Redmen Roundup: Golf Team Drives Past Dracut, Volleyball Falls

Volleyball

Dracut 3, Tewksbury 1

Tiffanie Marsh had 20 digs and five service points but it wasn't enough, as Dracut rolled by Tewksbury High in volleyball action. The Redmen (4-6) dug themselves an early hole, dropping their first two games to the Middies,  25-20, and 25-23. Tewkbury stayed alive with a win in the third game but Dracut settled matters with a convicing win in the fourth game.

Samantha Laferriere had a strong game for the Redmen with seven kills and five digs. Shannon McLaughlin added six digs and five kills.

Golf

(Editor's note: The following information was submitted by TMHS golf Coach Jim Sullivan.)

Tewksbury 13, Dracut  7

In what was the fifth match in as many days on a gorgeous afternoon at Hickory Hill Golf Course the Tewksbury Redmen locked horns with the Dracut Middies in an MVC Division II matchup for the first time this season. The Redmen who entered the match 9-3-1 overall and 6-3-1 in the MVC would walk away at the end of the match with another win on the week ending it at 4-0-1 raising their overall record to 10-3-1 and their MVC record to 7-3-1!

Group 1, riding the suddenly red hot Tyler Slavin were able to pull out three points in the match with Slavin winning his match 5&4. Tyler and partner Jeff Giasullo were also able to win their Four Ball match 2&1. Dracut's Andrew Gys would defeat Giasullo 4&2 to earn Dracut's two points in the group! This was the second straight match that Slavin was able to get out and win with outstanding play. Following yesterday's 1 over par 37 at Indian Ridge Country Club Slavin went out today and shot a 2 under par 34 at Hickory Hill Golf Course. It's really just been a matter of time before Tyler snapped out of his funk and was back to playing at the level that both we as coaches and he himself expected of him coming into the season. Again, we couldn't be happier for him because of his hard work, dedication and determination to our golf program throughout his career.

Group 2 followed Slavin and Giasullo's lead by winning their groups match by the same 3-1 score, this time behind Derek Petti's play. Derek and Pat Doherty have been playing together for two straight years and know each and play together so well that we are always counting on them to be able to bring us two to three points a match, and today was no different. Today seemed to be Petti's turn to take the lead by winning his match 2&1 while Doherty ran into an extremely hot Dan Zabbo who defeated Doherty. Patrick did a great job continuing to work alongside Petti in their four ball match where he birdied the seventh hole which got them back to all square heading to the eighth tee. Petti was then able to win his match on the eighth hole where all players were able to make pars and forcing the four ball match to the ninth hole all square. Both Doherty and Petti were able to make par four's on the hole where Dracut partners Dan Zabbo and Jim Shaw were only able to make bogey fives earning the Redmen a 1 Up win in the four ball match and giving the Redmen a 3-2 group victory. with this group completed, the Redmen now led the match by a slim margin of 6-4 with two groups let on the course.

With Group 3 on the eighth tee and the Redmen leading 6-4, Mike Casey was all square in his match while his partner Ryan Muise was 1 Up in his match and the Four Ball match was all square as well. This could turn out to be a huge swing in the match depending upon who would pull out the most points in this group. Casey would find himself 1 Down after the eighth hole and partner Ryan Muise would end his individual match 2&1 earning 2 more points for the Redmen improving the score to 8-4 in favor of the Redmen. As that group moved to the ninth tee a check in with the final group, Group 4 would indicate that the Redmen had enough points to win the match! The ever consistent team of Eric Hunter and Zach Strahan had locked p all five points for the Redmen by winning 3&2 and 4&3 respectively. In addition, Hunter and Strahan won their four ball match 4&3 as well making the score 13-4 in favor of the Redmen. With Group 3 finishing up Dracut's Ari Malliaros was able to fight off a charging Mike Casey and win his match 1 Up while Malliaros and Jeremy Falls won the four ball match for Dracut 1 Up, giving Dracut a 3-2 victory in the group thus making the final score 13-7 in favor of the Redmen.

With a 4-0-1 week the Redmen have now pushed their overall record to 10-3-1, a record that has been the best in Co-coaches Sullivan and Drouin regime as head coaches of the Redmen. This has been a great season for these players and our program. It is a credit to not only this group of seniors who have been in the program the past three and four years but also to all of those players that have come through the program during that time as well. All of these guys have really helped change the perception, expectation and culture of this program throughout that time. We have had outstanding people and players who have always been willing to do what was best for the team and program and this year we are really seeing the fruits of those players.

We are nowhere finished on this season with four more matches left to play, two in each of the next two weeks, and then we will move into stroke play format tournaments at both the Merrimack Valley Conference Individual Tournament at Vesper Country Club and then onto the Massachusetts Division II North Sectional Championships at Far Corners Golf Course. We would just like to recognize all those guys that have come along through the program not only during our time here but also those that have represented the Tewksbury golf program throughout the years including former coaches Jason Stamp and Larry Basteri.