Hornets Earn Berth in State Championship Tournament
AGAWAM, Mass. -- The biggest shot of Wednesday's Division 3 Western Massachusetts Championships was, perhaps, the biggest shot in the history of the McCann Tech golf program.
Gabe Thomas holed an 8-iron from 160 yards on the 17th hole at Agwam Municipal Golf Course to notch an albatross on the 429-yard par 5.
The strokes he saved -- and every other stroke earned by the Hornets -- sent them to next week's State Championship.
Thomas finished with a 10-over round of 81 to tie for eighth place as an individual. And McCann Tech tied Franklin Tech for third place in the team standings.
For the second day in a row, a Berkshire County team used a tie-breaker to earn the last team qualifying spot for states.
This time around, Nick Varellas' 21-over round of 92 was seven strokes better than Franklin Tech's fourth golfer, giving McCann Tech a berth in next week's tournament at Blissful Meadows and a measure of redemption against the Eagles, who edged the Hornets by one stroke in each of their regular season meetings.
As players from all 11 teams gathered on the clubhouse patio waiting for scores to be tabulated and made official, one sentence was overheard repeatedly: "Did you hear some kid got an albatross?"
The kid in question heard it rather than saw it.
"All I saw was the ball flying right at the hole," Thomas said. "And then my parents, I saw my parents up on the left. They just kept looking at the hole.
"And then I just heard my mom scream so loud. I didn't know if it was closer or if it was in, but when I got there, it turned out it was in the hole."
The shot of the day helped ensure that a magical two-year run for McCann Tech will go on for one more week.
Last year, the Hornets went undefeated in match play during the regular season but placed fifth at the sectional. This year, with just the two one-stroke losses to Franklin Tech blemishing its record, McCann Tech was determined to do better.
"The minute we got on the bus this morning, for the hour and a half, it was just constant talk of golf," McCann Tech coach Pat Ryan said. "Hole for hole, they had their little notes from the practice round.
"They were just trying to dial it in on the bus. It was awesome to hear, as a coach, I'm driving the bus, and that whole hour and a half drive was just constant golf. That's just awesome to hear and see."
Thomas was the top Berkshire County individual at the sectional. He was backed up by teammates Landon LeClair (plus-12), Nolan Booth (plus-14) and Mason Rondeau (plus-21). Kale Kondel did not factor into the team scoring, but his plus-24 also would have beaten Franklin Tech's fifth player.
Lenox and Lee each were in contention for a top-three finish most of the day but fell off the pace to place sixth and seventh, respectively.
Oliver Kirby led the Millionaires with a plus-14. Nick McDonough led Lee with a plus-18, and teammate Joey Abderhalden was just behind, capping his stellar high school career with a plus-19 round of 90.
Hoosac Valley's Zach Mongeon, playing as an individual qualifier for the sectional, finished with an 86.
Few golfers came close to making par at the sectional. The closest was medalist Ryley Regan of Hopkins Academy, who carded a 3-over round of 74 that included four birdies, including on No. 17, the hole Thomas scorched.
Montachusett Tech of Fitchburg in Central Mass won its third straight Western Mass title with a team score of plus-29, easily outdistancing runner-up Athol (plus-50).
But Monty Tech, Athol and McCann Tech will be on a level playing field next week when all three take on the best teams from across the commonwealth.
"This team is definitely a special group, a well-rounded group, a bunch of kids with skill and taleng and just great kids on and off the course," Ryan said. "In school, I'm with these kids, and they're just great kids to be around. ... I'm glad I have the opportunity to spend one more tournament with them and a couple more practices."
Photos from this tournament to come.
Team Scores
1. Montachusett Regional Vocational Tech, plus-29
2. Athol, plus-50
t-3. McCann Tech (Gabe Thomas, +10; Landon LeClair, +12; Nolan Booth, +14; Mason Rondeau, +21; Nick Varellas, +21; Kale Kondel, +24), plus-57
t-3. Franklin Tech, plus-57
5. Westfield Tech, plus-61
6. Lenox (Oliver Kirby, +14; Michael Methe, +16; Mia Freeman, +16; Edmund Prithcard, +20; Colman Keator, +20; Noah Pinsonnault, +25), plus-66
7. Lee (Nick McDonough, +18; Joey Abderhalden, +19; David Carlino, +20; Johnny Brighenti, +21; Rydel Drenga, +26; Matt Abderhalden, +29), plus-78
8. Monson, plus-95
9. St. Mary's, plus-111
10. Pathfinder, plus-125
11. Springfield International Charter, plus-126