MIAA Division 1 Golf State Championship: Ronan Mooney dazzles, leads St. John's to repeat

Ronan Mooney scorched the par-72 course at The Haven Country Club in Boylston with a 4-under-par 68, earning medalist honors and leading St. John's High to a repeat of the Division 1 State Championship.

Mooney finished 6 strokes ahead of his closest competition, which included Pioneers teammate Adam Trani as well as Seamus O'Holleran of St. John's Preparatory School. Both finished at 2-over 74.

With pars on his first two holes and four of his first five, Mooney set the tone for the day both in the individual competition as well as the race for top team. Finishing with a combined 6-over 294, St. John's was 9 strokes better than runner-up and Catholic Conference rival Xaverian Brothers (+15 303). St. John's Prep, another Catholic Conference power, was third as a team (+18 306).

After carding a 33 over the front nine with five birdies and two bogeys, Mooney highlighted his round with an eagle-3 on the par-5, 441-yard 14th hole. He is the first medalist in the D1 State Championship for St. John's in at least 35 years.

In finishing second, Xaverian placed three players among a five-way tie for fourth as Thomas Constantine, Michael McCormack and Sam Keyser all carded +3 75s for the Hawks. Also finishing in that T-4 group were Tripp Hollister of St. John's Prep and Savar Bhasin of St. John's High.

Cael Duggan rounded out the scoring for the Pioneers with his solo 13th place finish (+5 77).

Trani shot a sizzling 32 on the back nine with three birdies and an eagle-2 on the 362-yard, par-4 No. 18.

Keyser also had an eagle on No. 14 for Xaverian.