Fleckles leads Ravens to team victory with round of 74 (+3) to earn medalist honors

RESULTS: Team/Individual 

CHICOPEE, Mass. (April 24, 2009) - The Franklin Pierce University golf team captured its first team title of the year by taking first place at the Blazers Invitational, hosted by Elms College, on the 6,742-yard, par-71, layout at Chicopee Country Club this afternoon. Freshman Brian Fleckles (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) led the Ravens to victory with a three-over-par round of 74 to take home medalist honors at the event.

Franklin Pierce, which wins its first team title since its own Spring Invitational on April 30, 2008, posted a 320 team score. Springfield College placed second in the seven team event with a score of 325, while Castleton State College took third with 333. Fleckles is the Ravens first tournament medalist since Paul Izzi won the Franklin Pierce Fall Invitational on October 14, 2002. Fleckles matched his

season-low round today by leading the field with three birdies to go with ten pars, as he shot 36 on the front nine and 38 in the back. Springfield senior Mike LaJoie (Enfield, Conn.) finished three strokes behind Fleckles in second place with a six-over-par round of 77.

Freshman William Powers (Southbury, Conn./Pomperaug) carded a season-low round of 79 for Franklin Pierce to place fifth overall as all five Ravens shot 86 or better for the afternoon. Junior Brandon Weiner (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) rounded out the Ravens in the top ten as he carded an 83. Junior Peter Panopoulos (Rindge, N.H./Conant) and sophomore Justin Haapala (Danielson, Conn./Killingly) rounded out the winning team for Franklin Pierce with rounds of 84 and 86, respectively.

Franklin Pierce rounds out the year on Wednesday when it hosts the Franklin Pierce Spring Invitational at The Shattuck in Jaffrey beginning at noon. The Ravens captured the team title last spring.