GRAFTON – For five Southwick High School senior golfers, the journey is complete.
Southwick finished the state Division 2 golf championships as the 11th best team with a score of 333 on a blustery, sun-drenched Tuesday afternoon at Highfields Golf & Country Club.
Once again, the western Massachusetts champion Rams bested the WMass runners-up, South Hadley, who finished 15th with a 360. Hopkinton took home the team title with a first place finish of 312.
Southwick’s No. 1 golfer James Longhi and No. 2, Brad Durand tied with an 80. Rams’ eighth grader Matthew Garrity shot an 83.
Southwick senior Jack Fairley chips the ball onto the green on the eighth hole at Tuesday’s state golf championship. (Photo by Chris Putz)
“I didn’t really know where the ball was going with blind tee shots,” Longhi said. “The greens were rolling really well. I just kept the ball out in front of me and scraped it around.”
Longhi scraped together a birdie, as did Durand.
“We exceeded my expectations,” Durand said. “I had a rough finish that I wish could have gone the other way.”
Durand started out strong, setting himself up for several birdie chances on the first 11 holes, but admitted: “I just couldn’t finish. … There were a lot of good teams here. We knew we didn’t stand a chance against teams from central and the east, but we improved from Western Mass. It was a lot more challenging than our home course (at Edgewood).”
“I think we definitely made a big impact,” Durand said of the perfect regular season, capped off by a Western Mass crown. “Southwick has never seen anything like this before.”
Southwick ends the season, having won three straight league titles without a loss, a WMass championship, and helped their head coach, Al Selden, reach his 100th career victory.
“I’ve been lucky to have great golfers,” said Selden, who announced his retirement immediately following the state tournament. “This has been my most enjoyable season as a coach.”
It was Selden’s eighth year coaching the Rams.
“With all these seniors, I thought it was a great time to go out with them,” the head coach explained.
Selden joins outgoing seniors Durand, Longhi, Chris Baker, Jack Fairley, and Nick Kavrakis in turning the page on the next chapter.
It truly was a perfect ending.
D3 NOTES: In Division 3 action St. Mary’s Luke Willenborg shot a 79 in the D3 championship, good for a top 20 finish.
BOYS SOCCER
Tigers tourney run begins
No. 1 Westfield Technical Academy 2, No. 4 Nashoba 0
Top-seeded Westfield Tech scored two goals in a five-minute span in the second half to bounce Nashoba from the state vocational schools tournament semifinals at Bullens Field. The Tigers advance to the finals, which will be held Thursday at Bullens at 6 p.m.
Kirill Ohkrimenko scored on a ball from Brad Marion 20 seconds into the second half. Stephaun Nikiel netted a goal on a pass from Darryl Reopel five minutes later.
Anatoliy Suprunchuk recorded a shutout in net for Westfield Tech.
“Our composure and maturity I think really paid off in the end,” said Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude, whose team held off several waves of offense as Nashoba brought defensive players into their third level of attack.
Westfield Tech’s Dan Kontsimal, Ruvim Suprunchuk, Brody Pacquette, and David Tikhonchuk anchored the defense.
“This team is very special and they take pride in the program and I know they don’t want to let each other down,” Dulude said. “We will need our best game on Thursday, no doubt about it. They just need to remember that sticking together got them here.”
GIRLS SOCCER
Saints scare off Cybercats
St. Mary’s 1, Sci-Tech 0
St. Mary’s Allie Goodreau scored the lone goal for the game-winner off a pass from Vicky Gargan. Saints’ goalie Amelia Willenborg was fantastic in net, making 13 saves with a few coming in spectacular fashion.
Lexi Shedd, Caitlyn Olearcek, Paighton Ramos, Caroline Leahy, and Mary Turbolski were defensive stalwarts throughout in keeping their opponent off the scoreboard.
“Our defense was staunch all day today which was a great way to end the year,” St. Mary’s coach Pat Olearcek said. “I want to thank Lexi Shedd and Caitlyn Olearcek for four great years, being wonderful captains, and for giving so much to the school. The future is bright – with all the other girls returning – if we can keep this young group together.”
