Published October 15, 2020

By DAN ZIMMERMAN

ISABEL BROZENA has stormed the Hillview Golf Course as North Reading’s number one golfer in her freshman season. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

NORTH READING — As the school year drew near and pandemic restrictions began to ease somewhat in the Bay State, there was hope that the MIAA COVID-19 Task Force would find the means to allow for athletics to commence, in one form or another.

Emerging from the MIAA committee meetings relatively intact was golf which, by its very nature, is a socially distant sport.

Two weeks ago, a handful of North Reading high school athletes dusted off the cobwebs of relative inactivity, put a fresh shine on their golf clubs, and boarded a bus destined for the Rowley Country Club to face Newburyport in the first of what would be an abbreviated season.

The Hornets were edged in that season-opening round, 140-130, but complaints were minimal amongst the participants. They were enjoying the outdoors and competing.

“As the kids make their way around the golf course, I think for them it represents a little slice of normalcy,” said 13-year coach Brian McAuliffe who, when he’s not shepherding young golfers, heads up the North Reading hockey team. “While they’re out there and enjoying this game, it takes them away from the constant noise and commotion of this ongoing virus.”

As McAuliffe explained, the typical golf season features 16-18 matches and for the deserving few, a visit to the postseason. But this year, the docket has been reduced to 10 rounds and there will not be a tournament. Currently, North Reading holds a respectable 4-3 overall record and there is an outside chance the Hornets could claim the league title, although a pair of undefeated programs stands in their path.

CAPTAIN Nicholas Shea has had a great season so far as he leads the Hornets in 2020. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)

“Mathematically, we’re still in the hunt,” said McAuliffe, whose current roster features 20 players. “But Triton and Newburyport remain undefeated. Even if the title eludes us, we should finish up the season in good shape.”

The Hornets call the Hillview Golf Course on North Street their home and are currently undefeated at this venue, which is owned by the Town of North Reading. The 4,521-yard, par 69 (from the red tee markers) is considered challenging by some. The Hornets, as McAuliffe outlined, send out eight players and score six of them over nine holes.

“We play under the Modified Stableford format,” McAuliffe explained. “While a typical golfer seeks the lowest score possible, this method is designed so scoring more points than an opponent leads to a win. For instance, a birdie earns six points, a par gets four, a bogey receives two, and a double bogey is awarded one point. We total the top six golfers and the higher score between the two teams wins.”

Among the current crop of top golfers plying their trade for the Hornets are seniors Nicholas Shea, Tim Buckley, Sal Schille, Brady Cunningham, and a junior, Tyler Murphy. McAuliffe also has in his arsenal a pair of senior football players in starting cornerback Will Taylor and starting quarterback Brian Heffernan.

“Will and Brian are obviously exemplary athletes because of their football backgrounds but they also bring their leadership qualities to our program,” the coach said.

But showing the most promise, in McAuliffe’s opinion, is freshman phenom Isabel Brozena.

“Isabel is going to be something special to watch in the years ahead,” said McAuliffe who, during the past 12 years, has had only one other girl join the golf team. “In golf, there isn’t a youth program to speak of so it’s difficult to determine what you might have coming up through the ranks. We rely on communication from parents and others who have observed the player.”

McAuliffe explained that Isabel’s father reached out in hopes that his daughter might receive a waiver to join the high school team as an eighth-grader but unfortunately, he was told she would have to wait. In the meantime, coach McAuliffe stayed in touch with the Brozena family and kept tabs on Isabel’s progress. In a few short golf rounds this fall, she has already proven well worth the wait.

“Last Friday, while playing Pentucket, Isabel faced their number one, Ava Spencer,” the coach shared. “To have the two girls designated as the number ones on boy’s teams was pretty neat. As the match progressed, they reached the last hole tied and remained tied after earning par on the difficult ninth. It was a pretty cool thing to witness.”

Following the Hornets’ season-opening defeat, they reeled off four straight, with convincing wins over Lynnfield (162-88), Pentucket (142-106), Ipswich (131-101), and Hamilton-Wenham (136-113). This success was followed by back-to-back losses, first to Rockport (110-121) and then Triton (117-139). North Reading wraps up the shortened campaign on the road, facing Manchester-Essex, Georgetown, and Amesbury.