McCann Tech's Thomas Wins Berkshire Classic

STOCKBRIDGE, Mass. – The Berkshire Classic returned to its historic home, and McCann Tech’s Gabe Thomas made some tournament history.

 

Thomas carded an even par round of 71 at Stockbridge Golf Club Monday to finish two shots clear of the field and claim the first county individual championship for the McCann Tech golf team.

 

Thomas, who started his day on the 15th tee, took control with a run of birdies on the sixth, eighth and ninth holes.

 

When runner-up Kesler Anello, who started on the first tee, finished his day with a par on No. 18 to go into the clubhouse at 2-over, Thomas was sitting pretty at 1-under with three holes to finish.

 

But the McCann Tech sophomore said he was not thinking about – or even aware of – his position at the top of the leaderboard as he headed for home.

 

“I had no idea how well I was doing,” Thomas said. “I didn’t know how the rest of the field were stacking up. But I was just trying to play my best game and just focus on doing the best I could.”

 

He did the best of anyone at Stockbridge, where former Lenox coach Dick Salinetti conceived the Classic back in 2009.

 

After Anello of Wahconah in second place on Monday came third-place finisher Jacob Hillman of Mount Greylock, the 2025 Classic Champion.

 

Hoosac Valley’s Zach Mongeon, who played in Thomas’ threesome along with Lee’s David Carlino, placed fourth. Carlino tied for sixth place, making that easily the day’s top trio.

 

Thomas had an eventful start to his round with a birdie on the 343-yard, par-4 16th hole followed by back-to-back bogies to drop to 1-over through four holes.

 

He righted the ship with a birdie on the 132-yard, par-3 second hole but then bogeyed two straight par 4s to fall back to 2-over for the day but remaining near the top of the leaderboard on the challenging Stockbridge layout.

 

Then came his birdie on the 280-yard, par-4 sixth hole.

 

After making par on the par-5 No. 7, Thomas went birdie-birdie on the 435-yard, par-5 eighth and 288-yard, par-4 ninth to get back in the red.

 

“It just felt like I was getting off the tee a bit nicer than the rest of the day, and I was giving myself opportunities on the greens to make birdie and get it done,” said Thomas, who saw Stockbridge for the first time on Sunday in a rainy practice round.

 

He made three straight pars to stay a 1-under with two holes remaining.

 

And after settling for a bogey on the 13th hole, he went to the 14th tee needing just a bogey to sew up the title – whether he knew it or not.

 

“I was just kind of thinking the same thing I had all day,” Thomas said. “I knew I was doing pretty good. I knew I had a chance of coming in with a low score. But I just kind of tried to put all that aside and just hit the best shot that I could in the moment.”

 

He hit his tee shot to the edge of the green and putted to within a couple of feet of the cup, leaving himself a makable par putt that he finished off to end the day.

 

Last year as a ninth-grader, Thomas helped McCann Tech win a second straight league championship and reach the Division 3 State Championships. This year, the Hornets will have a chance to defend that title on Tuesday, Oct. 20, at Ludlow Country Club.

 

“It feels great,” Thomas said of adding another trophy to the Hornets’ burgeoning trophy case of the last few years. “I mean, McCann Tech has given me a lot of opportunities. It’s where I belong for sure, and I’m just glad I can represent the school in a way that it deserves.”

 

Photos from this tournament to come.

 

1st

Gabe Thomas, McCann Tech, 71

2nd

Kesler Anello, Wahconah, 73

3rd

Jacob Hillman, Mount Greylock, 75

4th

Zach Mongeon, Hoosac Valley, 77

5th Kai Nafziger, Mount Greylock, 79

6th

David Carlino, Lee,; Kale Kondel, McCann Tech; Max Wied, Mount Greylock, 81

9th

Charley Driscoll, Taconic, 82

10th

Logan Aitken, Wahconah, 83

11th

Tanner Haig-Taylor, Mount Greylock 84

12th

Edmund Pritchard, Lenox, 85

13th

Ethan Bishop, Taconic, 86

14th

Luke Fenig, Monument Mountain; Brodi McCormack, Taconic, 87

16th

Kasen Raifstanger, Monument Mountain, 89

17th

Jason Fields, Pittsfield; Oliver Kirby, Lenox, 90

19th

Katie Shove, Lenox, 92

20th

Matty Abderhalden, Lee, 94

21st

Braylen Washburn, Wahconah, 95