Archbishop Murphy’s girls golf team is rebuilding around a pair of senior standouts.
The Wildcats graduated the majority of their team last year and only have two returning varsity players in senior co-captains Erin Gogal and Brittany Varriano. Gogal has been on varsity for all four years of her high school career, while Varriano has been a varsity player the last three years.
Gogal has played in the state tournament as a freshman and junior. She just missed out on advancing to the second day of the tournament last year.
“She should definitely qualify for state this year,” said Archbishop Murphy coach Mike Endsley. “I expect to see her in the second day of the tournament.”
Since she arrived at Archbishop Murphy, Gogal has been among the top two golfers for the Wildcats.
“She’s consistently been good,” Endsley said. “She’s steady and dependable. … She’s been a medalist in a couple of conference matches. I don’t really get a bad score out of her.”
Varriano has improved significantly and spent a lot of time in the offseason preparing for her senior year.
“She’s devoted herself,” Endsley said.
The Wildcats’ No. 3 slot is filled by junior Julianne Connelly. This is her first year on the team.
“She’s got the potential to make it to state,” Endsley said. “She’s lacking experience in tournament play. She’s really turned it on in the second half of the season and improved quite a bit. She’s our most improved player.”
Junior Jordan Nelson rounds out the top four.
Seventeen girls turned out for the team, the highest numbers in the five years that Endsley has been coaching.
“I’ve got a lot of new sophomores and a couple of juniors and two freshmen,” Endsley said. “It’s kind of a rebuilding year for us.”
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