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07/18/2022 10:58 AMWith half of this year’s roster being seniors, the East Haven golf team had aspirations of making it back to the Division II State Championship during the 2022 season. The Yellowjackets achieved their goal by working together as a team and relying on the bonds that they had built with each other on the links throughout the past four years.
East Haven completed its regular season with an overall record of 9-7-1 this spring. Among the highlights for the Easties were their season-opening 194-206 win versus Sheehan, a pair of victories over North Haven, a 179-181 win against Sheehan in early May, and a 188-234 victory versus Lyman Hall in their finale.
As the team competed through the campaign, senior captain Nick Sorrentino and the Yellowjackets were focused on putting in the necessary work in order to reach the postseason. Qualifying for the Division II State Championship was on everyone’s mind, and Sorrentino said that the Easties were determined to get there.
“Heading into the season, our No. 1 goal was qualifying for the State Tournament,” Sorrentino said. “Our regular season was a simple grind to get better and improve for the tournaments at the end of our year.”
East Haven finished the season by competing at the Division II Championship, marking the second year in a row that the team qualified for the meet. The meet was held at Tallwood Country Club in Hebron on June 6. The Yellowjackets finished in 16th place as a team by posting an overall score of 396 at states.
Seniors Norah Rome and Ethan Roach finished in a tie for East Haven’s best score on the day. Rome and Roach both recorded a score of 95 over 18 holes to finish tied for 54th place in the state meet.
Sorrentino finished in 71st place with a score of 102 at the Division II State Championship. Junior Dom Plano scored a 104 to come in 76th place, while sophomore Mike Savo finished in a tie for 77th place with a score of 105 on behalf of Head Coach Rick Narracci’s squad.
With all their experience, Sorrentino felt that the Yellowjackets were prepared to compete at a State Championship level in the Division II meet. While he knows that East Haven didn’t have its best performance that day, Sorrentino said that everyone on the squad felt proud to accomplish their mission of qualifying for postseason play this year.
“We all knew what to expect coming into the State Tournament,” said Sorrentino. “It was our second year in a row making it, so we all had some experience on how it worked. It was nice meeting our goal.”
After competing in the Division II State Championship, Rome represented the Easties when she participated in the SCC Girls’ Golf Championship that took place at Oronoque Country Club in Stratford on June 2. Rome finished in 10th place with a score of 100 for her 18-hole round at the SCC meet.
While the expectations of making states were always there, Sorrentino and the Easties still wanted to stay loose while competing this season. They knew that if they took things too seriously, they would overthink every hole. By the end of the year, Sorrentino felt that this year’s club felt much comfortable on the course and was able to overcome any obstacles.
“Throughout the year we just tried to have fun and play good golf. When you get in your head while playing golf, your scores tend to blow up,” said Sorrentino. “In the beginning of the season, scores were very inconsistent and a little all over the place. Towards the end of the season, we became more comfortable and didn’t let a bad round ruin the week.”
Sorrentino has been a member of the East Haven golf team since his freshman year at the high school. With the Yellowjackets having a small program, each athlete on the squad has had an opportunity to make a name for themselves during the past few years. As everyone worked together to reach their goals, Sorrentino and his teammates learned what it means to be a golfer and what it means to compete for East Haven.
“East Haven golf is a small program with not too many kids. That means that everyone had a chance to impact the team,” Sorrentino said. “We practice every week and even got lessons from golf professionals. Golf is a sport that takes a lot of time and practice. Don’t expect things to come if you do not put the work in.”
The East Haven golf team’s roster for the 2022 season included senior captain Nick Sorrentino; seniors Mike Gagliardi, Ethan Roach, and Norah Rome; junior Dom Plano; sophomores Mike Savo and Nick Vance; and freshman Billy Demetriades.