BERLIN — Stephen Decatur’s golf team is off to a strong start this year, according to Coach James Krall. The six players on the varsity squad have been practicing hard to prepare for upcoming matches. Four of these players are newcomers to varsity, making this a fairly young team.  

The two returning players, however, are expected to step up and take a leading role to motivate the new members. These players are Joe Iacona, junior, and Nikki Rafer, senior. 

The junior varsity team, on the other hand, consists of ten players each with the incentive to improve enough to join their teammates on varsity. Krall said the junior varsity team is a great feeder system for varsity, as it gives young players the chance to hone their skills before moving up to a higher level of intensity.

This year, Krall is focusing his efforts on encouraging his athletes to believe in their abilities as golfers and to never give up. After a successful season last year, the entire team is motivated to hold on to its good fortune.

The goal of his team this year is to beat Parkside in more than one match. Parkside, a team consisting of five seniors, is the favorite for Bayside South. However, even the athletes at Parkside appreciate Stephen Decatur’s perseverance and talent in the sport of golf.

Stephen Decatur’s first match was Tuesday, Aug. 30. Nine schools competed on the Newport Bay Golf Course at Berlin’s Ocean City Golf Club. Parkside came in first place with a score of 158, while Worcester Preparatory School placed second with a score of 172. Stephen Decatur earned a respectable third place with a score of 174. Stephen Decatur’s top player of the match was Rafer, who shot a 40. 

Stephen Decatur’s second match was on Thursday, Sept. 1. Once again, nine schools participated, although this time on Eagle’s Landing Golf Course in Berlin. Stephen Decatur earned a first place finish with a score of 164. The top golfer of the match was Iacona, who shot a 36. Joe received the lowest score out of all of his opponents. 

“The team looks good so far…we are going to get better as the year goes on and we gain experience,” Iacona said.

Altogether, the Stephen Decatur golf team is working hard to make this season one of the best yet. Fans can certainly expect high motivation and lots of skill from these persistent athletes.