The Ashland Golf Team went 7-9 last fall and fell just short of qualifying for the post-season and now that they have lost a very important piece in their lineup in the form of Rebecca Kriegsman. Coach Mike Roman will be looking for someone to fill the gap on the golf course.

“Rebecca was by far our strongest player last year as well as one of the top golfers in the league,” the Clocker Coach said. “It’s going to be a season with a lot of competition for spots; there are openings and everyone is looking to secure a spot somewhere.”

Senior captains Will MacDonald and Connor Botsis are looking to take their games to the next level while providing a work ethic and a strong leadership that the rest of the team can follow. Roman wants his captains to push a welcoming environment on the new players to come into the Ashland locker room. 

The Coach noted that he not only wants an environment that is fun, but one  where the team is continually improving. He would like to see his golfers play smart, strong golf across the board. MacDonald will find his position somewhere in the top four golfers for the Clockers while Botsis most likely will fall into the seven or eight range. Both will be counted on to help this team succeed.

Another senior, Brady Weinwill be teeing off in his second varsity season this fall. Last year as a junior he worked his way into the lineup and Roman is hoping that he can continue to play somewhere in that top eight.

At the time of this writing, while nothing is written in stone, Adam Silverman is currently the team’s number one golfer. He has been shooting two or three over par and although he plays other sports he is a serious golfer.

“I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on a freshman to be our top golfer, but I am hoping that he can continue to pick up his game and eventually be that person,” the Clocker Coach said. “I believe that her cannot only handle the pressure but thrive in this type of environment. He has a strong all around game and is smart in all facets.”

Making the return from last year’s team will be juniors Tim Forster and Ryan DePaolo, who should fit in as the sixth and fifth golfers respectively for Ashland at this point. Roman is hoping that Sid Pawnarkar will get to see more time with the varsity squad this year.

Over the past few years, Ashland has found itself to be a .500 team playing in a competitive Tri Valley League. If the Clockers can manage to secure at least a.500 season, then they should be able to find their way into the Division 2 State Golf Tournament. 

“We are hoping to once again get back into the postseason,” the coach said. “Power Rankings would definitely help our cause as we see a lot of the top and talented teams on a regular basis.”

The Clocker golfers know that they have the potential to become a qualifying team. The big question is, can they pull it all together and click as a team and make a run through the tough TVL.

Ashland opened the season with an 187-167 loss at the hands of Nipmuc  at the Shining Rock Golf Club.