ADAMS, Mass. – Fifteen minutes before the scheduled start of Thursday’s regular season finale against Springfield International Charter, a handful of McCann Tech golfers already were on the course.
Eight more were chipping onto the Forest Park Country Club putting green waiting for the Bulldogs to arrive.
Numbers have definitely been in the Hornets’ favor this year.
Numbers as in the dozen or so players fighting for spots in the lineup and numbers as in the 13-0 record McCann Tech boasted after a 178-215 win over SICS.
Senior Logan Driscoll agreed that having so many players in the program this fall has played a role in McCann Tech’s success.
“It’s definitely fun to compete with a lot of them, because a lot of them are good, and you’ve got to compete for the spots on the team,” Driscoll said before teeing off in the final match of his high school career. “That’s what gives us the drive to do better.”
His senior teammate John Stack agreed.
“It definitely helps a lot,” Stack said. “We were going to make cuts at the beginning of the season. But then we figured out we didn’t really need to make cuts. And then, from there, we just had everyone play practice rounds, play well and, hopefully, crack the top eight and go to matches.
“And it just helps when the six to seven players, eight players come and shoot good scores.”
On Thursday, Driscoll carded a 39 and Kale Kondel finished at 43 to lead the Hornets past Springfield International Charter.
“It was a cold windy day for sure, but the team showed up to support the two seniors John Stack and Logan Driscoll for their last home match,” McCann Tech coach Pat Ryan said. “It has been an amazing season for our team. The players have showed up each day ready to go and put out their best performances. It didn’t matter who we played or how good the opponent was, the team had determination of doing their best regardless.”
Driscoll pointed to the addition of first-year coach Ryan as another key to McCann Tech’s dominance this season after going 9-3 last year and 7-6 the year before.
“I think at the end of last year, we found out our other coach was stepping down and [Ryan] was filling in for now, and he’s definitely been a big part of it,” Driscoll said. “He’s helped everybody around the greens, driving the ball, irons – everything.”
The team has been led by junior Nolan Booth, who fired a 2-under 35 in a win on Monday and used yesterday to play a practice round and open up a spot in the lineup.
But one of the most noticeable things this fall has been the way the Hornets have been able to score in the low 40s or better up and down the lineup.
Three times in their 13 wins, the squad has posted a team score in the 150s
“If one player has a bad day, another one definitely picks us up,” Stack said. “For example, Kale [Kondel] had a bad day yesterday, and we have Landon [LeClair] come out and shoot a good score. Nolan [Booth] came out and shot a good score. Me and Logan [Driscoll] shot a good score.
“Guys are just picking each other up.”
On Tuesday, the Hornets head to Dalton’s Wahconah Country Club to compete in the Western Massachusetts Division 3 Championships.
Last year, McCann Tech’s season ended at the sectional tournament. This year, they’re aiming higher.
“We feel very good,” Driscoll said. “I think we can get top two. I think we can make it to the state championship this year. Everybody’s been playing solid.”
