East Aurora girls golf building toward sharper short game, steady growth

Overview

• East Aurora enters the season with what coach James Raczynski called "an exciting building year" for a young program still establishing itself in Section VI.
• Iuliia Karpenko, Charolotte Roycroft and Ariana Ward give East Aurora a returning core after qualifying for the ECIC tournament last season.
• East Aurora's schedule includes home dates at Ironwood Golf Course against Orchard Park, Williamsville North, Depew and Starpoint.

East Aurora girls golf is still early in its program history, and coach James Raczynski wants East Aurora to use the 2026 season to keep building one match at a time.

Raczynski is entering his second season as East Aurora's varsity girls golf coach. The program was created three years ago, and the focus remains on growth.

"This season is an exciting building year," Raczynski said. "We have a hungry, talented roster ready to gain valuable match experience, compete every time out, and make a name for themselves in Section VI."

East Aurora's returning foundation starts with three players who reached the ECIC tournament last season: Iuliia Karpenko, Charolotte Roycroft and Ariana Ward.

Karpenko, a junior, is the team's top returning low scorer, according to Raczynski. As a sophomore in 2025-26, she played six recorded rounds, finished with one medalist round and had one eagle. Ward also played six recorded rounds last season, while Roycroft played seven recorded rounds and recorded one birdie.

Raczynski also pointed to Roycroft as a potential breakout player and as someone capable of producing a valuable low number when the course is playing tough. Roycroft is also listed as a team leader for East Aurora.

The emphasis for East Aurora is clear: improve around the greens and keep turning daily work into progress.

"I expect our biggest strength to be how hard we work as a team to make each other better," Raczynski said.

He said the team's biggest area for improvement is the short game, and that will shape the identity East Aurora wants to establish.

"We want to build an identity as a resilient, smart team that never gives away easy strokes," Raczynski said. "Our primary scoring strength will come from a sharp short game and efficient putting. If we miss a green, our goal is to scramble effectively and turn potential bogeys into pars."

East Aurora's roster includes seniors Jersey Ciamaga and Abby Jetty; juniors Iuliia Karpenko, Grace Keyhani, Lacey Rowan, Charolotte Roycroft and Ariana Ward; and eighth-graders Ava Allen, Vasi Beaty and Madeline Doering.

East Aurora is scheduled to play home matches at Ironwood Golf Course against Orchard Park on Sept. 10, Williamsville North on Sept. 18, Depew on Sept. 29 and Starpoint on Oct. 8. Their road schedule includes Clarence on Sept. 15 at Brookfield Country Club, Lancaster on Sept. 22 at Fox Valley Country Club, Williamsville East/South on Sept. 23 at TVCC and Orchard Park on Oct. 6 at Orchard Park Country Club.

For Raczynski, the goal is less about one result and more about the shape of the season.

"Our main focus this season is continuous, incremental growth," Raczynski said. "We are focused on process over results—building solid pre-shot routines, refining our short games, and steadily lowering our individual and team scoring averages from the first match to the last."