Globe South Sports Notebook

Golfer's lofty goal

Matt Parziale was the runner-up for low amateur honors at the Massachusetts Open in late June. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff/File 2008)

By Justin A. Rice August 2, 2009

Vic Parziale, a captain in the Brockton Fire Department, joined Thorny Lea Golf Club last year so that he could play more rounds with his son, Matt.

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This summer, the elder Parziale has picked up his son’s clubs more than his own, caddying for the recent Southeastern University grad who, at the moment, is playing the best golf of his life.

In late June, the younger Parziale was the runner-up for low amateur honors at the Massachusetts Open, and then advanced to match play at the state amateur. Then he teamed up with Steve Tasho to capture the Brockton City Fourball before capturing the title at the New England Amateur on July 23 in Portsmouth, N.H.

“I kind of expected it because he always had potential and it just seems to all be coming together now,’’ Vic Parziale said of his son, who is expected to turn pro in the near future.

“I’m behind him 100 percent because he’s young and has no responsibilities. He might as well go for it. He won’t regret that he didn’t try if it doesn’t work out.’’

Parziale surged into the final day with a five-stroke lead, thanks to his 4-under-par 68 in the third round, and then held on for a three-shot victory over Garrett Medeiros.

The 22-year-old said he will work out the details of turning pro once the summer tournament schedule is finished. He is planning a move to Florida, but has not put a timetable on earning his PGA Tour card.

“If you limit yourself to three years, what if next week you break through?’’ he said. “That’s the mistake a lot of people make and I won’t do that. I’m just going to go with no timetable and no limit. If you limit yourself you are setting yourself up to fail, I think.’’

Thorny Lea pro Peter Norton has offered his recommendation: join a mini-tour, rather than trying Q School this fall.

“He [should] play against kids like him, play the mini tours and learn from it, because I think he can do it,’’ Norton said. “I think he has all the potential in the world to do it. He has a great attitude and is not afraid to shoot low scores like a lot of people are.’’

Before heading south, however, Parziale will save a few rounds for his dad.

“We like to play once a week if we can; when there’s not tournaments, we play,’’ he said. “We have not been playing that much this past month.’’

Coach not renewed

Chris Sweet guided the Duxbury High boys’ lacrosse program to six consecutive Division 1 state championships, and seven overall, including a 13-12 win over St. John’s Prep this past June. But his contract has not been renewed, in a move that has surprised many inside and outside of the lacrosse community.

“I cannot make any comment on any personnel issues,’’ Duxbury athletic director Thomas Holdgate said of the 11-year coach, before adding that the position will be posted in September.

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“Hopefully we’ll have someone in place by mid-October. There’s a coaches association meeting in late October and I would want somebody in place by then because a lot of scheduling gets done at that meeting.’’

Sweet could not be reached for comment.

Coaches’ summit

Brockton High varsity football coach Peter Colombo attended the NFL-USA Football Youth Football Summit in Canton, Ohio, last week, joining coaches from every state and Washington, D.C.

Super Bowl XXXIV-winning head coach Dick Vermeil headlined a group of NFL vets that led breakout sessions and forums.

“It’s great for Brockton, absolutely,’’ said Brockton AD Thomas Kenney. “I think that just for him to be able to talk to other coaches at the same level as him, from other communities, other states, that’s rare. That doesn’t happen too often. I just think it’s a great experience for Peter.’’

The five-year coach was nominated to attend the summit by New Bedford head coach Dennis Golden, who attended last year’s summit.

“The types of students that we deal with are very similar; our kids face a lot of life challenges,’’ Golden said. “[The summit] benefited me and gave me a real positive outlook on things.

“I respect the job he does. I thought he’d be a good person to go out there.’’

Odds and ends

Hingham native Tony Amonte was inducted into the US Hockey Hall of Fame earlier this week, along with fellow Bay Stater Tom Barrasso, Vermont native John LeClair, the 1998 US Olympic Women’s team, and the late Frank Zamboni. Amonte, who scored 416 goals in his 17-year National Hockey League career, most prominently with the Chicago Blackhawks, retired in 2007. He scored the winning goal against Canada in the deciding game of the first World Cup of Hockey in 1996. . . . Xaverian Brothers graduate Zack Abrams, a senior long snapper on the Northeastern University football team, is one of 106 nominees for the Allstate American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, for outstanding community service. The Sharon native has donated time to organizations and events in Greater Boston.

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