Spring Sports Previews: Madison Golf

The Madison High School golf team may not get a lot of press, but these athletes train as hard as any to be good at their craft.  One has to keep competing in a sport that can be, literally, a game of inches. Boasting a co-ed roster with seven starters, the Dodgers hope to pick up where they left off last season and put the ball in the cup individually and as a team.

"Last season was successful," head coach Matthew Millichap said. "We turned it around from two years ago.  [Spring 2008] was a rebuilding year–we graduated our top seven players from the year before."

In a program that has been in existence for several decades, the expectations for success remain high.

"I expect much the same as last year," Millichap said. "The conference is new this year. We expect Chatham to be extremely difficult for us to handle. We have a few new teams on there, which, in golf, is good. You get to play some courses you have never seen before.

Two of the biggest keys to success for Madison this season will be Matt Gilbert and Andrew Wells–two sophomores who had breakout years as freshmen.

"Last year, our top two scoring players were both freshmen," Millichap said of Wells and Gilbert. "Now, they're sophomores.  With the extra year of experience, I'm expecting a lot from them."

"Mike Coviello and Forrest Bennfors have the most varsity experience," Millichap said.  "We're hoping one or two of the other ones separates himself from the pack."

With a solid mix of upper and underclassmen, the Dodgers look to be competitive in a realigned conference.  Here are the seven individuals who make up the 2010 Madison Dodgers varsity golf team:

Forrest Bennfors, Sr. - "I'd like to win the conference and county championships.  We have some good kids on the team this year, so we can do pretty well."

Matt Gilbert, So. - "I'm hoping we win conferences as a team and I hope my driver doesn't break!"

Mike Coviello, Jr. - "I've been playing since freshman year, and hopefully we can win counties and states."  Coviello worked on "lots of putting" to prepare for the year.

Jason von der Linde, Jr. - "I want to get more consistent off the tee," von der Linde said.  His favorite places to swing from are his mid-iron shots.

Andrew Wells, So. - "I've been golfing for ten years," Wells said.  "I've been working on putting, definitely, from fifty yards and in.  I'd like to win the individual county or conference tournament and the team as well."

Robbie Altier, Jr. - "I've been golfing for eight years, and this is my second on the team. I'm strong in the mid to long irons. I'd like to establish and maintain consistency and keep my game at a good level."

Conor Stark, Jr. - "This is my third year on the team and I'm working on everything.  I want to start shooting under 40 consistently."

While the seven varsity golfers are all boys, there has been great interest from the girls camp in recent years as the program at MHS has developed.

"Popularity has grown a lot the past few years," Millichap said.  "There has been an increase in total numbers and definitely an increase in the number of girls. We try to set up girls matches–we get together with girls teams or girls high schools to get them playing time.

Riding on standout performances from Gilbert and Wells last year, Madison is sure to be competitive, but as for specific expectations for this season, Millichap is "definitely confident" in his team's ability.

"We'll have some kind of a winning record. We need sixty percent to make states in golf, and that's always the main goal."