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07/11/2023 11:48 AMWhen you have a squad in sports that is deeply committed to not only its craft as individual members but also coming through for the guy next to them, then no variable element can derail that club’s championship aspirations, which is exactly the epitaph regarding the 2023 season for the state-title Hand boys’ golf team.
After the Tigers amassed a dozen wins in 16 regular-season matches on the links, Hand earned a share of the SCC Championship (its first conference crown in four years) by finishing tied with Cheshire via a score of 315 on May 30 at The Farms Country Club. Yet when it came to the Division II State Championship seven days later on June 6 at Fairview Farms Country Club, Hand stood alone at the top with a team tally of 306 to mark the second state championship for the program in three seasons, the third title since 2019, and fifth overall. All of Hand’s state championships have come in Division II, with the Tigers taking top honors in 2012, 2013, 2019, and 2021 previously.
“To a certain degree, you cannot control championships, but we felt that if we could get everyone working to improve during the season, then at season’s end we would be an excellent team,” said Head Coach Jim Holleran, whose team also finished second at the Walter Lowell Tournament. “Outside of competition, we tried to build a team that would bring pride to Madison and Hand High School, and to have everyone on the team, regardless of playing status, feel that they were making a contribution to the team and its success. I think we had both a successful golf team in terms of play and also great camaraderie among team members.”
In marveling at the Tigers’ top feats from the spring, the state crown of course tops the list, though Holleran added that an added feather in Hand’s cap was the contributions of the back end of the lineup.
“The major accomplishments were grabbing a piece of the SCC Tournament title and obviously having the big win at the state championship,” said Holleran. “A key moment in the year was when our players in the No. 3, 4, and 5 positions started putting up excellent scores. It showed us that we truly had a team that on any given day could compete with the best.”
Senior co-captain Reece Scott additionally led the squad on the links, as he was the Tigers’ scoring leader this season with a 1.497 average. On June 10 at the State Open Championship at Black Hall Golf Club, Scott shot a 77 to tie for the 10th place spot, and junior Kasimir Lesnik finished 28th with a round of 94. Both athletes were named to the All-SCC Team, with Scott being selected to the All-State and Academic All-State squads.
The Tigers did not vote on or hand out formal team awards, but Holleran remarked that senior Jon Dolph would likely be named their Most Improved Player, due to, “his work ethic and desire to improve from last year through this year turned him into an outstanding player. We could not have accomplished our state championship without him.”
The senior class for the Tigers capped off a phenomenal tenure together. Scott was a three-time state champion and three-time All-State Team selection as well as Academic All-State. Co-captain Matt Gagliardi was a three-year member of the team and a two-time state champion. Dolph finished up as a two-year veteran of the squad, and Owen Stuart was a three-year member of the club.
“This was a great senior class,” said Holleran. “Owen was an enthusiastic player at practice each and every day. Our captains, Reece and Matt, had an important impact every day for our team. They gave me input as to practice needs on a daily basis and provided me with feedback concerning the other players on the team and the state of their games. They set a positive tone for other players on the team and worked to correct any problems that arose with their strong and steady guidance. We would never have been so successful this year without the great contributions of Matt and Reece. They were as good a pair of captains as I have had in my coaching career. Matt and Reece continued the legacy of excellence for the program. They will be missed for their playing ability, but even more for their leadership.”
Despite losing a phenomenal foursome of seniors as Hand embarks on defending its dual championships in 2024, it will return a solid and sound underclassmen group that saw several highlights this spring. Freshman Kyle Beaudry was the match medalist at the Walter Lowell Tournament in early May and he was one of the top freshmen in the state this spring. Lesnik shot a 75 at the state tournament, which qualified him for the State Open.
“We lose four seniors, and it will be challenging to replace them, but I feel good about our returning players,” Holleran said. “[Sophomore] Matthew McManus was a very strong player at times this year, and I expect he will have an even bigger impact next season. We need a couple other players to step up from this returning group: [junior] Max Singewald, [sophomore] Mike Marino, [junior] Nick Osterling, [juniors] Cameron Becker, and Cameron Knight. I am hopeful that they will fill in the open spots in our lineup.”
The 2023 Hand boys’ golf team roster was comprised of seniors in Dolph, Gagliardi, Scott, Stuart; juniors of Becker, Lesnik, Osterling, Singewald; sophomores with Marino, McManus; and freshman Beaudry.