Golfers 5-peat as Coach Barucci tops 100 career wins
By Mike Berger
Members of the Canton High golf team celebrate the program’s fifth consecutive Davenport Division championship. (Mike Barucci photo)
It was a week for the record books for Canton High’s powerhouse golf team as the Bulldogs ripped off four match wins in as many days to clinch at least a share of their fifth consecutive Hockomock Davenport Division crown. Along the way, veteran head coach Mike Barucci surpassed a major coaching milestone with his 100th career victory, while the team extended its record-long winning streak to 22 matches and counting dating back to the start of last season.
Barucci, a CHS alumnus, also extended a streak of his own as he recorded his ninth consecutive double-digit win season — a remarkable run that began with his rookie year in 2013. During the program’s current five-year title reign, Barucci’s teams have lost a grand total of four matches while boasting a staggering overall winning percentage of .937.
This year, the Bulldogs appear to be in a class of their own and have been winning matches handily, with the rare exception of last Tuesday’s close call at Foxboro Country Club, where the visitors held on by four strokes to knock off the rival Warriors 156-160. Still, Barucci came away thoroughly impressed. “Having a team score under 160 [at Foxboro CC] is a great accomplishment and something we haven’t done at least in the nine years I have been coaching,” he said.
In the subsequent three matches, all played on their home course at Blue Hill Country Club, the Bulldogs once again appeared to be in complete control as they rolled to easy wins over Kelley-Rex leading Mansfield (147-168) and Davenport foes Oliver Ames (142-159) and Sharon (147-171).
The star of the week for Canton was sophomore Mekhala Costello, who was the match medalist in all four wins and combined to shoot 2 over par. Her best performance came on Thursday versus OA as she shot a 2-under 32 with birdies on the second, sixth and seventh holes.
Other standouts for the Bulldogs included senior captain Will Gefteas, who tied Costello with a match-low 38 at Foxboro and posted scores of 38, 37 and 39 at Blue Hill CC; senior captain Conor Hunter, who shot a 38, 37 and 37 in the three home wins; and senior captain Mike Leonetti, who had a pair of 36’s against both OA and Sharon.
Senior Nate MacDonald also had a big week with two top-four finishes, including a 2-over 36 against Mansfield that included birdies on the third and ninth holes.
This week, the Bulldogs will look to wrap up a second consecutive undefeated season with remaining home matches Tuesday against North Attleboro and today versus Stoughton. In between, the team’s three captains have been chosen to represent Canton at the Hockomock League Championship tournament at Easton Country Club. All participants at the league-wide event play 18 holes and all three scores are used to determine the team champion.
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Posted by Mike Berger
on Oct 15 2021. Filed under High School, Sports.
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