Pomperaug repeats as SWC boys golf champion

© Provided by Connecticut Post

Pomperaug repeated as South-West Conference boys golf champion Tuesday, winning by 32 strokes at Great River Golf Club in Milford.

MILFORD — Great River Golf Club was unfamiliar territory for the South-West Conference golf teams. The championship meet moved there this season from Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury.

But even with just one practice round, the Panthers understood the importance of surviving the tougher front nine before trying to have better success on the back.

“We went through and detailed which holes were the ones that could make or break us and where to be aggressive,” Pomperaug coach Rich Szymanski said. “Basically, the back is where you can be aggressive.”

© Provided by Connecticut Post

New Milford seniors and brothers Chris, left, and Nick Davidson both shot 75 to share medalist laurels at the SWC championship golf meet Tuesday held at Great River Golf Club in Milford.

The game plan paid off. All four of the Panthers’ golfers broke 40 on the back nine to help Pomperaug dominate the SWC championship meet Tuesday afternoon.

“We’ve got a group of great guys and we’ve worked really hard this season. It really feels good to have it all pay off, so it was a good day,” Pomperaug senior captain Tyler Flood said.

The Panthers posted a cumulative total of 315, 32 strokes better than Masuk. Immaculate placed third with a 348 total.

It was the 11th SWC title for Pomperaug. Sophomore Dan Casanta was the low man for the Panthers with a 76, followed by junior Jack Szabo at 78. Luke Brower, another sophomore, came in with an 81.

“They all had a good round today. I told them, ‘You go out there and shoot between 80 and 82 and I’ll take my chances all day long,’” Szymanski said. “We were deep. There were a lot of kids who didn’t come today who could be playing for a lot of these teams. That’s one of the reasons we’re good. They’re (always) fighting to stay in the top five.”

New Milford seniors and twins Chris and Nick Davidson both shot 3-over-par 75 to share medalist laurels. The duo helped New Milford finish fourth (349).

“I didn’t think it would hold. I thought there would be a lower score,” Nick Davidson said. “The course played pretty easy today.”

Bethel’s Elijah Jonas tied Casanta for second place with 76. Only six players broke 80.

Pomperaug will try to continue its stellar play at the Division II state championship meet Monday at Timberlin GC.

“Until someone tells us we are out, yes, we can contend,” Szymanski said.

Season dedicated to Namin

Pomperaug had planned to dedicate the 2020 golf season to its former captain, Griffin John Namin, who died of brain cancer in June 2019.

But once that season was lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Panthers decided to dedicate this season to the memory of Namin, a 2016 graduate. Namin also played football, attended Catholic University where he majored in political science and worked for several GOP candidates.

Namin’s initials are stitched into the Panthers’ team caps.

Moving to the fall

Teams won’t have to wait two years, or even one year, to compete again in the SWC meet: The league is moving its season to the fall.

All told, 52 boys golf teams will move from the spring to the fall. The regular season begins Aug. 30 and the SWC championship meet itself will likely be held in mid-October. The site and date are still to be determined.

New Milford coach Jim Mullin noted that golfers will now have a chance to be seen by more schools with a good summer of competition leading into a stellar fall season, rather than playing well during your senior year in the spring after colleges have already filled their rosters for the upcoming school year.

Stars of the meet

The Davidson brothers: Nick and Chris, both seniors, both shot 3-over 75 to share medalist laurels in the SWC meet.

Quotable

“We could have won three in a row. That (losing last season) really was a killer. I think that being my last year, it was definitely rewarding being able to come back and win by a pretty big margin.” — Pomperaug senior captain Tyler Flood

joseph.morelli@hearstmediact.com; @nhrJoeMorelli

SWC championship meet

(at Great River GC)

Team results: 1. Pomperaug, 315; 2. Masuk 347; 3. Immaculate 348; 4. New Milford 349; 5. Weston, 369; 6. Brookfield, 374; 7. Newtown, 375; 8. Barlow, 389.

Individual results: Chris Davidson, New Milford, 75; Nick Davidson, 75; Dan Casanta, Pomperaug, 76; Elijah Jonas, Bethel, 76; Dan LeBlanc, Immaculate, 77; Jack Szabo, Pomperaug, 78; Logan Beers, Notre Dame-Fairfield, 80; Tyler Flood, Pomperaug, 80; Luke Brower, Pomperaug, 81; Mitch Worthington, Barlow, 84; Brien Trmbach, Masuk, 85; Alex Guigno, Masuk, 86; Pete Nikolich, Pomperaug, 87; Sam Landesman, Weston, 87; Tommy Hurst, Weston, 87; John McIntyre, Masuk, 88; Colin Abbott, Masuk, 88; Eric Lucido, Barlow, 89.