Hawks reaching goals

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BEACON FALLS — The goals have been simple this year for the Woodland golf team, and coach Bill Carangelo is happy with the progress his Hawks have shown.

“They are improving,” Carangelo said. “Everyone’s getting better. Overall, I’m pleased. They’re great kids with great attitudes, and I think the passion is there.”

Woodland enters the final week of the regular season with a 5-7 record, but this season hasn’t been about wins and losses for Carangelo. He’s broken down this “rebuilding year,” as he calls it, into smaller goals for individual players.

Junior Tom Conroy was the only returning scorer from last season, and Carangelo said he’s pleased with his captain’s improvement and leadership abilities. No. 2 scorer Mark Barbarito has inched closer to his goal, too, by shooting 50 on May 9 at Oxford Greens.

“My goal for Mark Barbarito was to start breaking 50, and he’s getting close as a freshman,” Carangelo said.

The No. 3 scorer, Skylar DeFazio, also continues to lower her scores and make better shots.

“Skylar DeFazio is starting to hit some pars and birdies,” Carangelo noted. “She birdied No. 9 at Western Hills (on May 16) — she put it like 4 feet from the cup — so she’s hitting the ball really well. It’s nice to have her coming along.”

As for the rest of the lineup, which usually includes sophomore Mike Bunce and freshman Jackson Bradley, Carangelo wants to see those players continue their positive trends.

“My goal for my Nos. 4 and 5 is to get them off double-par, so we’d like to not play that way next year,” Carangelo said.

The Hawks have three matches left in the regular season — Monday at Sacred Heart, Wednesday vs. St. Paul and Thursday against Kaynor Tech at Oxford Greens — before competing in the Naugatuck Valley League tournament May 30 in Watertown. For most of the Hawks, it’ll be their first 18-hole scholastic event, so Carangelo’s goals for the team are modest.

More importantly, he said, is the need for the team to keep up their momentum of improvement throughout the summer and fall.

“The key to them getting better is playing over the summer,” Carangelo said. “I tell them that just because the season will be over doesn’t mean they can stop playing — they’ll just be in this same spot next year.”