May 19th, 2025 – Story and photos by William Wassersug
The Hingham girls golf team has had some serious success the past few seasons and this year is no different.
The Harborwomen continued their strong play this season with a 5-1 win over Cohasset Tuesday at South Shore Country Club.
“They’re doing really well. We are we are 9-3 for our overall record (10-3 after the Cohasset win), and 8-1 for our Patriot League record,” said third-year Hingham coach Samantha Leary, who played at Hingham and graduated in 2017 before playing at Assumption. “We had one loss against Duxbury for our Patriot League, we have that on Thursday at home. That’s a big one for us, so we’re hopeful to get them back. We’ve been Patriot League champ the past three years, so we’re hoping to get a win.”
The team has just two regular season matches left, the Duxbury match and another on the road and at Notre Dame Academy Tuesday, May 20 at Hatherly Country Club in Scituate.
After that, Hingham will head to Franklin’s Maplegate Country Club for Sectionals, May 28.
The team is led by senior captains Elizabeth Haughey and Becca Kardoos along with Finley Erick.
The team’s top player this season has been Callie Crean, who recently finished with a one-under par 35 in a home meet against Notre Dame Academy and a two-under 35 and followed up with a 34 against North Quincy.
Hingham won both of those matches, and Crean started her season with a 9-2 record.
As a freshman, Crean qualified for States and finished in the top ten there.
Crean has been in the No. 1 spot, with Haughey (5-3 start) playing No.2, although against Cohasset she was out and Erick played No. 2.
Freshman Sam McCabe, started with a 9-1 record played in the No. 3 spot and Courtney Bodner (7-1-1 start) was in the No. 4 spot.
Crean, McCabe and Ella Halsing all brought something a little different to the team as members of the State Champion girls hockey team.
“Sam McCabe was on the hockey team, and she’s been an integral part of developing our lineup, especially as a freshman,” Leary said. “All three are very competitive, which I appreciate. Golf is very relaxed and that kind of thing, but you need to have a little bit of a competitive edge. You want to win.”
The coach said the hockey players were not of the Happy Gilmore mode.
“You don’t get angry,” Leary said about the reference with a laugh. “But you you need to be competitive, wanting to win your match and if you don’t win, that’s okay, too, but you want to give it your best effort.”
Leary said she’s happy to have Bodner on the squad.
“She actually came here from NDA,” Leary said of Bodner, who was edged in her match Tuesday. “She’s a junior, and getting her on the team has been a real asset. She’s got a great mentality and attitude.”
Junior Taylor Sullivan (5-2-2 open), generally No. 6, played No. 5 against Cohasset, with Ciara McGuinness (8-3 start) at No. 6 and freshman Ella Halsing (9-2 start) playing No. 7.
While Sullivan is a junior, she only started playing golf last year, as did McGuinness.
Clara Nugent stepped into the No. 8 spot and got her first varsity start against Cohasset and was a winner in the spot.
Other players on the varsity include Olivia Nolan (1-2) and Addie Prinville.
The junior varsity players include freshman Poppy Roberts, junior Frankie Papaleoni and senior Violet Palmer, who has consistently improved her game.
On the course, Leary said the team has different strong points and aspects that can be worked on.
“I would say iron play and driving, those are some of their strengths,” Leary said. “Everyone has something to work on in golf. That’s the best part about it, but something that we can continue to work on a short game. They’e strong off the tee. They have great swings, and I’m very hopeful, because we have some newer players that can develop for the next few years.”
Kardoos has been out with an injury this season, but has been a hue part of the team’s success.
“Becca is injured, but she has taken a huge role and is like our assistant,” Leary said. “She’s like a player coach for us.”
Kardoos has been impressed with her team.
“Honestly, I’m really proud of this team so far,” Kardoos said. “I feel like every year Hingham has a group of newer players who haven’t really tried golf before. Being able to pick up those girls, bring them in and welcome them to the team, see them get into golf and end up loving it is really exciting. It’s great building a team that’s really enthusiastic about playing but also has great chemistry. All the girls really care about each other and want to see each other play well. That’s a major strength of this team.”
Leary said the team is excited about Sectionals.
“These girls are just getting out there, and they’re getting better as golfers and as players,” she said. That’s one thing about this group. They’re always smiling, they’re always having fun. They’re a great group.”
Along with Leary, her dad Michael is an assistant coach and Lisa Vialle is the JV coach.
The team said the success was helped by everyone at South Shore Country Club, including pros Chris Riley and Michael Libby and Executive Director Kevin Whalen.