Gibraltar Carlson's Rocco Giorgi named Region Golf Coach of Year

GIBRALTAR – Gibraltar Carlson's boys golf team qualified for the state finals last spring for the first time since 2015.

Coach Rocco Giorgi knew it would be tougher this season.

The Marauders moved up from Division 2 to Division 1.

More: SMCC, Carlson golf qualify for state

“It's been a long time since a Downriver League team qualified for state in Division 1,” Giorgi said.

That drought is over.

Giorgi, who took his team back to state, has been voted Monroe County Region Boys Golf Coach of the Year by The Monroe News sports staff.

The trip to state capped an amazingly consistent year for the Marauders.

“We were in the top three in every tournament we played in,” Giorgi said. “Our JV team finished fourth in our Marauder Tournament.”

Carlson's varsity won that tournament.

The Marauders were second to Trenton at the Downriver League Tournament.

“We beat Trenton twice this season and they beat us three times,” Giorgi said. “They had most of their team back and I had most of my team back. I knew it would be close. It was just who played well that day (of the league tournament). They beat us by two strokes.”

Carlson also fell two strokes short in the Monroe County Championship, shooting 331 to take third behind New Boston Huron and Bedford.

The Marauders were third in their Division 1 regional to earn the third and final qualifying spot for the state finals.

“That was pretty cool,” Giorgi said. “We definitely did better than I expected.”

Carlson shot 341 on the opening day of the state finals, but was under its team average on the second day with a round of 327.

“We averaged around 329 or 330,” Giorgi said. “There was a lot of pressure at the state finals. And our graduation was on the first day. They played, then drove home (from Battle Creek) for graduation. It was a busy three days. We were running on fumes.”

Carlson had an interesting mix of youth and experience this year with three seniors and a pair of sophomores in its top five.

“My top three guys were three-year varsity players,” Giorgi said. “One of the sophomores played at state last year.”

Overall, it was a succcessful season for the Marauders.

“We've made it to state two years in a row,” Giorgi said. “Carlson has only made one or two other times in school history.

Gioigi, who teaches calculus prep and financial literacy at Carlson, sees the success continuing even without the three important seniors who were lost to graduaton.

“We had almost 30 kids come out and we kept 17,” he said. “We have good numbers.

“Golf is pretty popular at the school. We lose those three seniors, but we have a lot of young guys.”

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Gibraltar Carlson's Rocco Giorgi named Region Golf Coach of Year