Staple’s Lemcke, Guilford’s Beauton win titles

OLD LYME — The only goal Staples senior Anna Lemcke had in mind Saturday was to break 80 — something she said he had never done before, even in a casual round of golf.

She accomplished her personal goal at the Black Hall Club in her final match for the Wreckers: Lemcke posted a 79. More importantly, she tied for first place at the CIAC State Open.

“It was my last high school round and I thought I would go out there and play,” Lemcke said. “On the last three holes I kind of knew where I was standing and it got into my head a little.”

Libby Dunn of Berlin was the other co-medalist. She ended up going back to back after winning the championship outright last season as a sophomore.

“It hasn't hit me yet,” Dunn said about back to back State Open titles. “I never thought that it would happen. I came in today with really no expectations, I didn't know how I would play, but I've been playing well the last couple of weeks, so I did have a pretty good feeling today but I neer thought I would be able to win it again.”

“I want to make sure that I'm playing my best and I'm just playing the course and focusing on myself, not necessarily anything else,” Dunn said. “This course is very hard, so I had a really good feeling coming in with a 79.”

Guilford freshman Andrew Beauton shot a 1-under-par 70 at the Black Hall Club to win the boys title by one stroke over Ellington's Bradley Sawka. He knew exactly where he stood before his approach shot to his final hole of the day.

Make a par and the Open title belonged to him. The approach found the green and two putts later, the freshman from Guilford was the champion. Beauton shot a 1-under-par 70 to win the championship.

“It means a lot coming out with this difficult course, difficult field, a lot of competition. It's another step in the career,” Beauton said. “I don't want to get too big a head about it, but I'm very happy to win.”

Sawka, who won the Division II state championship meet by seven strokes, shot an even-par 70 to place second one stroke behind Beauton. Matt Downes (St. Paul) and Ryan Willey (East Windsor) tied for third place at 2-over 73.

Beauton had 124 yards left for his second shot to his final hole. He hit it to 15 feet and, knowing he could 2-putt for the win, lagged the birdie attempt up just shorty.

“That was the only thing I was thinking about, just hit the green, get on and two-putt,” Beauton said. “I come to every course expecting to win, so this was just what I should have done.”

Sawka finished second for the second straight year.

“Bogeys down the stretch really killed me,” Sawka said.

Guilford coach Dave Esteban knew from the moment Beauton came out for the team he had a special player on the roster.

“Week in and week out, it didn't matter what course we played, he was always dialed in,” Esteban said.

Lemcke, who finished second at the FCIAC championship meet, went bogey-bogey-double bogey on her final three holes at Black Hall to shoot 79. Even more interesting by the Staples senior: Lemcke was second to last in the Open last year.

“Starting freshman year on JV, this feels great,” Lemcke said.

Now, she will continue playing golf across the pond at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She will leave for school in mid-July.

Dunn shot 81 last year to win. “I want to make sure that I'm playing my best and I'm just playing the course and focusing on myself, not necessarily anything else,” Dunn said. “This course is very hard, so I had a really good feeling coming in with a 79.”

Cheshire's Sydney Hidalgo finished one stroke behind the duo with an 80.

CIAC Open Golf Boys Championship

1. Andrew Beauton, Guilford -1 70, 2. Bradley Sawka, Ellington E 71, T3. Ryan Willey, East Windsor +2 73, T3. Matthew Downes, St. Paul Catholic +2 73 5. Anthony DePaolo, Cheshire +4 75 T6. Charles Duffy, Fairfield Prep +5 76 T6. Conner Rabbitt, RHAM +5 76 T8. Cameron Seiffert, Killingly +6 77 T8. Luke Stennett, Portland +6 77 T8. Colin Murphy, Coginchaug +6 77 11. Scott Petrosky, Bristol Central +7 78 T12. Jack Wise, Cromwell +8 79 T12. Holden Sullivan, RHAM +8 79 14. Michael Rothberg, Fairfield Prep +9 80 T15. Luke Karpiej, Hale Ray +10 81 T15. Keegan LaLonde, Branford +10 81 T15. James O'Connor, Ellington +10 81 T18. Cameron St. Pierre, Shelton +11 82 T18. Max Baldwin, Tolland +11 82 20. Tyler Pearson, Shelton +14 85 T21. Adam Eskin, East Catholic +15 86, T21 Quinn Lapinski, Portland +15 86, T21. Reece Scott, Daniel Hand +15 86, 24. Carson Waddell, RHAM +17 88, 25 Mason Lacapra, Watertown +20 91

T1. Anna Lemcke, Staples +7 79, T1. Libby Dunn, Berlin +7 79, 3. Sydney Hidalgo, Cheshire +8 80, 4. Aoife Devaney, Kennedy +9 81, 5. Morgan Peterson, Glastonbury +10 82, 6. Anna DeSanto, Hall +12 84, T7. Ava Gross, Amity +13 85, T7. Erin Downes, St. Paul Catholic +13 85 T7. Samantha Dunn, Berlin +13 85 10. Kenna Roman, Berlin +14 86 T11. Sophia Cunningham, Tolland +18 90 T11. Olivia Dahn, St. Paul Catholic +18 90 T11. Kendall Reed, Newtown +18 90 14. Laniah Moffett, Kennedy +20 92 T15. Jamie Andrade, St. Joseph +22 94 T15. Allison Bauer, Greenwich +22 94 17. Molly Mitchell, New Canaan +25 97 18. Lauren Ogrodowicz, Stratford +27 99 19. Amanda Vigano, New Canaan +30 102 20. Kathleen Coffey, Staples +33 105