Lower Cape Teams Compete At Cape And Islands Golf Championship

MASHPEE – Despite finishing near the top of the 15-team field, the Nauset boys golf team didn’t have enough to keep pace with Barnstable. 

 Barnstable captured the team title at the Cape and Islands golf championship on Friday at Willowbend, finishing with 231 points to outlast Nauset, which finished tied with Cape Cod Academy in second place after both teams shot matching 240s.

 Sandwich (246) finished fourth, followed by Sturgis West (247) and Martha’s Vineyard (247), St. John Paul II (252) and Nantucket (253). Monomoy (259) took eighth, and Cape Cod Tech (269) finished 11th.

 “I’m pleased with second place, but I think the players are disappointed,” Nauset coach Brian Hicks said. “They certainly wanted to win and they wanted to shoot better scores, but it was a great day.”

 Junior Max St. Aubin shot a 9-over 79 to anchor the Warriors’ score alongside senior captain Jack Martin (80) and freshman Oliver Smith (81). Monomoy was represented by a trio of seniors, as Braden Burke (82), Jackson Rocco (85) and Casey Huse (92) played for the Sharks.

“I think the boys were disappointed with how they shot,” Monomoy coach John Anderson said. “Although they were disappointed with how they did, it inspired them even more to practice for the South sectional.”

Monomoy kicked off postseason play Tuesday after The Chronicle’s deadline at the Division 3 South sectional at The Ridge Club in Sandwich. The top three teams advance to the Division 3 state championship scheduled for Monday at Foxborough Country Club.

Anderson said after Friday’s Cape and Islands championship, the Sharks took part in a practice round at The Ridge Club to familiarize themselves with the course’s layout.

“They all took notes and we all shared our notes together,” he said. “It’s a wonderful course, but you really need to know where the danger is and where to layup. We took very specific notes on that.”

Hicks and Nauset also played a practice round ahead of Wednesday’s Division 2 South sectional at Segregansett Country Club. Although the Warriors’ practice round came during heavy rain, Hicks said his players were still able to gain an understanding of the challenges the course presents. 

“It was good to see it,” Hicks said. “There are certainly a couple holes that if you went into it blind would be challenging. It’s a tight course, but I’d say it’s fair. They punched the greens recently, and I think when we get there Wednesday we’ll see significant differences than our practice round.”

While many of the top golfers from both teams are used to playing 18-hole rounds during various tournaments, the sectional tournaments will test their stamina and focus after competing in 9-hole matches throughout the regular season.

“Over nine, you can always play really well,” Anderson said. “You can be 1- or 2-over par for nine, and trying to replicate that for a full 18 is a different level. So, to be able to play 18 (in the Vineyard tournament) and then again at the Cape and Islands, that is exactly what they needed to be prepared to do well on Tuesday.”

Barnstable cruised to its Cape and Islands championship after strong performances by junior Colin Gleason (73) — the tournament’s individual champion — and seniors Colt Hill (76) and Cam Levesque (82).

Cape Tech was represented by Nolan Baker (82), Chris Morin (84) and Brayden Wright (103).

Although the Warriors were disappointed with their results at the Vineyard Invitational and the Cape and Islands championship, Hicks said the team’s biggest goals will be attainable during Wednesday’s sectional championship.

“Our team goals still lay in front of us — to go to sectionals and qualify out of that, and then make it to states and do the best we can there,” the coach said. “Although it’s disappointing how it went at those two tournaments, I think our best is still yet to come.”

The Division 2 state championship is scheduled for Monday at the Berkshire Hills Country Club in Pittsfield.