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07/10/2023 01:30 PMThe Valley Regional boys’ golf team was small but mighty in 2023. It only sported six players on the competitive roster, yet the Warriors fought on and competed hard in carving out dual postseason tournament berths as a club as several youngsters gained valuable experience to pave the way for a bright and prominent future.
In 2022, Valley finished 10th as a group at the Shoreline Conference Championship with a score of 397. This past year, the Warriors finished 2-16 overall in match play for the regular season and maintained a 2-8 mark in Shoreline Conference competition. Valley, for its efforts, additionally qualified for both the Shoreline Conference and Division III State Tournaments as an entire collective group.
First for Shorelines held on May 23 at Stanley Golf Course, the Warriors–who were seeded ninth entering the competition–outdrove their seeding by finishing fifth prior to coming in 13th with a score of 365 for the state competition on June 6 at that same venue. In reflection on the spring campaign, Head Coach Scott Harger was plenty proud of his group of young men for attaining and hitting their targets with respect to postseason qualification and representation.
“Our goals were to make states and be in the top half of Shorelines,” said Harger. “We came in ninth of 11 teams in Shorelines, but the teams were very good this year, as nine of the 17 teams that made the Division III State Tournament were from the Shoreline [including state-champion Portland]. We reached our goal and made states. Our major accomplishments from the season were coming in fifth at Shorelines and finishing 13th at states when we were the 16th seed entering the tournament.”
For the conference championship course, junior captain Tyler Ruel earned a 12th-place overall finish among individual competition with an 86 round for his Shoreline Championship showing, while senior captain Kevin King shot an 80 for his round to come in eighth. Ruel was honored as the Team MVP award winner for the 2023 campaign, while the Warriors Award was bestowed upon King and, as Harger remarked on King, “he was a star.”
“Tyler was our No. 1 and is the most consistent golfer,” said Harger. “He had a positive attitude towards the younger golfers. Kevin was our No. 2 golfer in the lineup. He had been one of the top two players for us all four years he played for us.”
Additionally for the Shoreline Championship with regards to the Warriors’ competitors, senior Will Kelly shot a 97 for his round; senior and first-year team member Jake McKenna manufactured a 95 for his day; and freshman Owen Gallagher notched a 110.
At the Division III competition, Ruel led the way for the Warriors by tying for 24th place with a scorecard of 85. King then tied for 49th after swinging 91 strokes for his outing. Rounding out the day for Valley was McKenna (tied-56th, 94), Kelly (tied-59th place, 95), and Gallagher (87th place, round of 115).
Harger additionally praised the harmonization of his group and its squad synergy and chemistry away from the links. No matter the results of each match, day in and day out, they showed selflessness by aiding each other’s efforts.
“I had six players that started to help each other out,” said Harger.
While half of the 2023 roster will be departing the program, the Warriors return a great deal of talent–highlighted by Ruel, who will figure prominently among the premier linksmen within the league of the Shoreline Conference.
“We are losing three seniors, so we only have three players coming back,” said Harger. “Tyler Ruel will be a senior, and he will be one of the best players in the Shoreline. The two other players will be [then] sophomores Owen Gallagher and Braeden Nunes.”
The 2023 Valley Regional boys’ golf team roster was comprised of seniors Kelly, King, McKenna, Mackie O’Lynnger; juniors of Hank Grabowski, Maxwell Nickel, Ruel; sophomores in Rex Grabowski, Birch Whitbeck; and freshmen with Gallagher and Nunes.
Prior to his tenure at Valley, Harger spent 19 previous coaching campaigns between St. Bernard’s and Old Lyme. He has also been on the CIAC Golf Committee for seven years. Harger was assisted this season by former Valley Regional Athletic Director Jeff Swan.