A team that doesn’t have a student section and is bussed over 20 minutes each day just to get to practice, Hackley boys’ varsity golf is often overlooked as one of the most competitive spring teams at Hackley. Posting an impressive 14-7-1 record, they were the fourth winningest team in the 2013 spring athletic season behind only boys’ lacrosse, girls’ lacrosse and spring track, all of which won the NYSAIS Championship.
The boys’ varsity golf team plans to rely on strong leadership and play from senior captain Evan Weisberg. Weisberg will undergo his second season as the team’s number one player in the lineup. Freshman Wyatt Khosrowshahi said, “Evan is a really strong number one, and he can shoot some great scores on any day.”
Though Weisberg’s slot remains filled, a concern exists for the depth of the team. “There are a lot of questions in the middle of our lineup,” Weisberg said. “We only graduated one player in the top six, but our number 2 and number 3 players both transferred. The tough part about the Ivy League this year is that most of the other teams did not graduate or lose any of their top players, so we’re going into this season as underdogs.”
The team doesn’t mind being viewed as underdogs, though, and it hopes to address some of these uncertainties with the talent of Khosrowshahi. Described by Weisberg as, “A hard worker, and even tougher player,” he offers security as a solid number two or three golfer. Amongst all the pressures of his role as a freshman on varsity, Wyatt maintains a light-heartedness and confidence. Rather than stressing about the upcoming season, he says that he most looks forward to, “playing golf and enjoying the warm spring weather.” He will compete for the number two spot with senior Jack Monaghan, who is hoping he can end his high school golf career with a successful season.
The team’s last three spots in the lineup, though, are a mystery. Junior Kevin Kimelman, who is new to the team and Hackley, was described by coach Glenn Hasslinger as “a pleasant surprise,” and should be competitive for one of the last three spots. Returning players such as James Mattei, James Breen, and Eli Learner are also fighting for these spots, but they will be pushed by players new to the team such as Teddy Middleton, Jack Hogan, and Charlie Pidoriano, along with freshmen Seth Tillis, Tucker Van Eck, and Salik Awan.
