Staff Report
Boys’ varsity golf
Coach: Darren Kenney
Record: 5-7-1 overall; 5-6-1 Division IV (third Place)
Season Highlights: “Rich Elliott had a tremendous individual year this season. This statistics include the following accomplishments:
• He was the top overall seed for the OCIAA Golf Tournament with a 2.4 stroke average for the season.
• He broke the all time OCIAA individual single match scoring record by shooting a 5-under-par 31 at Tarry Brae on May 9 in a match against Liberty.
• He finished eighth at the OCIAA championship at Grossinger’s Golf Course, shooting a 81.
• He placed fifth at the two-day Section IX tournament, shooting 82 for the opening round at Mansion Ridge and 76 at Casperkill. This qualified him for a spot on the Section IX state tournament team for the third consecutive year.
• At the NYS tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course at Cornell University, he was in a tie for seventh place after round one, shooting 75. On day two of the tournament he struggled on the back nine and finished with a score of 81, placing him in an impressive 19th place out of the top 99 golfers in the state.”
Coach’s Comments: “We had a interesting mix of youth and experience this year on the team. I had four seniors and four middle schoolers (two seventh graders, two eighth graders), so it was a tough combination of polishing the skills of some of the older players, while teaching the younger guys the game of golf at a beginners level. The older guys really did a nice job of mentoring the rookies and making them feel welcome on the team.
“Record wise, I feel that we finished the season right about where I expected. It was definitely nice to see Richie make it back to states, and to see him perform so well up there during the state tournament was a nice accomplishment to close out his tremendous golf career at the high school level. With a little extra focus, maturity and dedication to the game of golf, I hope that he will advance on and continue his success at the college and amateur level because he certainly has a special natural ability that not many other kids his age can replicate.”
Looking Ahead: “It’s going to be difficult to replace a player like Rich Elliott, he was the leader of the team for the past three-plud seasons. Although I think we have a nice solid base of young talent on the team with eighth grader, Zak Steingart and seventh grader, Sundar Pratt, both of whom are shooting in the 40s on a consistent basis. I’m certainly looking to create a buzz about golf at Fallsburg and hoping to gain some more interest from some students who don’t play a spring sport already. I’ll definitely have to start recruiting hard throughout the year and hope that we can rebuild the team quickly around those returning young players.”

Girls’ golf
Coach: Brian Garber
Record: 4–0 Division IV, 8–2 overall (both losses to Division I Valley Central).
Season highlights: “A 4–0 league record and having four girls qualify for sectionals,” said Garber, noting that Section IX Tournament standards are determined by stroke average and stroke over par.
He also noted the two home courses, Tarry Brae and Lochmor, and their respective pros, Glenn Sonnenschein and Michael Decker, create “great opportunities for our kids. It’s the main reason we’ve been able to improve and win the division championship three years in a row and for a third straight year send someone to the state tournament.”
Last year, both Kathleen Orlan and Danielle Stratton qualified for the tournament at SUNY Delhi. Stratton qualified for a second straight year this past spring while Orlan was part of the SUNY Albany golf team.
The team was also named a NYS Scholar/Athlete Award winner – the eight girls combined for an average of 92.184.
Looking ahead: “We have a young team and I see everybody coming back. The girls will be playing over the summer.”

Softball
Coach: Carlye Hyde
Record: League 1–7, overall 3–15
Season Highlights: “This season the team did very well. They played competitively with teams that they have done poorly against in the past,” said Hyde. “Our biggest highlight was triumphing over rival Tri-Valley, where we battled and defeated the Bears 27-10. The girls played hard and hit well gaining and early lead and holding it until the end. Kirsten Jacobsen pitched a great game and Kierra Miller had a two-run home run.”
Coach’s Comments: “The girls worked hard and showed dedication to their team. That is all a coach can ask for when building a program. Each season they improve and win more and the time is coming for this team.”
Looking Ahead: “Next season we have 10 players returning and six will be seniors. Kierra Miller, a powerhouse at the plate, will be returning, as well as our lefty pitcher Kirsten Jacobsen. Our shortstop, Celia Garcia, was a senior this year and her shoes will be hard to fill, but the team will step up and play hard.”