Printer Friendly Version - Warriors Golf Geared Towards Garnering Experience and Gaining Numbers

Pictured is the Valley Regional golf team after its varsity match vs. Wheeler High School with players Tyler Ruel, Owen Gallagher, Braeden Nunes, Moses Fritz, Luke Beighau, and Riley Diglio. Photo courtesy of Brian Dailey

The Valley Regional golf program has certainly hit a pivotal point in its history when it comes to the 2024 spring slate. Yet the Warriors possess a quiet confidence that when the chapter is closed on this campaign, the narrative will read as one where they took the fork in the road towards future prominence.

For 2023, the Warriors finished 2-16 overall in match play for the regular season and maintained a 2-8 mark in Shoreline Conference competition. Yet Valley, for its efforts, additionally qualified for both the Shoreline Conference and Division III State Tournaments as an entire collective group.

This year under the direction of a new head coach in Brian Dailey, the Warriors are competing as a co-ed squad this spring. As the Warriors are certainly in a bit of a rebuilding phase with a youthful club and new man at the helm, they still have their sights set on hitting the preseason pin targets of postseason qualification and gaining experience playing full rounds.

“On the course, we are a young team,” said Dailey, whose team is 0-6 on the regular season. “Our goals for the season are to qualify for the state tournament and improve steadily throughout the season. We would like to play our best at the Shoreline Championship Tournament at the end of the season. We entered into the Wildcat Invite [on Monday, May 6] to hopefully get some experience playing 18-hole tournaments.”

Leading Valley on the links are a tandem of senior co-captains in four-year veteran Tyler Ruel and Amelia Martinez. Ruel has served as the team’s medal man throughout a vast majority of match play in 2024. Martinez has also made her mark by keeping things positive and in perspective.

“Tyler Ruel is overall our best player. Tyler has come in with the lowest score in three of our first four matches. He is also President of Future Business Leaders of America at Valley,” said Dailey. “Amelia Martinez is an incredible leader for us both on and off the course. She is very positive and has a holistic vision for the program. She will be competing in the third annual Highlander Girls Invitational on Wednesday, May 22.”

Moses Fritz will also look to provide some upperclassmen guidance and support as another senior on the squad. Braeden Nunes and Owen Gallagher, both sophomores, mark the only other returning players from last year’s edition of the roster. A pair of additional rookies in freshmen Riley Diglio and Luke Beighau have also helped bolster the future of the program.

Heading into beyond the back nine for the regular season slate, the Warriors will do battle with Black Hall Golf Club co-tenant Old Lyme on Tuesday, May 14.

“We both play and practice at Black Hall Golf Club,” said Dailey. “It should be fun to see how we match up against one another.”

Against North Branford on April 29 in a 180-203 loss, Fritz shot a round of 63, Nunes added a 46, and Gallagher notched a 57. Ruel was match medalist with his tally of 37.

Regardless of how the remainder of the campaign pans out, Dailey and the Warriors look to continue with the motif and mission statements of growth and enthusiasm with the sport in the local community and surrounding towns. They certainly have the backing of a strong tandem of leaders along with the added layer of support from their home venue.

“Off the course, we hope to promote the game of golf on campus as well as in the community,” said Dailey. “We hope to get more young people into the game of golf. We have an enthusiastic group of players with strong leadership from our captains. We also are very fortunate to have the support of the Black Hall Club.”

The Warriors’ 2024 roster is made up of seniors Fritz, Marley Hilliar, Ruel, Cayden Willetts-Johnson; juniors Martinez, Oliver Rotella, Race Ward; sophomores Gallgher, Nunes; plus freshmen Beighau and Diglio.

Dailey previously coached on the links at Old Saybrook and Coginchaug High Schools.

Tuesday, May 21: at Shoreline Conference Championship at Stanley Golf Course at 9 a.m.