in regular season play, were senior Captain Keeva Boyle and sophomore Rachel Pontoriero.

Boyle (county ranked 12) and Pontoriero (county ranked 10) earned FCIAC 2nd Team Honors. In regular season matches they were ranked 20th and 18th respectively out of 389 female high school golfers in the State of Connecticut.

Both Wreckers are two of only 25 girls to qualify for the prestigious High School State Open on Saturday, June 10 at Black Hall County Club in Old Lyme. Last year Staples’ Leni Lemcke shared the title of State Open Champion with defending champ Libby Dunn by shooting a 79.

Playing in her final rounds at FCIAC and State tournaments for Staples was senior Captain Reilly McGeehan, who was also a key member of the Staples Girls’ Soccer State Champion Team.

McGeehan ended her career on the links by being named to the FCIAC Honorable Mention Team.

Boyle, Vishno and McGeehan were outstanding freshmen on the 2020 team that had a virtual season due to COVID.

“Looking back, it’s remarkable that this trio contributed every day for 14 weeks as freshmen on-line. They submitted skill videos such as putting contests home alone. They joined forces on zoom with teammates they never met to collaborate on rules. They participated in our Facebook live golf-specific workouts with the coaches. They celebrated a Senior Day by social-distancing in the Longshore parking lot. This certainly is a testament to the fortitude of these young women,” wrapped up Head Coach Patty Kondub.

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately the other seniors Ruby Tarshis, Sienna Peck Margaret Huber, Lila Botur and Coco Lasko must graduate from the blue and white Wreckers, too.

The only senior still to write her ending is Keeva Boyle.