12 straight wins and counting: St. John Paul II boys golf continues to make history

OSTERVILLE — Don't be surprised by St. John Paul II boys golf historic start to the season.

They certainly aren't.

The Lions are now 12-0 on the year after beating Cape Cod Academy 233-286 on Tuesday at Oyster Harbors, and have extended their already record setting start to the 2023 season.

The reason nobody is surprised is because each of them individually, and collectively, worked to get to this point. This wasn't success that just happened overnight, this has been building for years.

It really began to come into focus last season. The Lions had a very successful season, and head coach Geoffrey Converse said with his team having no seniors, he knew this year's group would be one to watch out for.

"I knew last year when we had no seniors, three juniors, (and) eight freshman playing. I said (during the) offseason to some people I know, (that) we really have a chance to make some noise next year," Converse said.

It wasn't just him that entered the season with high expectations, the players felt it too.

"I knew we were good last year, and I knew we weren't losing anyone, and everyone got better over the summer," Timmy Adams said.

But raw talent doesn't get you to 12-0, nor does just having the experience. What got the Lions to this point was the effort put in by each individual golfer over the course of the year to improve upon 2022's season.

Whether on their own, or in groups, the Lions team spent the entirety of the offseason working on their collective games. Many have private instructors, and many played round after round, refining the skills necessary to compete at the highest levels of golf.

It wasn't Converse saying to his team that they should continue to play all offseason. No, that effort was led by the players, specifically the three senior team captains Jack Carstensen, Timmy Adams and Matt Curley.

The trio set the tone for the level of work that the game of golf requires to be great, and Converse said the rest of the team behind them, quickly followed suit.

"That's who they are," Converse said. "They see Jack, they see Timmy, (and) they see Matt, and they see how hard they're working at it."

Carstensen is the most experienced on the team, having played varsity since he was in seventh grade. Converse describes him as a "technician," and said his number one is a golfer that understands all the nuances of the game.

"There's more to Jack than just golfing," Converse said. "He's got everything you'd want in a leader for a captain."

Carstensen will be continuing his golf career at the University of Montevallo in Alabama after he graduates. The decision came after a summer spent in the south visiting schools, and of course, playing golf.

"I ultimately went to Montevallo on a rainy day, and I was like wow, this is cool," Carstensen said. "I knew that was the place, went down for a visit (and) played with the team, so I just knew that I was going to go there. It was exciting."

He first picked up a club as a toddler, and now as a senior, is leading his team to the best start in school history. He qualified for the state tournament as an individual, but this year, has his sights set on team success.

"I want to make it to the state championships as a team," he said. "I hope this year our team can lock in at Wianno and play well."

He's not alone in that. The team has already done something no team in JPII history has done before, and to qualify as a team for the state championship would be another program first.

However, three great golfers doesn't get a team to where the Lions are this year. To call the Lions a top heavy team would truly do a disservice to how many talented players there are on the roster. Coach Converse said that depth has been essential.

What that ultimately leads to is a tight knit group that genuinely believes in, and cares for each other. If there was a stat to quantify the vibes of a team, St. John Paul II would be amongst the elite.

"(We're) definitely high spiritied," Matt Curley said. "We're just a fun group, we all get along great, and we all just feed off each others energy."

"Community" is how Carstensen describes it. He wants to leave a legacy with the Lions and has helped create an environment where everyone is included and valued.

"I can play good golf, but if my teammates don't like me, or I just kind of stay focused on myself, that's not going to complete what I want to show. I want to show that we have community here" Curley said.

Ultimately, the Lions are showing no signs of slowing down, and have their eyes squarely on what's to come. They also know that in order to get there it takes everyone.

Good thing they've all put in the work.

André Simms covers high school sports for the Times. Contact him at asimms@capecodonline.com. Follow him on X/Twitter: @that1guyandre.

Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.   

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: JPII boys golf wins 12th straight for best start in program history