WILLIAMSTOWN — Sam Pieczynski was on Cloud Nine next to the 18th hole Tuesday afternoon.
Fresh off firing a 1-over par 72 to claim the Division 2 state championship individual title, the Tantasqua senior couldn’t believe he was walking away from Taconic Golf Club with a first-place MIAA medal around his neck.
“It just means the world,” Pieczysnki, 17, said. “The last couple holes, I was pretty much talking to God after every shot. Like, ‘Just keep believing in me.’ But it was amazing. I’ve dreamt of this my entire life, to win a tournament like this.
“So to actually do it, it’s amazing.”
Foxborough’s Zac Georgantas finished tied for second place individually with a 2-over par 73 along with Wayland’s Cooper Stowell, and Canton took home the team title with a combined score of 40-over par — three shots better than Masconomet and Nauset.
Nashoba and Tantasqua tied for fifth as a team at 46-over par.
But the day belonged to Pieczynski, who walked away from Williamstown feeling like he was floating on air.
“I still can’t really believe it,” Pieczynski said.
Here’s Sam Pieczynski after winning the Division 2 state championship individual title.
The Tantasqua senior carded a 1-over par 72 at Taconic Golf Club. pic.twitter.com/U0VXqRRuEi
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 28, 2025
Picture perfect ending
Last fall, Pieczynski set a school record for most match medalists (15) in a season while averaging a score of 36.45 per nine holes. He helped the Warriors win the SWCL A title, and his tied-for-fifth performance (80) at Heritage CC helped the Warriors claim their third straight SWCL tournament title.
Pieczynski then tied for third (77) in the Division 2 West tournament and then tied for 22nd (78) in the D2 state tourney.
“Sam Pieczynski is the most talented player I have had on my team over my past 16 seasons as a coach,” Tantasqua coach Aaron Berthiaume told the T&G at the time. “Sam is an amazing ball striker, and he has an excellent short game to get it done around the greens. A player like Sam makes a coach already look ahead to the next season.”
And this season, Pieczynski upped the ante.
The Fiskdale resident claimed the individual title with a 2-over par 73 at the Division 2 West championship on Oct. 16 to help Tantasqua win the team title with a 323 at Chicopee Country Club.
Pieczynski followed that up on Sunday with a ninth-place finish (1-over par 72) at the 2025 New England Interscholastic Golf Championships at Mohegan Sun Golf Club in Baltic, Conn.
Two days later, Pieczysnki won the ultimate prize.
The tall Tantasqua golfer finished his front nine at 1-under par and found himself 3-under following an eagle on hole No. 10 at the picturesque course in Williamstown. But Pieczynski then bogeyed the 11th hole and triple bogeyed No. 12 to move back to even par.
“I fist pumped a triple bogey on hole No. 12,” Pieczynski said.
After a nice three-hour drive to Taconic Golf Club, I have coverage of the Division 2 state championship.
Tantasqua senior Sam Pieczynski (pictures) holds the individual after 16 holes at even par. pic.twitter.com/EMw1V2uNra
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 28, 2025
That wouldn’t be the last fist pump of the day for him. After making birdie on the par-3 14th hole, Pieczysnki got up-and-down for a clutch par on the par-3 17th hole.
“I was honestly trying to make a bogey,” said Pieczynski, who pumped his fist after making the putt on 17. “It was just so huge, so big.”
Although he bogeyed the final hole and thought he may end up in a tie for first place with Georgantas, Pieczynski soon found out that he had won the individual title by one stroke.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “It’s something I’ve dreamt about doing, winning a state championship, as a kid, it’s something you want to do.”
Once Pieczynski received his MIAA medal and took photos with his team, the Tantasqua senior was the recipient of water cooler dump over his head. The final prize for winning the individual title.
“Freezing,” he said of how it felt.
Tantasqua senior Sam Pieczynski wins the Division 2 state championship individual title with a 1-over 72 at Taconic Golf Club.
Here is Pieczynski’s final putt and celebration afterward (which includes his teammate dumping a water cooler on him). pic.twitter.com/sLkg1VKOD4
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 28, 2025
It was a heartfelt last hurrah for Pieczysnki and his family with the Tantasqua golf team, as his two older brothers, Will (2021 Tantasqua grad) and Joe (2022) also played for the Warriors. Nine years with a Pieczysnki in the Tantasqua program.
“It’s just great for them because they’ll celebrate him as much as I will as a coach,” Berthiaume said. “So, it’s really special that you get almost a decade with the same family members.”
For Pieczynski’s mom, Lana, who watched the final round in person at Taconic Golf Club, the ending was picture perfect.
“It’s incredible, I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, but I think I’ll wake up tonight and be like ‘Oh, wow, it’s not a dream, it actually happened,’” Lana said. “So pretty incredible, I couldn’t ask for anything else. Just a really great way to finish his career. And it’s great for his coach, too. He’s been such a part of his golf journey. So very special day.”
Division 2 individual state champ: Sam Pieczynski pic.twitter.com/nEl8R42eMf
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 28, 2025
Other top local performers at D2 states
Tuesday was also a special day for Grafton High senior C.J. Chagnon, who wrapped up his high school career with a 5-over par 76. He finished tied for eighth as an individual.
“I thought I played really well,” Chagnon said. “The conditions were awesome, the course was in really nice shape, a great day to be out here.”
Grafton High senior CJ Chagnon carded a 5-over par 76 to finish tied for eighth as an individual in the D2 state championship for golf. pic.twitter.com/gOfXicbPZg
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) October 28, 2025
While Nashoba and Tantasqua had designs on competing for a team title Tuesday, both squads had reasons to be happy following a fifth-place finish and another successful fall on the course.
The Wolves won back-to-back Division 2 Central championships and qualified for the state tournament for a fourth year in a row. Nolan Engelhardt (79), Jackson Marsteiner (80), Andrew Balewicz (84) and Irv Carnes (87) had Nashoba’s top scores in the D2 state final.
“The program’s on solid footing,” Nashoba coach Bob Keene said. “We’ve got three underclassmen that we’re really excited about for next year. We did lose three seniors that were here today. It’ll be sad to see them go, they’ve been with me for four years but we’re excited for what the future brings. A little disappointed with today, but, top-five finish is still good stuff.
“We’re very happy.”
A sentiment shared by Sam Pieczynski. The Tantasqua standout golfer isn’t coming off of Cloud Nine anytime soon.
“It feels amazing,” he said.
—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Tantasqua senior Sam Pieczynski wins Division 2 state individual title
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