Youth movement helps Classical edge English

LYNN – The Lynn Classical golf team desperately needed something positive to come its way when the Rams hit the links on Thursday at Gannon Golf Course to take on cross-town rival Lynn English.The Rams, who were 0-7 coming into the match, found themselves trailing by five points with two matches left on the course. But Jake Hickenbottom and Sean Devin delivered in the clutch, winning their matches by a combined 14-4, to turn the deficit into a 38 1/2-33 1/2 win over the Bulldogs.?The kids have been getting better each match and it was nice to see something positive come out of the match,” Classical coach Jack Morrison said.Classical got off to a strong start as Mark Brazell crafted the low round of the day for either team with a 1-over par 35 to take a 7 1/2-1 1/2 win over Matt Sencabaugh in the No. 1 spot. A halve between Kyle Morrill and Matt Bruneau in the second match had the Rams out to a strong early lead.?We?ve kind of been waiting for Mark to have a breakout round like that,” Morrison said.That?s where the middle of the English lineup began to take things over.Joe Calnan blitzed Andre Gaudet, 7-2, in the three spot before Chris Cole shot 41 to take a 6-3 win over freshman Travis Ryan in the four hole as the Bulldogs turned their six-point deficit into a 19-17 lead halfway through the match.?The middle of our order really stepped up,” English coach Tara Friedman said.The Bulldogs (2-4) upped their lead by two more points as Bubba Comeau snared a 5 1/2-3 1/2 win over Sean Dean at No. 5. English then took a seemingly insurmountable lead when Matt Cole eked out a 5-4 victory over Steve Patri in the second to last match.That?s when a pair of the Rams? younger players stepped up and gave Classical the boost that it needed.Hickenbottom defeated Nick Needham, 6 1/2-2 1/2, to trim the lead to a single point at 32-31. Devin then put the Rams over the top as he bested Andrew Wintersteen, 7 1/2-1 1/2, to give Classical the margin it needed to pull out the victory.?Sean is a freshman that is coming along with every week and Jake also fits right into that category,” Morrison said.The finish was a little disappointing for the Bulldogs, who have ridden a senior-laden lineup into a possible state tournament berth if things fall right this season.?Certainly, it?s a little disappointing,” Friedman said. “These kids have been playing so well lately.”