In 2024, it was current Masconomet senior captain Cole Velardo (an 81 Tuesday) who earned top honors.
“It gave me something to shoot for. I don’t know if it was freshman year or something in the future, but Cole really just gave me something to look up to,” said O’Connor.
Buoyed by three birdies, O’Connor controlled the leaderboard all afternoon. His birdie on the par-3, 145-yard sixth hole was his favorite — landing his gap wedge 12 feet from the pin, which he calmly drained.
Acknowledging the improvement in his mental approach and technical skills in his first season, he went pin hunting with the greens extra soft from the deluge of rain that hammered golf courses across the state.
He was blissfully unaware of the swath of Canton players making a run, as the Bulldogs (298) beat Masco (310) by 12 strokes for the team title. Billerica (316) also qualified for the state final.
“We have a really deep team and it showed today,” said Canton coach Mike Barucci.
Wachtendonk, Harrison Weitz (74), Chase Thomas (75), and Joey Ryan (76) paced Canton, which rode a nine-match winning streak into sectionals. A few early season losses ignited the group down the stretch.
“From there, it was just lights-out golf, like nothing I’ve seen before,” said Barucci.
After a two hour drive, the Bulldogs won their first sectional championship in four years — which, coincidentally, also was played at Bradford Country Club.
Coach John Doherty and his Hanover golf team collected the hardware after capturing the Division 2 South title at LeBaron Hills CC, the program’s first in a decade.Brendan Kurie
Division 2 South — Even after every golfer from the top five teams was in the clubhouse, Hanover coach John Doherty remained nervous.
The MIAA’s digital scoreboard showed his Hawks with a 2-stroke victory at LeBaron Hills Country Club, but it was too close for comfort as players waited to confirm their scorecards.
Finally, it went official — and for the first time, Hanover golf claimed a sectional title.
“I’m really proud of the kids,” Doherty said. “Real, real tough conditions with the wind and the rain. We feel fortunate to get the golf in, and the kids played incredibly.”
The Hawks finished with a team score of 324, edging Scituate (326), Nauset (327), and defending champion Norton (329), who all advance to the state final at Foxborough Country Club.
Hanover was paced by senior Joe DaCosta’s 7-over 79 amid misty, damp, and blustery conditions in Lakeville.
“It was tough,” DaCosta said after finishing tied for sixth individually. “We had a glimpse of sunlight coming off the back nine. But there were a few holes where the wind was swirling. The wind was harder [to deal with] than the rain.”
Hanover’s core four has been its backbone all season, with seniors Cam Melone (81) and Cole Madden (83) joining junior Owen Crowley (81).
“It feels great,” DaCosta said. “We’ve been working hard. Our top four guys, all year, have been consistent and that’s what led us to today. Our four guys have been our horses.”
Scituate freshman Joe Mulvey held the individual lead much of the day, but defending sectional champ Zac Georgantas recovered from a rough start (2-over through five holes) with a pair of back-side pars — giving the Foxborough senior a 1-shot lead going into his final hole, the 395-yard par-4 first.
“I went through a four-hole stretch of pretty bad holes. My tee shots weren’t very good,” Georgantas said. “I kind of hung in there and had a pretty stress-free back nine.”
However, a missed par putt left Georgantas as co-medalist with Mulvey and Norton’s Mason Ball, all at 3-over 75.
“It’s cool,” Mulvey said. “I’m just happy all the hard work paid off. I felt I could compete and I stuck to my game plan, hit fairways and greens.”
Division 2 West — Sam Pieczynski fired a 2-over-par 73 to propel Tantasqua (323) to the sectional title in a 16-team field at Chicopee Country Club. Defending champion Pope Francis (326), which received strong performances from Tanner Kmetz (79), Brady Klinakis (82), and Gabe Kolodjay (82), was the runner-up.
With two players in the top four, South Hadley advanced to the final, along with Leominster (341), which tied Mt. Greylock (341), but advanced on the card of its fifth golfer, Max Sleeper (96). Mt. Greylock’s Jacob Hillman turned in the second-best score of the sectional with a 76.
Brendan Kurie of the Globe staff reported from Lebaron Hills CC in Lakeville. Correspondent Bailey Reynolds contributed.
Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.
