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Sports

Staples Boys Repeat as Division I Golf State Champions

Senior Dylan Murray shoots a 1-over par 72 to share medalist honors

Led by co-medalist Dylan Murray, the Staples boys golf team successfully defended its CIAC Division I state title Monday at the Crestbrook Park Golf Course in Watertown.

Murray carded a round of 1-over par 72 to share medalist honors with Farmington's Monte Mullen.

The senior helped the Wreckers, who also won the FCIAC title last week, post a four-man score of 300 - 10 shots ahead of Farmington, the runner-up.

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"He didn't try to beat the golf course," Staples coach Tom Owen said. "He played his game. He said he was hitting all the greens. He was shooting for the center of the greens and two-putting."

Staples' two biggest rivals - Greenwich and Fairfield Prep - finished third and fourth, respectively, with scores of 313 and 319. Ridgefield and Xavier tied for fifth at 321.

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Staples' Kirk Massie, a junior, shot a 73 to finish in a three-way for second with Farmington's Zach Zabrach and Glastonbury's John Flaherty.

Sophomore Austin Alianiello posted a 76 and junior Connor Mahoney signed for a 79. Sam Shaffer, another sophomore, shot an 80 for the Wreckers, but his score didn't count, as only the top four are used in the team scoring.

Dylan, Massie and Alianiello were named to the Division I all-state team.

"As usual, Dylan knew his game," Owen said. "He knew what he could do, what he had to do. He played within himself. I think that was the mantra of our team. They may not always put up the lowest scores, but they're going to be consistent."

Staples went 17-1-1 during the regular season,  losing only to Trumbull, a defeat that snapped its 36-match winning streak.

Owen said Murray became a role model for his teammmates because of the steady manner in which he plays the game.

"His mental approach is the best of anyone I've seen in the high school leagues out there," he said.

Dylan advances to the New England Golf Championships to be played June 21 at the Bretwood Golf Course in Keene, New Hampshire. The top two finishers in each of the state's four divisions earned the right to play in that competition.

Last year, Staples logged a score of 297 to win the Connecticut Division I championship by four shots over Simsbury.

Andrew Gai, who did not play with the Wreckers this spring to concentrate on his junior tournaments, was the co-medalist with a 1-under par 70.

 Gai will return to the Staples team next season for his senior year.

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