PITTSFIELD — Amidst the wind, rain and low temperatures, Hampshire Regional senior Levi Zielinski persevered.
He shot a 7-over 79 at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Monday to tie for seventh place at the Western Massachusetts Division 2 Championships and qualify for the state tournament for the first time.
“It was tough, it was tough conditions. Very wet, very windy, very cold,” Zielinski said. “I just had to tell myself to keep going. If I had a bad hole, just keep going.”
He birdied the par four eighth hole.
When Zielinski’s score was first posted on the TV in the clubhouse he was tied for third. His place kept dropping as more and more scores came in. The top three teams and top eight individuals with ties advanced to the state tournament Oct. 25 at Sandy Burr Country Club in Wayland.
“It was very nerve-wracking for sure. I was nervous,” Zielinski said. “I kept seeing the scores coming in and I kept seeing myself go down.”
He settled in seventh with four other players. Wahconah’s Patrick McLaughlin won the individual medal with a 75, three shots over par.
The Raiders placed 10th as a team with a 69-over 357. Brayden Fennessy shot an 83, Nicky Elias-Gillette a 96 and Pryden Messier a 99.
Belchertown finished fifth, two shots out of state qualification at 48-over 336.
“Western Mass. is never an easy day to play. The weather is always a factor,” Orioles coach Matt Stenuis said. “Two shots, could have made up two shots anywhere. Everybody’s pretty happy about the way they played.”
Orioles senior Ryan O’Neil tied for 12th with an 8-over 80. That fell one stroke short of making the state tourney.
He birdied the par-four 16th hole with a long putt.
“It really got me pumped up at the end there,” O’Neil said.
Riley Breen and Ben Anderson both had 85s, while Brady Perkins shot an 86.
“We had a great season. As a team, having six guys that all shoot around the same number, we’ve very consistent,” Stenuis said. “We didn’t have that one guy that went low, and that’s what brought some of the other teams in. Every shot counts.”
Hopkins Academy took 12th at 128-over.
Connor Asselin was the Golden Hawks’ best finisher tied for 30th. He shot a 15-over 87.