With calm, cool and collected Cael Duggan delivering an even-par score of 72 Tuesday, the St. John's golf team secured its sixth straight sectional title.
PAXTON — As Cael Duggan held the Division 1 Central championship trophy in his hands Tuesday afternoon, the St. John’s senior was supremely stoic.
“He’s been like that since his first match as a freshman,” St. John’s coach Sean Noonan said. “He’s played almost every match in four years, which is very hard to do, and you would never know (his emotions) because he’s a good golfer and he doesn't really go high or low.”
The calm, cool and collected Duggan delivered the best score of the day for the Pioneers, shooting an even-par round of 72 to lead St. John’s to its sixth straight sectional title.
“Pretty cool,” said Noonan of securing another sectional crown. “I mean, it’s hard to say because every one is so different. And this one, you don’t know what to expect. So, it’s been really cool. Six years in a row. Six completely different teams and very cool.”
St. John’s wins its sixth straight sectional title, totaling an 8-over score (top 4 scores of 6 golfers count), to place first in the D1 Central championship ahead of second-place Shrewsbury (+18) and third-place Westborough (+20). Cael Duggan (E) had the low score for @SJHSGolf. pic.twitter.com/URUXr49Tz9
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 14, 2025
Just like the temperament of his low-scoring senior captain.
Duggan (E), Lukas Schleyer (+2), Adam Trani (+3) and Wyatt Rue (+3) were the top golfers for St. John’s (+8) on Tuesday as the Pioneers outlasted familiar foes Shrewsbury (+18, second place) and Westborough (+20, third place) at Kettle Brook Golf Club.
All three teams from Central Mass. (the top three teams from each sectional qualify) move on to play in the Division 1 state championship on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at The Ridge Club in Sandwich.
“People said we weren’t going to be as good (this year), but we’re right back at it,” Duggan said. “It’s big (winning today and moving onto D1 states), obviously (since) we’ve made it (to states) all four years, came in second (place) my freshman year but then won back-to-back state championships.
“So, trying to do that again, that was our goal at the beginning of the season.”
Shrewsbury's Ryan Kelley captures individual crown
Around the same time Duggan and Co. celebrated their sectional championship in a composed manner near the 18th green; the Shrewsbury High golf team posed for its own trophy pic at the picturesque course in Paxton.
Senior captain Ryan Kelley found himself in the center of that photograph, with the runner-up trophy in his hands and a medal dangling from his neck. Kelley won the D1 Central individual title Tuesday with a 3-under par round of 69, outdueling Acton-Boxboro's Jason Ahn (70), St. John’s Duggan (72) and Westborough’s Triston Krumsiek (72).
“Ryan Kelley for president,” Shrewsbury teammate Jake Linton said.
Kelley certainly knows how to close a campaign.
After bogeying his first hole of play, and doble-bogeying his 11th hole, Kelley went on a heater in damp conditions.
The Assumption University-commit birdied Kettle Brook’s third hole (his 12th of the day) and eagled the 7th (thanks to sinking a 40-foot putt). Kelley then birded the eighth (after nearly jarring the tee shot) and made par from the other fairway on No. 9 to conclude his round at 69.
Kelley admitted to looking at the leaderboard heading into his third-to-last hole and realizing he trailed by two strokes. So, the Shrewsbury senior put pedal to the metal to win— well — a medal.
“The putts were just dropping today,” he said. “(So, I) was definitely thankful for that.”
Kelley is thankful to have one final round with his teammates next Tuesday at states since Shrewsbury finished in second place at sectionals.
“It's obviously going to be memorable, me being my last year,” Kelley said. “I’ve been playing with some of these guys for four years now and some even longer. So just being able to experience, the last hurrah, is definitely special for me.”
Shrewsbury High senior Ryan Kelley captured the individual title at the Division 1 Central championship with a 3-under par 69, winning by one stroke.
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 14, 2025
Kelley eagled, birdied and pared his last 3 holes to capture the crown and help the Colonials finish runner up to St. John’s. pic.twitter.com/8CQG9iudym
Sticking to it
When Triston Krumsiek first started playing golf, he was a lefty.
But around the age of 5, the now Westborough High sophomore switched to becoming a right-handed golfer.
“I switched to the other side of the ball but kept the grip,” Krumsiek said.
For each shot Tuesday, Krumsiek played with a cross-handed grip. A golf undertaking nearly unheard of for shots other than chips and putts.
“It works,” Krumsiek said, “So, stick to it.”
His results in Paxton proved it.
After bogeying his second hole of the day (No. 9), Krumsiek carded a 2-under par score (34) on the actual back nine and nearly made birdie on his final hole following a nifty cross-handed bunker shot.
Krumsiek finished even-par (tied for third as an individual) and led Westborough to a narrow third-place finish as a team, just one stroke ahead of King Philip.
“(It’s) great to play these nice courses,” the 15-year-old said, “and not to just have fun, but also to try and put up a good score as well.”
Business is Boomin’ for the Pioneers ⛳️@SJHS_PioneersAD | @SJHSGolfpic.twitter.com/UnMB6kIifh
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 14, 2025
Pioneers look to three-peat
The best score of the day, however, came from St. John’s as a team.
With three freshmen and a trio of seniors in the postseason lineup, the Pioneers proved they’re up for the task of trying to three-peat as Division 1 state champions next week by securing a sixth straight sectional title on Tuesday.
“We’ve had some ups and downs, but I think that’s what makes this team pretty special,” St. John’s senior captain Andrew Marrone said. “It hasn’t been like the other years, we’ve struggled a little bit (and) now (that) we know how to struggle, I think we could go for three. That’s the goal.”
“If we play our best, we’ve got a legitimate chance,” Noonan said. “That’s all you can ask for.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: St. John's golf team wins Division 1 Central sectional championship
Category: General Sports
