Weddell a runaway winner
Yesterday at Woodland Golf Club in Newton, Brittany Weddell proved she can not only hang with the boys, she's also the best among the girls, as well.
Weddell, who has held the No. 1 spot on Bourne's predominantly male golf team since she was a freshman, shot a 3-over-par 75 - finishing eight shots ahead of the field - to win the MIAA girls' individual state championship.
"Every year I've come so close to winning, so it was good to do better this year," said Weddell, a junior. "I just wanted to think about every hole individually and not think about what anybody else is doing."
Bourne didn't have a coed team until Weddell arrived. Then the team transformed, not only because of Weddell's gender, but also because of her "unflappable" style of play, said coach Rod Weston.
She was so good, Weston said, that the team's senior captain and No. 1 player in 2005 suggested Weddell take over the No. 1 position because it would make the team stronger.
"Almost flawless," Weston said of Weddell's performance yesterday. "She's very, very machine-like sometimes . . . She's been very coachable and it's been great to have her on the team for three years."
Weddell had good showings at the individual state championship the past two years, placing third both times.
After nine holes yesterday, Weddell was 2 over par at 38, thanks in part to a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-4 sixth. She sank another birdie put on the par-5 10th, and finished with a 10-foot par putt on 18.
"I was driving the ball pretty well and I was accurate into the greens. It took me a while to get the speeds on the greens right, but eventually I started making some birdie putts, saving pars," she said. "I pretty much finished pretty consistently on the back nine."
The tournament was Weddell's first of the season since her Bourne team plays in the fall, during the boys' season.
Her teammates were anxious for updates, said assistant coach AnnMarie Strode. She said Weddell fits in with the team, and the coaches are excited to have her back for her senior season.
"I think her focus has a lot to do with why she's so successful. She gets out there and really, she just knows what she needs to do, and she does it, and she keeps her emotions in check," Strode said. "She really focuses on her play and she doesn't worry about what everybody else is doing."
Weddell played in the lead group, which included Minnechaug's Kaitlin Coons. Coons shot an 84 to tie for third with Taylor Coleman of St. Peter-Marian. Notre Dame of Hingham's Courtney Lee finished second with an 83.
Kaitlyn Sharpless of Dennis-Yarmouth and Kelsey Walsh of Falmouth tied for fifth at 86. East Longmeadow's Alison Cowles, Cathedral's Lindsey Thomka, and Bedford's Kelly Sullivan tied for seventh at 87.
The top nine finishers qualified for the New England championships at Brentwood, N.H., June 16.
O'Connor Independent School Tournament: In the nine-hole competition at Greenwich Country Club, Gillian Dudeck of Miss Porter's defeated Sky McCaine of Rye Country Day in a one-hole playoff after both shot 45 during regulation. In the 18-hole competition, Greenwich Academy's Kelly Rohrbach shot a 5-over 79 to win by two strokes over Loomis-Chafee's Allie Bankart. Greenwich Academy edged Loomis-Chaffee for the team title, 400-398.
Baseball
Bay State: No. 13 Milton (10-2) widened the gap in the Herget Division behind John Magliozzi, who struck out 14 over eight shutout innings in a 6-1 win over No. 16 Walpole.
Catholic Conference: Chris Labriola struck out seven in a complete-game effort, and No. 1 Malden Catholic (12-1) clinched its first outright conference title by defeating No. 17 BC High, 5-1.
Dual County: Alex Cloutier drove home Tim Jordan for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, and No. 4 Westford Academy took control of the league with a 7-5 win over No. 3 Lincoln-Sudbury. Derek Klinka went the distance for Westford (11-1), striking out 7.
Middlesex: Brian Catanzano hurled a shutout, and No. 15 Reading defeated No. 8 Winchester, 8-0, tightening up the league race. Reading (9-3) has dealt Winchester (11-2) both its losses.
Softball
Bay State: Kristen Dolan struck out 21 batters over 17 shutout innings, and Norwood (7-3) defeated Wellesley, 5-0.
