After a very successful regular season, St. Paul’s will tee it up in the Div. 2 Central Mass. Championship on Tuesday at Maplegate CC in Bellingham, hoping to advance to the state championship at Thorny Lea in Brockton on Oct. 30.
Coached by Rob Riggieri, now in his eighth season, the Knights won 10 of their 13 matches, losing the three by a combined total of only seven shots.
Senior captains Caroline Dubrey, Chris Palermo and Robbie Reynolds have led St. Paul’s each lowering their nine-hole scoring averages from last year.
Last week at Northern Spy, the Knights captured the CMass Catholic Championship led by freshman Cam Swank, who was medalist with a 78 and Palermo who carded a runner-up 79.
“We all put in a lot of work over last summer and then in captains’ practices and tryouts, and we knew we would be a strong team. Last year we made the CMass tournament for the first time, and we wanted to get back there again,” said Dubrey, who averages 43 and has committed to play for the Assumption University women’s golf team next year.
Dubrey’s personal best shot of the season came on Green Hill’s par-5 ninth when she blasted her second shot 210 yards with a five-wood to just short of the green and got up and down for a birdie.
Dubrey’s favorite professional players are Justin Thomas, whom she met when she was younger, and LPGA star Nellie Korda. “I just love her golf tempo,” Dubrey said.
No. 2 in the lineup, Reynolds, who averaged 41, carded a medalist round of 38 at Oak Hill CC in Fitchburg. “I’ve been on this team since I was in the eighth grade at Holy Name and we’ve improved with every season,” said Reynolds, whose favorite touring pro is Min Woo Lee.
One of seven ice hockey players on the golf team, No. 1 Palermo, who has the team’s lowest scoring average at 38, received praise from Riggieri for his calm, stay-in-the-moment manner on the course.
“I try never to show any emotion, just keep everything even,” said Palermo whose best shot of the season came at Oak Hill when he blasted a 150-yard shot from a fairway bunker to within six feet of the pin.
“Both Chris and Robbie have been very consistent, shooting in the high 30s or low 40s for us all season long, and, in terms of scoring average, the next four players have been very close to that also,” Riggieri said.
Others in the starting lineup for St. Paul’s include freshman Leyton Riendeau and sophomore Aiden Boyce. Junior Curtis Patrick, sophomore Charlie Gagin, senior Nick Feauccio and freshman Liam Carpenter round out the 10-player squad.
—Contact Jay Gearan at sports@telegram.com.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Boys’ golf: St. Paul primed for strong run in Division 2 postseason
