Men's golf surges to best NE-10 finish since 2000, Goodwin claims all-league showing

BOYLSTON, Mass. - Behind senior John Goodwin's (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kent School) all-conference finish, the Saint Michael's College men's golf team recorded its best Northeast-10 Conference Championship showing since 2000 on Monday at the Cyprian Keyes Golf Club, surging into a tie for sixth place among 12 squads.

The Purple Knights, whose 636 strokes left them just one shot out of fifth place, entered the final day of the two-day meet in ninth place but fired a second-round 313 after compiling 323 shots on the first day of competition. Saint Michael's had finished 12th in 2010 and was predicted to take the same placement this year when the NE-10 released its preseason coaches' poll last month. Bentley University won with 609 strokes.

Goodwin carded a 153 for the meet, tying for eighth and coming within three shots of the second-place finisher. He broke 80 on both days, with a 77 on Sunday and a 76 on Monday, becoming the first Purple Knight since Will Crall '09 in 2008 to claim an NE-10 All-Conference laurel.

Junior Nicholas Angelo (Sutton, Mass./Saint John's) lowered his opening-round score by five strokes, firing a 76 on the final day to tie for 16th at 157 total shots. Each of the other three competitors for Saint Michael's also decreased their scores the second time through the course on Monday, with sophomore Steve French (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown Area) the third-place Purple Knight, posting a 161, and senior Chris LaPolice (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic) four strokes behind at 165. Junior George Flanagan (Andover, Mass./Andover) was the fifth Saint Michael's golfer to compete at the meet.

The Purple Knights turn their attention to the Franklin Pierce University Fall Invitational on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at 12 p.m. at the Bretwood Golf Course in Keene, N.H.