Greenwich High’s girls golf team begins season with wins vs. New Canaan, Wilton

By David Fierro on April 23, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Contributed photo: In a picture taken following the 2022 FCIAC Championships, from left to right: Greenwich High School’s Zarah Hillman, Ella Fish, Ally Bauer, Caroline McShea and Charlotte Langhorne gather after the team placed second in the tournament. Fish graduated from Greenwich last spring and Hillman, Bauer, McShea and Langhorne return as members of the Cardinals varsity golf team this spring.

Coming off a highly successful 2022 season in which it placed second at both the CIAC Division I Championships and the FCIAC Championships, Greenwich High School’s girls golf team plans on once again, contending for both titles this spring, while performing well on each course it visits.

“I think we look pretty strong, we feel pretty confident based on our successes last year that we can build off finishing second at states last year and FCIACs,” Greenwich coach Taner Karakas said. “We’ll go match by match and day by day and stay as positive as we can.”

The Cardinals began their 2023 season in fine fashion this week, recording victories against New Canaan and Wilton. Their win against New Canaan was especially significant since the Rams won the FCIAC team championship and captured the title at the CIAC Division I Championships one season ago.

Greenwich was victorious over New Canaan, 175-195, at Griffith E. Harris Golf Course in the season-opening match on Monday, then defeated Wilton Thursday at Silvermine Golf Club. Madeleine Driscoll and Victoria Arlia are senior captains of the Cardinals, who earned a regular-season record of 9-2 in 2022, before finishing as the runner-up in the FCIAC and Division I state championships.

Photo by David Fierro: From left to right, juniors Charlotte Langhorne and Caroline McShea have helped the Greenwich High School girls varsity golf team start the season with a record of 2-0.

“We have a lot of returners this year and we have a couple of new players that are really strong, coming in as freshmen,” Karakas noted. “We have a full squad of 13 and we really have a young team, even though we have some people that are moving up through the ranks.”

Some of last season’s returning golfers are sophomore Ally Bauer, junior Charlotte Langhorne and junior Caroline McShea. The trio compete at the top three spots of Greenwich’s lineup. McShea registered the squad’s best score at the FCIAC and state tournaments last season.

In the Cards’ triumph against Wilton at Silvermine Golf Club on Thursday, McShea shot a 38 over nine holes and Langhorne carded a 40. Both golfers are in their third season on Greenwich’s varsity squad.

“I started off bogey, but then I got back on track with pars,” McShea said of her round against Wilton. “That kept me consistent and I was really consistent throughout. The first five holes really got me going and put my round at a good pace.”

Photo by David Fierro: Sophomore Ally Bauer helps lead the Greenwich girls golf team from the top of the lineup.

Langhorne was on point with her short game in the Cardinals’ match versus Wilton.

“I was definitely happy with my chipping the past couple of rounds and the past couple of practices, I’ve been sticking it close,” Langhorne said. “My round started off strong in the first hole with a par. Then I was really happy with how I bounced back and recovered in most of my holes. I didn’t get off the tee very well, but I recovered with my chipping and putting – I made a lot of long putts – so I was happy about that. That’s something that I wanted to focus on last season, so I’m happy with how I’m accomplishing that and I’m happy with how I did and the team did.”

Last season saw Bauer and Langhorne earn All-FCIAC First Team honors and McShea receive All-FCIAC West Team accolades. If Bauer, Langhorne and McShea consistently shoot impressive rounds, the Cardinals, will indeed, be tough to top.

Greenwich’s Caroline McShea putts during a match last season.

“It’s been pretty good so far, we’ve got two wins and I’m really confident in our season,” McShea noted. “We want to be consistent and hit every shot the best we can. We want to focus on one shot at a time – those are some of our goals.”

Greenwich’s varsity roster of 13 athletes also features junior Zarah Hillman, Driscoll and freshman Ellery Talbot, all of whom are competing in the team’s lineup of six players. Hillman and Driscoll were also members of last season’s successful squad, as was Isabella Crasto, who begins her junior season on the team.

“With Ally being a sophomore now and Caroline and Charlotte as juniors – they are really setting the tone for the younger players, who are new to the team,” Karakas said of Bauer, McShea and Langhorne.

Greenwich (2-0) hosts St. Joseph Wednesday at Griffith E. Harris Golf Course. They will tee off at 3 p.m. The Cardinals will then travel to Smith Richardson Golf Course for a match against FCIAC foe Fairfield Warde on Thursday.

“I just want to have a healthy and happy team and for us to have a lot of confidence in our play,” Langhorne said. “I have so much confidence in the rest of our girls. I think we’re going to have a good season.”