Slater Golf 2021 greeted the green with immense growth and determination. With a final record of 6-4, at one point including a six-match win streak, it’s safe to say the team made a name for itself.  

With all eight starters from the previous season returning, four seasoned seniors, the team approached the new season with both experience and a burning desire for individual improvement.  

“At the beginning of the season I truly wasn’t expecting much from our team. I underestimated everyone,” senior captain Freddy Bacon said. “But since we banded together and helped one another we got better every practice. I definitely can say this season was all about growth.” 

During the regular season the Slaters focused on putting in additional effort, gaining confidence, and working towards new personal bests, which set them up nicely for postseason play.

The Slaters sent a total of four golfers to the Colonial League Tournament, with seniors Freddy Bacon taking twelfth place and Dylan Hurd twenty-fourth in the boys bracket. In the girls bracket, senior Paulina Poels took both second place and a first round Districts bye, and junior Natalie White took third.

“Taking second in the Colonial League Tournament felt great,” Poels said. “I was hoping to get either third or fourth place and I mostly wanted to improve my score from last year and the year before, so improving ten strokes from last year to this year was a big accomplishment for me.” 

Bacon and White attended the District XI qualifier where they proved themselves; Bacon took fifteenth and White fourth, which sent them to the final round of Districts.  

“After Districts last year, I decided I needed to change things up a bit and really break the game down. This year, I was completely focused on each hole, shot by shot,” White said. “I ended up shooting an 82 securing my third-place finish spot at Districts. This third-place finish qualified me for States which were held at Heritage Hills in York, PA.” 

While White wowed #SlaterNation with her third-place finish and qualification to the State Tournament, Bacon and Poels also impressed, gaining personal victories and completing their Slater golf career just strokes away from qualifying further.  

White, with her determination and impressive work ethic, ended her season at the State Tournament with a respectable 89, ranking her in thirty-first place and concluding her junior season on a proud note.  

“I felt very excited to be able to go to States and represent my school. Especially after coach Wilson told me that the last time someone from our school golf team made it to States was over ten years ago,” White said. “Just because the golf season is over that doesn’t mean my hard work stops. I will continue to practice, take lessons, and golf to improve my game to be ready for next season.”