By By Dan Fappiano • 04/25/2021 09:32 p.m. EST
Ricky Narracci was named head coach of the East Haven boys’ golf team last year, but his Yellowjackets were unable to compete after the season was canceled due to COVID-19. Now that the Easties are back on the links, Coach Narracci is hoping that this year’s squad keeps posting lower scores as the season progresses to potentially earn a spot in the Division II State Championship.
“It has been great. I’m enjoying it a lot. I’s a great group of kids,” said Narracci. “We have gotten off to a pretty good start. We’re looking forward to the weather getting better and getting kids onto courses they haven’t seen yet. We’re trying to get a State Tournament berth.”
After going 3-0 during the first week of play, East Haven faced four teams between its three matches last week and came away with two victories. The Yellowjackets took a 183-194 loss to Branford and then defeated Wilbur Cross by a 181-231 score in their first two contests. East Haven went on to face both Sheehan and Hillhouse on the same day, scoring a 204 to defeat Hillhouse (241), while losing to Sheehan (196). The Easties are now 5-2 on the year.
Senior captain Ian Reynolds and freshman Mike Savo tied for a team-best score of 47 when East Haven played a road match against Branford at Pine Orchard Country Club on April 19. Senior Nick Sorrentino and junior Ethan Roach both shot a 50.
In the matchup versus Wilbur Cross, Reynolds claimed medalist honors by shooting a low score of 43 at Alling Memorial Golf Club on April 20. Roach shot a 44, and Savo finished with a 45. Junior Norah Rome, who is the only girl on the team, shot her best round of the season with a 49 to help the Yellowjackets get the win.
When East Haven hosted Sheehan and Hillhouse at Alling Memorial two days later, Savo shot a 47, and Reynolds turned in a 48 as the Yellowjackets came away with the split. Roach recorded a score of 54, while Rome scored a 55 for Coach Narracci’s club.
“I thought we competed well. This was our second time playing Cross. It’s a matchup we should win,” Narracci said. “Against Branford, we knew it was going to be real competitive. We went to Pine Orchard. Most, if not all of our kids, haven’t played there. It wasn’t too bad, playing at a course you’re unfamiliar with. Sheehan is always strong and [that day] was terrible conditions. We have them at the end of the year, and that’s one we’re looking forward to.”
Reynolds is serving as both the team captain and the Yellowjackets’ No. 1 golfer this season. He had previously been a captain for cross country and boys’ basketball and was coached by Narracci with the basketball squad. Narracci said that Reynolds is a natural leader and has shown significant improvement as a golfer.
“There’s no doubt that he has excelled in a leadership role. He was a three-sport captain this year. He is a kid who has really only played golf for a little over a year now. He has been the medalist in all five of our wins,” said Narracci. “He got off to a really hot start. He has been our most steady player and has been in the one slot for all of our matches.”
East Haven’s roster also features seniors Sorrentino and Rocco Plano, juniors Rome and Roach, sophomore Domenic Plano, and freshman Savo. Sorrentino had been battling through an ankle injury, but made his season debut last week.
This season marks Roach’s first year with the Yellowjackets after having previously played baseball. Roach has been competing out of the No. 2 and 3 slots this spring, and Coach Narracci expects him to improve as the season unfolds. Narracci added that Rome has already displayed major growth early on, and he believes that her scores will continue coming down as she gets more comfortable on the course.
Savo is the lone freshman on the team and has been alternating with Roach between the No. 2 and 3 spots. While this is only Savo’s first year with the team, Coach Narracci said that the freshman has already made a big impact for East Haven.
“I think Mike is going to be a really good player in a couple years. He really likes the game. He hits the ball really well off the tee,” said Narracci. “He just has to get more consistent around the greens, which is going to come. If he works on it, which I think he will, I think he can be a very good player for the next three years.”
Many of the athletes on the Yellowjackets’ roster also play another sport for East Haven. Plano led the boys’ ice hockey squad as a captain, and Roach was the team’s goalie this winter. Reynolds competed in basketball and cross country, while Rome is a member of girls’ swimming team. Coach Narracci has always been a fan of students playing numerous sports, and he feels that golf provides an opportunity for those people to grow as overall athletes.
“I was always a big believer in playing multiple sports. Every sport has value to transition into another,” Narracci said. “Golf nowadays, if you look at the top levels, these guys are real athletes. To have kids that play multiple sports and are all-around athletes is going to help the program going forward. Hopefully, when kids see that hockey players and basketball players and swimmers are into golf, it will create an aura about it. Hopefully, we can build a program from there.”
As his team competes through the season, Coach Narracci is looking for East Haven to qualify for the Division II State Championship and also put in a strong effort at Chappa Memorial Golf Tournament at Longshore Golf Course in Westport at the end of the year. In the weeks leading up to those big competitions, the most important thing for Narracci is that the Yellowjackets play as well as they can in each and every matchup.
“The goal is to win every match,” said Narracci. “We want to get better every day, enjoy the game, and grind it out.”
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