Believe it or not, one Springfield Township team is already making history. Although school started only a month ago, the Spartan golf team is approaching the end of the season. However, the season, so far, has not been like every other. The Spartans, led by Coach Vizza, have had a historically successful start to their season.
Starting in early August with tryouts, the golf team has striven for success. Captained by seniors Adam Fluehr, Matt Capoferri, and Ethan Shore, the Spartans knew they had a chance to do something special this season and do something special, and they did.
On August 29th, the Spartans traveled to Huntingdon Valley Country Club to play against Upper Moreland, a day that shortly went down in the history of Spartan athletics. The team, composed of Adam Fluehr, Matt Capoferri, Ethan Shore, Brett Smith, Max May, Ryan Brnich, Jack Massari, and Harry Nolen, scored a combined score of 184, the lowest in history. The Spartans beat Upper Moreland by a combined 47 strokes.
In high school golf, the total team score is determined by combining the five lowest scores of players in nine holes. The scores that amounted to the record-breaking 184 were from Fluehr (32), Shore (38), Nolen (38), Massari (39), and Brnich (37). Over the course of nine holes, five people averaged between three and four strokes per hole.
Coach Vizza acknowledges that it has been “a multi-year process” to reach the historical success of this year. With all these skilled golfers, Vizza states that if this team reaches its potential, “it could be the best team I have ever coached.”
As the season progressed, the team arrived at the SOL Championships. The team did extraordinarily well, with five players, Ryan Brnich (finished tied in third), Matt Capoferri, Max May, Brett Smith, and Adam Fluehr, qualifying for the district championship.
Captain Adam Fluehr was especially accomplished, and Coach Vizza praised Fluehr’s “great and consistent leadership” throughout the season. The only thing better than a great leader, however, is a great leader who wins championships, and that is just what Fluehr did. In the SOL Championships, Fluehr turned it up on the back nine to finish one over par and earn himself a SOL Freedom League Championship and a joint SOL League Championship.
A historic season for the Spartans golfers will continue onto the district tournament and, hopefully, beyond. There is no doubt the history that these golfers have achieved already this season, and we wish them the best of luck.
