NAUGATUCK — Naugatuck golf coach Peter Kovalski instituted a new way to choose the lineup in his first year at the helm — the entire team plays a round before a match and the top four scorers fill out the lineup.
The competition among teammates has the Greyhounds progressing in the right direction.
“We are coming along and making progress each time out on the course,” Kovalski said. “We have a good group to work with and they are competing well. We had Madison Brink put up our best score of the year as the medalist in a win over Wilby (on May 2).”
Through nine matches, Naugatuck has placed eight different golfers in the four-player rotation.
Arbnor Mehmedi, Abigail Pruchnicki and Joe Macary have made the cut six times. Ryan Hunt and Ryan Brink have five starts each. Madison Brink has started four matches, including her medalist round of 47 against the Wildcats. Mia Rotatori also has four starts and Derek McGrath his played his way into the lineup three times.
“I think the kids like the way we choose the lineup. It creates some competition and in the end it’s the fairest way to do it. Joe Macary, only a sophomore, started out in the high 60s and now he’s down to the 50s, and that’s what this competition has done for the overall play of the team.”
Brink and Macary represented the Greyhounds at the 37th annual Jack Stigberg Memorial Tournament at Farmingbury Hills in Wolcott last Wednesday. The duo shot a 108 to finish 16th at the tournament.
The Greyhounds took on Seymour at Oxford Greens the following day and came up short, 207-239.
Macary led the way for Naugatuck (4-5) with a solid round of 56. Hunt shot a competitive round of 58. Ryan Brink shot a 60 and Madison Brink put together a round of 65 to round out Naugatuck’s scoring.
School obligations have caused a few players to miss some time recently, and Kovalski is looking forward to more players coming back for the final stretch of the season.
“We have seen significant improvement since the season started,” Kovalski said. “I think finishing the year with a .500 record would be a big success for us. We have two weeks left and a lot of matches to go against some tough teams, so we have some work ahead of us.”
Naugatuck will be back on the links next Wednesday against Wolcott.
