With so much talent and dedication surrounding the golf program, it’s no surprise that the WKHS Boys Golf team has seen a great deal of success so far this year. Varsity A players Ben English, Gavin Troiano, Ryan Walton, Drew Deken, and Mac Ferguson started their season in early August. Since then, they have participated in several highly competitive tournaments. Although these matches have been challenging, the team’s focus and ability to handle pressure have been crucial to their success.
One of the more recent wins by the Wolves came at the OCC Championship in mid-September. The team walked away with the gold medal and celebrated the progress and hard work that led them to this achievement. The Ravine got a chance to speak with the players and hear their perspectives on the triumphs and obstacles of the season so far.
Sophomore co-captain Mac Ferguson starts off by telling how “[golf] is different [than most sports] in that [it doesn’t] have team practices,” rather, each player mostly “practices on [their] own.” Ferguson further tells how in order to perform well in a big match, the team “takes [their] individual practices more seriously.” Junior co-captain Ben English adds that before a match, the team “goes through the course to see what to expect come time for the match.”
The Wolves reflected on their growth throughout the season, highlighting their improvements compared to last year. Junior Drew Deken emphasizes that the team “has gained a lot of distance” from playing together and “has more experience” on the “same courses.” Deken notes that he personally has been “hitting the ball further than ever” and is seeing noticeable improvements as an individual. Ferguson adds that it seems like the team is “learning through [their] mistakes from last year” and understanding “how to play well when it matters.”
While the season has already been highly successful, the Wolves still have more challenges to face and more goals to achieve. Junior Ryan Walton aims to “make it to the state tournament” and “to shoot lower” to help elevate the team’s performance. Similarly, English hopes to not only “make it to states” but also “to continue having fun and building relationships with golfers from other teams.”
Sophomore Gavin Troiano strives to “make it out of sectionals and districts and to compete at states,” ultimately aiming to make it “the first time in almost 20 years” that WKHS boys golf has made an appearance at the competition. His goal for the remainder of his high school career is to “go to states at least twice” and to make “first team all OCC four years in a row.”
We wish the team the best of luck as they prepare for their upcoming state and district competitions. With their continuous perseverance and dedication, we believe they have the potential to do great things. Go Wolves!
