Girls’ Golf Preview
Woodstock Academy brings experience and talent back to golf course
A milestone for Woodstock Academy girls’ golf coach Earl Semmelrock. This is his 20th year at the helm of the Centaurs.
“Not really,” Semmelrock said with a laugh when asked if he expected his coaching tenure to go as long as it has. “Things have just kind of fallen into place and it is what it is. I plan to keep coming back as long as I have good groups of kids that want to learn and want to get better so here I am.”
The Centaurs come back pretty much intact from a year ago.
Isabel Mawson was the only graduation loss which means the top two players, senior Lily Moran and junior Reagan Scheck return.
They have been joined by a host of others.
“We’re excited,” Scheck, who will serve as co-captain with Moran, said. “We’re happy that the team has grown. We had 16 girls tried out and two of our freshmen are fantastic too so I’m excited about the young people coming and the people from last year coming back because we did make States so I really want to repeat that.”
Woodstock captured second place in the ECC championship a year ago.
Scheck was the medalist for the Centaurs at the league championship match, tying for second overall and reaching a personal goal by breaking 40 with a 39.
Moran also had a season low in the ECC tournament with a 45.
The Centaurs finished with a 10-6 record in the regular season and a good enough stroke average to qualify for the Div. II state tournament where they finished ninth.
“We had a successful year last year by making states and improving our ranking during the state tournament. The nucleus of the team is back and I’m sure we’re going to have an outstanding season,” Semmelrock said. ”Reagan has come through since she was a freshman and the expectations are high for her to have another good season. Lily Moran’s game has really come around. She showed that at the state tournament last year.”
The team has also benefitted from some offseason practice.
“We have been to Bears (Virtual Golf in Danielson) this winter and we have been practicing and it’s definitely been showing on the course. I feel very confident and I think we will do well this year,” Scheck said.
Sophomore Colby O’Connor also returns and has improved over the course of the year. Semmelrock also expects contributions from freshmen Brianna Beck and Addy Beams.
Other varsity players for Woodstock this year include Finley Hamilton, Isabelle Tedisky, Abigail Langevin and Elizabeth Thomas.
The newcomers have been fitting in nicely with the returners, according to Scheck.
“The chemistry has always been there and it seems to get stronger every year, especially with the new girls, there are no cliques. Everybody is a team and we do everything together,” the junior said.
In addition to the team roster growing, so has the league.
The ECC can now boast of nine teams as Waterford and Lyman Memorial have added programs.
“That’s a first for the league to have so many which is outstanding. That makes me happy because of all the years I have put in to see it grow and it seems to be taking hold now. There will be a lot less travel to Western Connecticut to get matches, not as much time on a bus,” Semmelrock said.
The Centaurs had their first two matches postponed and will now play their season opener right after spring break.
They will get on the bus April 20 and head to the Mohegan Country Club to play Lyman Memorial.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
captions:
Junior co-captain Reagan Scheck tees on the first hole at the Woodstock Golf Course during a practice last week.
2026 boys and girls golf
Members of the Woodstock boys’ and girls’ golf teams recently participated in a clean-up day at the Woodstock Golf Course to help the facility clean up after a rough winter and get ready for the golf season.
Photos by Marc Allard/Woodstock Academy.
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