THE MELROSE High golf team looks to pick up wins when they embark in Freedom League play this week. (file photo)
Update post publication:
Melrose defeats Wakefield (Sept. 20)
Melrose falls to Belmont (Sept. 21)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High golf team is looking to kick their season into high gear this week when they embark on Freedom League play that they hope will pave the way to another path to a ML Freedom title.
Mother Nature and ML large competition haven’t been kind to Melrose, who start 0-2 at press time, after losses to Winchester and Woburn. But no one is pushing the panic button. Melrose has Wakefield on tap on Wednesday (post deadline) and on Sept. 28 and October 2, Melrose will play Burlington and Wilmington, two teams that they’ve had great success against. It seems in this case, timing is everything.
Against Woburn last week, Melrose’s Noah Fay came up victorious while teammate Matthew Fuccione tied his Tanner rival. “The course was in good shape,” says Melrose coach Rick McDermod. “We just weren’t clicking and haven’t been in our last two matches.”
Among those competing are captain Roddy McGillucuddy, Noah Fay, Matt Fuccione, Colin Fahey, southpaws Dylan Harrington and Brendan Healy, and Brendan Sestito and Jack Wright. Tyler Muse and Miles Nzui are also in the mix.
According to the coach, a lack of urgency may be afflicting the team. “I’d like to see them motivated to move up in the ranks, especially our seniors,” he notes. “That said, there is a lot of opportunity for our younger players now. Freshmen and sophomores will see time as we focus on the future.”
That includes underclassmen Aiden Ryan, Tanner Kovacs, Justin Santoriello and Ben Kavanaugh.
There is a lot of season left and most of their home matches are in October, with a string of them at Bellevue Golf Club on Oct. 11, Oct. 12 and Oct. 17. The League Meet is scheduled on October 5.
As for these 5-straight league champs, it may be wise to remember that when it comes to season campaigns, it’s not where you begin but where you finish.
