RCDS Boys’ Golf
Wildcats Make It Back-to-Back State Championships

– By Jim Byrne –

On the heels of their first Fairchester Athletic Association League Championship May 5 at Yale, Rye Country Day cruised to the State Championship May 20 in Pleasant Valley, finishing first out of a field of 11 teams, and winning for a second consecutive year.

While the FAA League Title came on a one-stroke win, the Wildcats dominated the New York State Association of Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship to the tune of a 24-stroke victory. Four of the six Rye Country Day golfers shot in the 70s en route to a five-man aggregate total of 383. Fieldston finished a distant second with a 407.

Sophomore Conor McDade and senior co-captain Reed Endresen led the way for the Wildcats, each shooting a 74. Those scores were good enough for a tie at third overall individually on the day. Four Wildcats finished in the overall top 10, and all six placed in the top 24 of 67 golfers. Freshman Aaron Klimchuk finished with a 75 and junior Ryan Coughlin ended with a 79. Senior co-captain Alex Canning and junior Will Hilbert rounded out the group with an 81 and 84, respectively.

“We knew we had the best team really, but we didn’t expect to win by as much as we did,” said McDade. “I think we can definitely do this for years to come. Ryan Coughlin will be a senior and I’ll only be a junior next  year. We only lose two seniors to graduation, so I think we can be even better in 2008.”

“Everyone involved is thrilled,” said head coach Maryanne Lynch. “The team is a very young team and will only get stronger each year with practice, maturity and dedication to the game. We take a very disciplined approach to golf, recording stats for each round, fairways hit, greens in regulation and number of putts. These stats are compared week over week to see what has to be worked on. We also have a lot of fun and sometimes just have big ice cream sundaes and play fun scrambles for prizes against one another.”

For players like McDade and Coughlin, golf figures to be a big part of their lives even once high school is completed.

“I’m not looking that far ahead just yet,” said McDade. “But I think I’d like to play Ivy League or Division III golf one day. Next year I’ll start talking to some college coaches.”

The NYSAISAA event was held at James Baird Golf Course, a par 71 that’s a Robert Trent Jones design. Also competing in the State Championship were Riverdale, Horace Mann, Hackley, Dalton, Staten Island Academy, Poly Prep, Portledge, Columbia Prep and Long Island Lutheran.

McDade and Klimchuk will represent Rye Country Day on the private school team in the Federation Championships. There, their six-man team will compete against a Catholic school team and a public school team.