2026 Division 3 Golf Sectionals: Hopedale, Triton Break Through; Old Rochester, Monty Tech Champs Again

There were a pair of repeat champions, one decisive tiebreaker, and another school earning its first sectional championship in more than a decade. Those were the highlights of the Division 3 Golf sectionals, setting the stage for the state championship match scheduled for Stockbridge Golf Club.

Division 3 Central

It took a match of cards to decide the winner at Marlborough Country Club, and in the end, the depth paid off for Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School. The Blue Raiders were matched by West Bridgewater High School with scores of 56-over 340 for the top four golfers apiece, but Jacob Whyte’s 91 was the difference to give Hopedale its first sectional crown since back-to-back wins in 2017 and 2018.

There was no such drama in the battle for medalist honors as Sutton’s John O’Leary shot a 9-over 80 for the best score of the day. O’Leary is the first sectional champion for the Sammies in a decade.

Hopedale’s Colin Haynes was in a three-way tie for second (10-over 81) with Aadi Patel of Ayer Shirley Regional High School and Matt Hilterman of Tyngsborough High School. Following Haynes in the scoring for Hopedale were Nolan Murray (T-12th, 14-over 85), Cam Vaillette (T-19th, 16-over 87), and Burke Empey (T-19th, 16-over 87).

Tommy McKiernan of Greater Lowell Technical School and Ryan Deveney of Hudson High School shared fifth place (11-over 82). Aiden Delehoy led West Bridgewater’s effort with a 12-over 83 to tie for seventh with Cael Piekos of the Bromfield School and Phineas Keating of Tri-County Regional Vo-Tech.

Austin Wetherbee (West Bridgewater) and Chuck Hammel (Advanced Math & Science Charter) tied for 10th.

There was another tie for third place and the final state tournament qualifier. Advanced Math & Science scored 347 and edged Tri-County on the fifth-score tiebreaker.

Division 3 Central results

Division 3 North

Triton Regional High School didn’t put a golfer in the top 10, but got consistent scoring from its four best and earned a 2-shot victory on the Stow Acres Country Club’s South Course.

The Vikings posted a score of 30-over 314 to edge past Cape Ann League rivals Lynnfield High School (32-over 316) and Ipswich High School (38-over 322). It was the first sectional championship for Triton since 2012.

After sharing medalist honors a year ago, Reid Faldi of Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School had the stage to himself this time with an even-par 71, a shot better than Jack Kusler of Amesbury High School.

Triton’s Evan Allen and Cullen Kohan each shot 7-over 78 to tie for 12th, and the Vikings capped their scoring as Jack Gagne and Connor Kevin were a shot back each at 8-over 79, in a large group tied for 14th.

Michael Mattia of Lynnfield and Luke McGonagle of Swampscott High School tied for third, each shooting 4-over 75. There was a large group tied for fifth at 5-over 76: Sam Harrington and Tommy Harrington of Ipswich; Gus Headrick of Amesbury; Graham Lewis of Manchester Essex Regional High School; Nolan Bace of Rockport High School; and Nicholas Poeck of Wilmington High School.

Division 3 North results

Division 3 South

Defending state champion Old Rochester Regional High School left no doubt that it is the team to beat again. Led by a repeat medalist effort from Jack Czerkowicz, the Bulldogs were 15 shots better than the pack at Easton Country Club.

Czerkowicz actually had to share the top spot this time with Alex Saunders (Sturgis Charter West) and 2025 state champion Aidan O’Connell (Seekonk High School) after all shot 2-over 73.

August Herbert (4-over 75) added a tie for fifth for Old Rochester, helping the Bulldogs finish 28-over 312. Norwell High School and Sandwich High School were next closest, each shooting 43-over 327.

John Bongiorno and Bobby Flynn each shot 11-over 82 and tied for 19th to complete the Old Rochester scoring.

Brian Skelly of Saint John Paul II was fourth (3-over 74), and Blaise Chatigny led Sandwich by tying for fifth with Herbert. JP Ferretti of Sturgis West was alone in seventh (5-over 76), and tied for eighth at 6-over 77 were Olivia Jatczak of Cape Cod Academy and Griffin Mayo of St. John Paul II.

Division 3 South results

Division 3 West

Make it four in a row for Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School. Led by a tie for second from Lukas Segar, the Bulldogs continued their grasp on the Division 3 West hardware with a 4-shot win at Ludlow Country Club.

Brady Wood of Franklin Country Technical School was medalist with a 7-over 79 and Jackson Day joined Segar in the three-way tie for second, but the Eagles couldn’t make up enough ground to catch Monty Tech, which carded a 49-over 337.

Tyler Albero added a tie for fifth (10-over 82) to the Bulldogs win. Ryan Irazzary (14-over 86) tied for 10th, and Evan Roberts (16-over 88) tied for 13th.

Gabe Thomas of McCann Technical High School was the other finisher in second. His Hornets teammate Kale Kondel was tied for fifth with Albero, Zach Mongeon of Hoosac Valley Regional High School, and Chris Pedersen of Westfield Technical School.

Lenox Memorial High School is the other state team qualifier after finishing third (59-over 347).

Division 3 West results