Strong leadership drives HHS golf team
by Dan Holland
For Hudson High School Boys Varsity Golf Team coach Matt Villanauve – who co-coaches the team with Dave Kurtz – the consistent success the program has experienced in recent years is unprecedented. The team recently won its fifth consecutive Suburban League title and back-to-back district titles. Most recently, it finished fifth place at the OHSAA Division I state tournament, held at the NCR Country Club in Kettering on Oct. 14-15.
“High school golf is a funny thing, because most of the events you’re playing in are 18-hole events,” said Villanauve. “You can go cold on one day, and other teams can get hot for a day; but we’ve managed to have a lot of success this year. In nine weeks, we played in 19 events, and in that time, we placed in the top three 14 times. We won nine of those events, which is saying a lot in golf as it’s a hard thing to do.”
The squad set a new school record for a second time this season when it registered a 278 combined score at the D-I Boys Sectional Golf Tournament held at Windmill Lakes Golf Course in Ravenna on Sept. 30. Senior Sam Fauver was medalist at the event, posting a score of 64 on the 18-hole course. The overall team score qualified the team as a whole to compete in the state tournament.
Before states, Villanauve said he was “excited about getting to go back down to the state tournament again with a team that’s a little more experienced.”
“This year, we carry three guys down there who have played there before, who will help carry the two other guys who have not. So, there’s a little more of a comfort factor than we’ve had in the past.”
In addition to brothers Sam and Ben Fauver, who serve as team co-captains, other team members making the trip to the state tournament include senior Adam Ruffer and sophomores Jerry Du and Barrett Atchison.
“We’re just blessed to have Sam and Ben Fauver in the ranks,” said Villanauve. “Sam is a senior, and Ben is a sophomore. Sam has played varsity for four years and has held his own all four years. This is his second year as team co-captain.”
Villanauve describes Sam, who will play collegiately at Xavier University following graduation, as a quiet leader who leads by example.
“He outworks all of them; he’s never done working at becoming better at the game,” said Villanauve. “There are two players who have jumped on Sam’s coattails and have played a lot of golf and practiced with him. For four years, he’s led by example, and everyone sees that it works and they follow in that plan. It’s become cultural. He’s a big part of that culture shift we’ve had in the program over the last five years.”
His brother Ben serves as the youngest team co-captain Villanauve has had during his tenure with the team.
“He’s probably one of the best iron players in the state of Ohio right now,” according to Villanauve. “He has had 12 rounds this year under 75. He and his brother are the two best players on the team, but they are very complimentary, and they are always looking out for all the other guys on the team.”
Earlier this year, Ben won the Hudson Junior Invitational, and the boys golf team secured its first championship in the invitational’s 17-year history, firing a record round of 294.
“Our boys golf program has been very special in recent years, and it is extremely exciting to see our athletes find continued success,” said Hudson High School Athletic Director Mike Chuppa. “We have been fortunate to have some incredibly talented players, extremely supportive families and a tremendous coaching staff who continue to provide special experiences for our boys.”
“I’m a believer in the idea that if you love what you’re doing, then the results will follow,” said Villanauve. “If you build a culture where you teach them to be great young men and teach them to love the game, then the success follows along.”
Photo Caption: Golfers (l-r) Ben Matava, Ben Fauver, Barrett Atchison, Sam Fauver, Jerry Du and Adam Ruffer brought home a fifth-place finish in the OHSAA Division I state tournament with scores of 307 and 324 over two days. Photos submitted.