Poland headed back to state after 2nd straight district title
Poland boys golf headed back to state
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POLAND -- Back in early August, the Poland boys golf team set out three goals it wanted to accomplish this year.
First, it wanted to win the Northeast 8 Conference. Check.
Then, it wanted to win another sectional golf title. Check.
Finally, it wanted to go back-to-back at districts to earn another chance at state. Check.
Last week, the Bulldogs captured their second straight Division II Northeast district title, running away from the field for a 14-stroke victory at Windmill Lakes. They earned their third straight trip to the OHSAA Division II tournament at Firestone Country Club's North Course.
"Obviously there's this bit of relief, right? I think we knew coming into it that we were the top dog. We thought that these other teams were trying to fight for what we knew we could get," Poland head coach Chris Martin said. "When I saw Nick [Dipasqua], Parker [Ogden] and Ryan [Lombardo], with the start they had over the first two or three holes, I knew it was ours.
"Not to be cocky or arrogant, it was just the confidence was there for our team. Angelo [Rinaldi] didn't have his best day, and we usually rely on him. But the other guys had his back, so it was a confidence boost for the team. We're where we need to be now, and I think we're just going to fine-tune this week and we're going to go attack this weekend at state."
As a team, Poland shot 302 at districts to beat out second-place Gilmour Academy (316) and Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (321).
Lombardo led the way for the Bulldogs, shooting a 74 for a runner-up finish in the individual standings. Four of the team's five players finished in the top-10, with Dipasqua, Rinaldi and Matthew Morrone each shooting a 76. Ogden rounded out the team with an 85.
"It was exciting. We went in there knowing we had a good shot at winning, and we just got the job done," Lombardo said. "We expected to be here, and I think all the work we put in shows."
It hasn't all been easy sledding to get to this point, however. Back in early August, Poland took an early-season lick at the Brookfield Invitational at Yankee Run, finishing seven strokes behind rival Canfield.
That little bit of adversity helped the Bulldogs refocus and set them on the path to where they are now.
"It kind of put it in perspective that we can't just show up," Martin said. "We gotta be more focused, and the next day we came out and we set a school record. ... Along the way, we've hit those speed bumps, but now that we're past that, we can just focus on getting better every match. Didn't play our best golf at sectionals because of the weather conditions and whatnot, but we came back with a district performance that was really good, and I think our best golf is yet to come."
Poland has a luxury few other teams have with four seniors in its lineup. That group has been together all four years and has the requisite experience necessary to be successful during this time of year.
Rinaldi qualified for state as an individual as a freshman, and the Bulldogs have qualified as a team for state each of the past three years, which included a runner-up finish at districts as sophomores, in addition to the district titles the past two years.
"There's nothing that can substitute what we're doing with the experience with this team," Martin said. "Angelo, Matt, Ryan -- they've all already played at Firestone already. They play summer tournaments. There's nothing that we're going to do tonight [at Kensington], Thursday at the Lake Club or wherever we go, that's going to simulate the experience they've already got. At this point, it's in their hands. They've put themselves in a good position to get to this point and be confident and prepared. Now it's just go play your game."
After a sixth-place finish at state last year due to the second round getting rained out, the Bulldogs had just one goal in mind when they head to Firestone's North Course this weekend.
With four seniors, the Bulldogs want to end their high school golf careers on the highest of highs and bring home that coveted state championship.
"There's always one goal, and that's to win it all," Morrone said. "But it's still our last year, so we gotta enjoy it. It's our last time together. Most of us are going to go on our separate paths, so we're just going to enjoy it, have fun with it and hopefully bring it home."