Stewart Johnson
The Carroll boys golf team was on a roll thanks to the leadership of seven seniors before their final year of high school competition was cut short. Two of those seniors, Daniel Fuller and Evan Paquette, highlighted an ensemble that finished eighth at the 6A state meet in 2019.
Although the UIL’s subsequent safety precautions kept Carroll golfers off the course since mid-March, Dragon golf coaches believed their athletes had the talent and experience to make another run at state had play resumed.
“We have a really strong group of seniors,” says Paige Martin, who along with Matt Glenn is the associate head coach for both the Carroll boys and girls golf teams. “Having [that many] seniors makes their roles a lot different. It doesn’t put the weight on just one person.”
Fuller, a New York University commit, is described by Glenn as the head of the team and someone who outworks everyone. His 74.7 average strokes per meet leads the way, while senior Kevin Yang (McLennan Community College golf signee) is also instrumental. Pacquette’s play has earned him a scholarship at Rhode Island University next season.
SEASON RECAP
As the season’s fall meets led to four more in the spring, the Dragons looked increasingly poised to make a strong postseason run at the state tournament. Carroll won its final meet in convincing fashion and turned its attention to the district tournament, which would have taken place March 25-26.
“In the last round of the [March 6-7] regional preview, it all kind of came together, so that was a big confidence builder,” Glenn says of the team’s victory in the last meet before UIL’s stoppage of play. “That’s what you want to do, time it to peak out at the right time.”
Glenn and Martin say the players had continued to work on their games individually, aided by modern technology. Sending videos of what they were doing in self-contained practice allowed the coaches feedback opportunities on what they needed to work on.
“The swings are really good and fundamentally sound,” Glenn says. “[We were] just finally starting to see them do what we’ve been working so hard all year to do.”
’20 Roster
Associate Head Coaches: Matt Glenn and Paige Martin
Assistant Coach: Jon Cravens
Daniel Fuller Sr.
Evan Paquette Sr.
Carson Stipetic Sr.
Kevin Yang Sr.
Huston Bryan Sr.
Liam Slattery Sr.
Dylan Fuller Sr.
Braxton Neiman Jr.
Josh Oldroyd Jr.
Mitchell Greenberg Jr.
Jack Beauchamp So.
Gabe Post So.