Optimistic Townies tee off 2019 golf season

EPHS eyes earning first state tournament berth in a decade

By Mike Rego
Posted 4/24/19

SWANSEA — The East Providence High School golf team teed off its 2019 Eastern Division regular season schedule earlier this week against Rogers and host Mt. Hope at Swansea Country Club …

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Optimistic Townies tee off 2019 golf season

EPHS eyes earning first state tournament berth in a decade

Posted

SWANSEA — The East Providence High School golf team teed off its 2019 Eastern Division regular season schedule earlier this week against Rogers and host Mt. Hope at Swansea Country Club seeking to build off its most successful effort in recent years.

In fact, it’s likely no group of Townies has created as much of a sense of bullishness for long-time head coach Bill McEnery in quite a while.

“I’m very optimistic for good reason,” said McEnery, assisted this year by former EPHS player Scott Breault. “These kids can play. One through six, they can play. There’s no new kids out there. They all know the game.”

The Townies went 9-5 last spring, posting a record above .500 for the first time since they finished 10-4 in 2011. Neighbor and host Bay View edged E.P. and Tiverton in the Eastern Division playoff match contested between the teams that placed third through fifth in the regular season standings. The Bengals earned the division’s third berth into the state tournament, joining Barrington and Portsmouth, who each qualified by placing first and second, respectively, in the regular season rankings.

This spring, East Providence returns two of its top performers from a year ago, senior co-captains Tyler Azevedo and Isabelle Wetmore. Azevedo, last season, qualified for the individual state tournament, which was held at Cranston C.C. and will again serve as the championship course this spring. Wetmore finished in a share of 10th place at the girls’ individual state championship tourney contested at Newport C.C.

Also back in the fold are scorers from a year ago: senior co-captain Cameron Ellinwood and junior Seth DiMaria. Of note, a contributor last year, senior Constantino Capobianco, has opted to play tennis rather than golf this spring.

Augmenting that loss and leading to McEnery’s enthusiasm is the addition of freshman Michael Wetmore, the younger sibling of Isabelle. He enters the fold after having finished as first alternate from the region last summer for the World Junior Championships, an event held annually at the famed Torrey Pines in San Diego, California.

“We’re a veteran team. We have four of our five top scorers back and plus, the freshman, Michael Wetmore, is very good,” said McEnery. “He’s a very good player, who’s very, very passionate about the game.”

In order, Azevedo, Michael Wetmore, Isabelle Wetmore, DiMaria, Ellinwood and sophomore Kyle Duggan comprise the six players in the scoring positions to start the year.

Other potential scorers for the Townies during regular season matches come from the rest of the roster including junior Cody Danz along with sophomores Colby Nelson and Stanley Rodwick.

With knowledge and talent among its ranks, East Providence is intently eyeing qualification into the state tournament, a feat the Townies haven’t accomplished since finishing 13th overall in the event at the end of the 2009 campaign. To get there, they either have to finish better than Barrington or Portsmouth during the regular season or earn a berth through the division playoff match, which they didn't do last year.

“We plan to make the states,” McEnery said, emphatically.

When asked if the Townies can compete with Barrington and Portsmouth for the top two spots, McEnery said, “Yes, we can.” Could East Providence potentially pip either the Eagles or Patriots for one of the automatic bids from the division into states? McEnery answered, “Potentially, I think we could.”

“Third place, we would host the playoff at Metacomet (C.C., the Townies' home course), which would give us an advantage,” McEnery added. “Our goal is to get to the states. We can do it. We’re a better team than last year because of the addition of Wetmore and the experience of the other players.”