Jackie Wong
| On April 23, the Aragon Dons varsity golf team (2-8-1 overall) lost to the Carlmont Scots at Crystal Springs Golf Course, 220 to 208. Aragon’s rounds were led by junior Holden Keane and junior Benjamin Torrelio, who each shot a 38 and tied for medalist honors on the day. They were followed by senior Kaleb Brodeth with a 40. Despite the loss, the atmosphere at the match made it memorable, as it was Carlmont’s senior night. “This was probably the most fun match I had personally the whole year,” Keane said. “There were spectators on each hole, so it was fun to impress them.” Many players felt that there was ample room for individual improvement, even with some of the impressive scores. “I played alright,” Torrelio said. “I felt like I left a lot of shots out there, specifically on the greens.” Head coach Jim Daniel highlighted some areas of improvement for the team as a whole. “We want to improve our chipping and putting,” Daniel said. “They’ve definitely gotten a lot better this season through consistent work.” Daniel also acknowledged the challenges the course presented, praising the team’s composure throughout the match. “They tried their absolute best against a talented opponent like Carlmont,” Daniel said. “They were able to handle the pressure as usual, by focusing on one shot at a time.” Daniel commended the team’s resilience throughout the season, sharing his pre-match message. “I always tell them to have fun,” Daniel said. “If doing their best means winning, great. If not, they’re good at keeping their heads up.” While the match did not go Aragon’s way, there were many positive improvements that came of the season that players reflected on. “I used to get frustrated after a bad hole and let it ruin my round,” Keane said. “I’ve been training mentally to have less stress when I’m hitting shots, and I think that helped me here.” Additionally, consistency was another big factor for players. “I made sure to apply myself practicing every day,” Torrelio said. “I’ve also been working with a coach consistently.” Team chemistry has also developed slowly over the season, becoming a strength for the Dons. “The team chemistry at the start of the year wasn’t amazing,” Keane said. “It was a bunch of freshmen coming in, and we didn’t really know each other … [But] near the end of the year, I’ve really been enjoying our team chemistry. I think it’s been allowing me to shoot some good rounds.” Other teammates shared similar sentiments. “Team chemistry started off weak, as I didn’t even know half the people on the team until the middle of the season,” Torrelio said. “But towards the end, we really started to form something. I think as more of the guys got comfortable playing with each other the scores started to drop.” Despite losing this match, Daniel sees the growth of the team throughout the season in broader terms. “The team has been able to bond in terms of continued effort,” Daniel said. “One thing they understand now is how difficult it is to be consistently good at golf.” Following the match, the boys golf team went to PAL championships for the first time in two years. Overall, Torrelio finished the season 5th in the league and Keane finished 19th. |
