Similar to its pursuit of a spot in the state championship tournament the week prior, the East Providence High School golf club came up just shy of claiming the first ever Rhode Island golf Coaches Association Division II Championship title played Tuesday, June 4, at Winnapaug Golf and Country Club in Westerly.

Junior Jack Hannigan led Smithfield to the title of what is expected to be going forward an annual 12-team event augmenting the 10-team state championship tournament held Memorial Day week at Cranston Country Club. Hannigan finished second individually with an even par round of 72 over the 6,361-yard oceanside layout. The Sentinels won the title with a team total of 324, adding scores of an 80 and two 86s to account for their total.

East Providence settled for second with a 328 score. Senior Billy Fitzgerald and sophomore Nathan Carter each shot 74 to lead the Townies and finish in a share of fourth place individually. Sophomore Noah Araujo's 86 and senior Zach Mendo's a 94 were the two other counting scores.

Chariho finished in third place as a team with a 330 score. The Chargers were led by the day's individual medallist Ian Dunham. The senior carded a 2-under par 70 after dropping four birdies and making two bogeys. St. Raphael senior Nick Emery was third alone individually with a 1-over 73.

"We beat St. Raphael, which I thought was the second-best team going in," EPHS head coach Bill McEnery said of the D-II event. The Saints wound up fifth as a team with a 338 total. Cumberland was fourth with a 336.

"We were in the lead for a little while, but Smithfield just beat us," he continued. "That's golf."