LEAGUE CHAMP Melrose High golf will be competing in the D2N finals next week. Pictured is senior AJ Dell Isola. (courtesy photo)
Melrose (9-1) goes 5-0 to clinch league; D2N finals next
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High golf team is a near-flawless 9-1 on the season with two matches left, and have swept the Middlesex Freedom League at 5-0, by now capturing their fourth straight ML Freedom title.
According to a proud coach Rick McDermod, Melrose is simply firing on all cylinders. “It was a fantastic week top to bottom,” says the coach. “Picking up a win over Belmont is always nice. And of course, in order to sweep the league we had to beat Burlington and we were fortunate to.”
On Tuesday they also beat Arlington behind wins from Roddy McGillicuddy, Sean Donovan, Matthew Fuccione, Jason Pino, Noah Fay and Jack Lavery. (Further details were not available at press time)
Prior to this, Melrose pulled off two consecutive wins, one against Burlington 49-23, and another against Belmont, a 44.5-27.5 victory just a few days later. First, Melrose traveled to Billerica Country Club to take on Burlington on Oct. 3 and saw 7 out of 8 shooters take wins. Securing the victory against the Red Devils were AJ Dell Isola, Patrick Cotter, Roddy McGillicuddy, Sean Donovan, Matthew Fuccione, Jason Pino, Noah Fay and Jack Lavery. Colin Fahey has returned to the lineup and he was part of the winning effort against Burlington.
Senior Jason Pino had a great week going 8.5-.5 against Wakefield earlier this season and taking all nine holes against his Burlington opponent.
Also taking big wins this week were Matthew Fuccione going 7.5-1.5 against his Belmont opponent and Jack Lavery going 7-2.
Says McDermod, “Our bottom half of the lineup just tore it up against Belmont. It always helps when you play at home and I don’t think Belmont had played at Bellevue before.”
Melrose has one more match on the horizon against Winchester, scheduled for this Wednesday (post deadline). They’re eagerly anticipating their appearance at the Div. 2 North Finals at Robert Lynch Memorial in Brookline on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Representing Melrose will be AJ Dell Isola, Pat Cotter, Roddy McGillicuddy, Sean Donovan, Matthew Fuccione and Jason Pino. Melrose aims to qualify for MIAA State Finals should they rank in the 10% of scores. They last made it that far in 2019.
Until then, Melrose will take it one day at a time and keep their eye on the ball. But as a collective unit, they are doing many things right. Says their coach, “Teams that have depth win matches.”