Hard work and determination have the USM golf team headed in the right direction. Nearly halfway through the season, the Huskies are starting to slowly cash in the fruits of their labor with low scores and team triumphs.
Brent Profeno (Standish) epitomized the rewards of hard work on Sept. 25 during the St. Joseph’s Invitational at Point Sebago Golf Club in Raymond when he fired a season low 71 under par and received tournament medalist honors while leading an impressive team effort that saw the Huskies finish third.
“He started going low on the front and sometimes it’s hard to keep it going, but he did and I’m happy for him,” Coach Reggie Grant said. “He’s been working on his game and it’s showing.”
But Profeno isn’t the only Husky who is taking his game to new levels. It seems like every event a new name leads the team’s scoring effort.
David Murphy (Melrose, MA) preceded Profeno’s round with an impressive 18 holes of his own when he carded his season low of 79 at the Waterville Country Club during the Sid Farr Invitational on Sept. 22 leading the Huskies to a third place finish.
“When we see someone go low out there it makes us work harder because we know we can get there too,” Murphy said.
Of the nine team members, only five play in each event, the best four efforts comprising the team’s total score. While the level of parity on the Husky golf squad is quite impressive, Coach Grant wishes he could find a way to get even more of his players on the same page.
“Every tournament we seem to have two or three good scores but we need four or five,” he said. “It’s going to take the right combination of players.”
Getting those four solid scores is going to take even more hard work, according to Grant, who allows his players to practice on their own time at the team’s home course, South Portland’s Sable Oaks. While they don’t have organized practices, players are required to spend certain amounts of time in the gym, on the practice green, at the range and on the course.
“What it really comes down to is managing your misses. That’s what golf is all about,” Grant said of the game, “I want the kids to learn how to score when they’re not striking the ball (well).”
Grant’s coaching style, which blends working hard with staying relaxed on the course, seems to be helping some of his players bring their games to new levels.
“We’re even laid back at matches and Coach never really dwells on it if we play poorly,” Murphy said. ” I think that helps us play better.”
Coach Grant and his squad have been getting strong leadership out of their two captains, senior Greg Mitchell (Durham) and junior Ben Loss (Wilmette, IL) who have provided solid play and leadership in the Huskies’ six tournaments thus far. Loss has carded the low score for the team on three occasions including a season low effort of 76 during the Terrier Classic at the Waterville Country Club while Mitchell led the team at the UMF Invitational when he carded an 81.
“They are quiet leaders,” Grant said of his captains. “Ben is a hockey player who loves golf and works his butt off. Greg always has a smile on his face and he is a warrior.”
Backing up Mitchell, Loss and Murphy are Justin Merchant (Westbrook), Andrew Slattery (West Minot), Matt Reid (Portland) and David Roberge (Auburn) who have all posted scores for the Huskies this season.
The team’s attention now shifts towards making a strong push at the end of the season in order to dethrone perennial powerhouse Husson College as the states’ best D-III golf team.
In order to do so, they hope to capitalize on back-to-back home tournaments at the frustrating and unforgiving Sable Oaks golf course.
“It’s a tremendous advantage to be playing there because it is a course management course and it gives us a five to 10 stroke advantage from the beginning,” Grant added.
The course, which could prove troubling to opponents who have never experienced its narrow fairways and ample trouble areas, could help the Huskies build enough momentum to carry them through the rest of the season and into title contention at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championship in Brewster, MA.
Regardless of wins and losses it seems as though Coach Grant will be satisfied with his team no matter what.
“I’ve got a great group of kids who come from great families and they make it a lot of fun,” Grant said, “and that’s what golf is all about. It’s a lifelong sport and some of my best memories have come in collegiate golf.”
The USM Fall Classic on Oct. 1 (10 a.m.) is the Husky’s first home event of the season, with the Southern Maine Cup (noon) to follow on Oct. 5. Both are at Sable Oaks in South Portland.