Putnam – There was an unspoken understanding among the competitors at the Eastern Connecticut Conference Championship on Wednesday.

Barring a major upset, every team was basically playing for runnerup status behind three-time defending champion and heavy favorite Killingly.

No team has beaten the Redmen in league play over the last three seasons. And the ECC tournament was held at their home course, Connecticut National Golf Club.

"They've separated themselves all year long," NFA coach Bill Howard said. "We've had a good year and they beat us twice handily. They've beaten everybody they've played. The writing was on the wall showing up, especially here at their home course where they're so solid."

Killingly followed the script, easily outdistancing the rest of the field and finishing with an eye-popping 298 strokes. Second-place NFA posted 325 strokes, followed in the top five by Tourtellotte (333), Woodstock (337) and Stonington (338).

The Redmen are the first team since Norwich Free Academy to capture four straight tournament titles. The Wildcats accomplished the feat from 1995-1998.

"We're trying to keep up with the UConn women," Killingly coach Kevin Marcoux said. "It was a great day. It's a home course advantage, which in golf is huge. We're peaking at the right time and we were hoping to play well. All five guys played really well, and the top four were exceptional."

Senior Drew Aitken earned medalist honors, sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Tourtellotte's Tom Kingsbury by one stroke. Aiken fired a 2-over 73 while teammates Connor Fillmore, John Aitken and Ben Lovrien all shot 75 to tie Woodstock's Ryan Black for third place.

Kingsbury drained a 15-foot par putt to tie the score before Aitken's turn.

"I knew at all costs that I had to make a birdie and that's what I did...," said Drew Aitken, who, along with his brother John, will play golf at Central Connecticut State University next school year. "After my brother won freshman year, I knew I had to win at some point."

NFA rode the play of Noah Straub (79, tie for 10th) and Jack Sullivan (81, 12th) to place second. The Wildcats also received solid rounds from Miles Joyner (82) and Spencer Molkenthin (83).

"We're really happy," said Straub, who played a steady round. "I knew we weren't going to place first. We just wanted a solid finish for the team to end the year off great."

Stonington sophomore Jack Glenn also had a satisfying round playing in his first ECC tournament. He sent his first tee shot into the rough and ended up with a bogey. Then he settled down. He had consecutive birdies on No. 11 and No. 12 and carded a 77, placing seventh.

"I was just really trying to break 80," Glenn said of his goal. "I didn't really know the course."

Waterford's Brett Collins also had a good day, shooting a 78 to tie Tourtellotte's Cole Johnson for eighth place. The Lancers finished seventh at 353.

New London senior Jordan Rogers capped his career with his best round. He tied for 10th with a 79, leading the Whalers to eighth with a 354.

Rogers started slow, stumbling with a double bogey, before finding a nice rhythm. His reliable short game helped him finish strong. He shot a 40 on the front nine and 39 on the back.

"It's the best round of my life," Rogers said. "My lowest was the other day, an 85. Playing well today, that's what happened. ... The pars just kept coming and I just kept rolling with it."

ECC all-stars were announced on Wednesday.

In the Large Division, Woodstock's Ryan Black, Dan Harrington and Jordan Lamothe earned all-star status as well as Bacon Academy's Tyler Lewis and Sullivan.

Killingly placed four golfers on the Medium Division team. Drew Aitken, Fillmore, John Aitken and Lovrien joined Stonington's Jack Ognisty.

Tourtellotte put Dave Dalpe, Jared Belanger, Kingsbury and Johnson on the Small Division all-star team. Wheeler's Michael Anderson also earned a spot.

g.keefe@theday.com