Challenges present opportunities to learn for Greyhounds

0
130

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck golf team has reached the point in the season where challenges wait around every corner to test the Greyhounds.

“We have a tough road ahead of us,” Naugatuck head coach Peter Kovalski said last week. “We still need to go out there and compete and learn from every match. But we have a good group of kids who are showing improvement every time they get out on the course.”

The Greyhounds fell to 1-3 on the season after dropping a match to St. Paul, 164-220, at the Chippanee Country Club in Bristol April 18. Ryan Hunt led the Greyhounds with a 49. Derek McGrath (53), Joe Macary (53) and Meg Korowotny (65) rounded out the scoring for Naugatuck.

The Greyhounds traveled to Oxford Greens April 11 and dropped a 208-245 decision to Seymour. McGrath shot a team-low 58. Hunt and Macary checked in with rounds of 60, followed by Korowotny with a 67.

“Oxford Greens presents its own obstacles even for a seasoned golfer,” Kovalski said. “I feel we have a good group of players to work with, but we are going to be challenged by some of these larger courses.”

Naugatuck didn’t have enough players to field a foursome and had to forfeit to Watertown on April 16.

“Between spring vacation and work schedules, we just didn’t have enough to field a match,” Kovalski said.

The Greyhounds have some depth to work with over the season. Liz Kilmer shot a 69, just outside of scoring for the Greyhounds, versus Seymour. Junior Adam Lyons and sophomore Zach Crosswait are working hard to improve their game, with freshmen Christian Alvarado and Alex Kuczenski looking to break into the lineup.

As the season progresses, Kovalski feels the challenges the team will face will provide chances for the players to learn and get better.

“We can learn playing some of these better teams,” Kovalski said. “It’s an adjustment playing on some of the bigger courses.”

Naugatuck is scheduled to play Torrington on Tuesday and Holy Cross on Wednesday. The Greyhounds will head to Oxford Greens again April 29 to take on Woodland.