Bishop Stang Golf Wins First State Championship Since 2002

The last time the Bishop Stang Spartans won a state championship in golf, none of the players on the current roster had even been born. The Spartans won back-to-back state titles in 2001 and 2002. Head coach Tom Kennedy took over the team in 2003. "It was a tough act to follow," Kennedy joked.

Over the years, Kennedy has had strong teams and great players, but couldn't get that elusive championship.

After a chilly, damp day on Monday at the Sandy Burr Country Club in Wayland, the 2021 Spartans brought something back to Slocum Road that no golf team had done in nearly two decades: they brought home a state championship.

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Did Kennedy Think Bishop Stang Had a Chance to Win States This Year?

"I thought it was a real possibility right from the beginning of the season," he said. Kennedy said he's had a cast of some very good players on the team over the past couple of years, but a pair of freshmen that joined the team this fall put them over the top. He was specifically talking about Matt Oliveira.

Who is Matt Oliveira?

Oliveira is a Dartmouth resident. The freshman lives near the Allendale Country Club and has been playing competitively since he was in sixth grade. Oliveira won the Country Club of New Bedford Club Championship about a week before joining the Stang golf team.

What Happens Now?

Bishop Stang will send one player to the New Englands at Mohegan Sun on Monday. His name is Redmond Podkowa. The junior captain was invited to the tournament after his performance at the sectionals last week when he shot a one-over 72.