Sessa, Garden City Maroon best in Nassau
Samantha Sessa should lead Garden City Maroon once again. Credit: Joseph D. Sullivan
CONFERENCE WEST
It is another year, and the machine that is Garden City Maroon keeps on churning. The five-time Nassau champions return six of seven golfers, including freshman and returning individual county champion Samantha Sessa. Alex Michielini will be the No. 2, and Laura Ketigian is capable of shooting in the 30s.
Garden City White is the school's second varsity team, and with seniors Mallory Emmert and Lauren Singer, they should finish in the middle of the pack.
Syosset, led by All-Long Island eighth-grader Elizabeth Choi, is the greatest challenge to Maroon in its first year since moving from Conference South.
Cold Spring Harbor is a young, talented team that may be a year away from joining Maroon and Syosset atop the standings.
CONFERENCE NORTH
Jericho and Roslyn are the favorites, but Great Neck South might surprise. Senior Susan Son finished 11th at the county meet and should lead the way to a third- or fourth-place finish.
Friends Academy returns a team capable of competing with South for a playoff berth.
CONFERENCE SOUTH
Freshman Casey Durant shot a 44 and junior Kaitlynn Bustamonte could be the keys to bringing Sewanhaka District a conference title. The Indians moved from West, where they competed with the likes of GC Maroon.
Bellmore JFK should be among the challengers.
SUFFOLK LEAGUE I
Ali Hoffman and Jesse Downs will put up low numbers for defending co-league champion Bay Shore, and fellow champ Hauppauge will lean on Erin Lynch and Brenna Buckley.
LEAGUE II
Defending champion Smithtown East has Katie Fitzharris, Carly Peters and Lauren Brennan forming a dynamic 1-2-3 punch.
Smithtown West, with freshman extraordinaire Kaitlin Clancy, cannot be counted out.
Northport, led by Cameron Lamberston and Krissy Unger, is capable of winning it all.
LEAGUE III
Two-time champion Mount Sinai lost six seniors and will be going through a rebuilding year, with three seventh-graders and an eighth-grader expected to start.
League runner-up Ward Melville lost its top-two golfers, but junior Caysea Cohen and eighth-grader Danielle Greene should put the Patriots in prime position to win the league.
LEAGUE IV
Despite graduating three of the best golfers in program history (Julie MacDonnell, Jenn Clinton and Cynthia Cheng), defending Long Island champion Sayville might still have enough to take home a league title. Freshman Shannon Haselton, senior Kayla Grossi and junior Mollie Drinkwater all have valuable championship experience.
Bayport-Blue Point and East Islip will help make the league a three-team race.
