Wellesley golf comes up short at Division 1 championships

In their pursuit of a state championship at GreatHorse, the Wellesley High boys golf team would settle for nothing less.

Despite finishing second in the previous two Division 1 state golf tournaments, the Raiders were determined to break through this year. Their determination paid off when they clinched the South sectional title and posted one of the three lowest team rounds across all sectional tournaments.

However, the team’s fourth-place finish and a score of 316 left them unsatisfied. According to Wellesley coach Ken Bateman, each player felt like they could have performed better and wished they could have reclaimed a few strokes. Their result came close to the top contenders, with Saint John’s of Shrewsbury taking the team title with a score of 303, followed by Saint John’s Prep at 314 and Xaverian at 315, just two shots ahead of Wellesley.

Bateman acknowledged the disappointment, but also recognized that the team had given their best effort. He said, “Do I wish we did better? Yeah. Do they wish they did better? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, they did the best they could, and that’s all you can ask for, right?”

Ryan Keyes, the reigning 2021 individual champion, led Wellesley with a score of 75, tying for third overall. Meanwhile, Longmeadow’s Ryan Downs secured his second consecutive state title with a stellar 4-under 68, demonstrating his prowess on his home course where his dad Billy serves as a club pro.

Wellesley’s Brian Campbell contributed a score of 79, with Ben Madden (80) and Arav Lavu (82) rounding out the Raiders’ team card.

Reflecting on the season, Bateman highlighted the team’s overall success despite their final result. He acknowledged that a single day can determine the championship and expressed optimism for the future, saying, “There’s always next year, right?”

Natick’s Kaushal Karupakula, tying for seventh, fired an impressive 76 but struggled during the latter part of the tournament. He believed he could have done better, emphasizing the need to focus on the process and be more aggressive on certain putts. Looking ahead, Karupakula expressed his desire to win the championship next year.

Other standout performances included Aiden Donnelly of Natick with a score of 85, Franklin’s CJ Steele tying for 23rd with a score of 79, and Central Mass. medalist Parker Winn of Hopkinton with an 84.

Although Wellesley placed fourth overall, the team should be commended for their efforts throughout the season. Westborough’s 14th place finish with a score of 361 was also notable, led by Brendan Estaphan (86), Aaron Schwartz (91), and Kames Kaminski and Brendan Martel (92 each).

If you have questions, reach out to Kyle Grabowski at [email protected] or follow him on X (@kylegrbwsk).

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Wellesley High boys golf places fourth at MIAA Division 1 States