That unorthodox approach has worked. At 5-0, the Raiders are alone atop the Bay State Conference, and, once again, have the look of a team capable of being a postseason contender.

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“In past years, usually there’s one or two guys you could easily point at,” junior Aarav Lavu said. “This year it could really go any direction. Everyone on the team is such a leader, so easy to be around, and creates a good team environment.”

Lavu has emerged as the No. 1, averaging just over par per nine holes.

Classmates Adrian Daigle, Taylor Pan, and Teddy Uller, as well as senior Cole Turner, follow, and freshman Oliver Prichard has averaged 2-over par.

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Teddy Uller is part of a strong junior class for Wellesley, which also has three freshmen and one sophomore in the varsity mix. Daniel Bruni/Wellesley High School

“At the end of the day, captain is only a title,” Turner said. “Putting it into action is what actually matters. The community we’ve had is much more cohesive and tight-knit than it has been in past years. It’s allowed for some growth in the program, and it’s done some good.”

In his second season on varsity, Turner has been “lights out” from the fifth pairing on the depth chart, said Bateman.

“Once golf started up, he dialed it in and he’s playing fantastic,” he said.

The senior is not the only player to make strides this season, with offseason play benefiting the entire roster.

“Wellesley golf has been lucky over the last few years. We’ve gotten a lot of guys who want to play, and they work tirelessly in the offseason to get better,” Bateman said. “As a coach, I appreciate that, because everything they do in the offseason is completely on their own.”

“They’re all hyper-focused when they’re on the course,” Bateman added. “You can see how they grind it out, and if they make a mistake they’re smart about it. They don’t leave anything to chance.”

Wellesley sophomore Brayden Sansone hits an iron from the fairway on the first hole at Nehoiden Golf Course during a recent match.Daniel Bruni/Wellesley High School

There was no better example of offseason work than Lavu, who was a semifinalist at the Massachusetts Junior Amateur at Franklin Country Club after missing the cut in 2023 and 2024; he also qualified for the Mass. Amateur at GreatHorse.

After finally capturing an elusive Division 1 South championship in 2023 and a runner-up finish in 2024, the Raiders have their sights set on more, especially in a Bay State Conference that’s taken a step up.

In addition to Wellesley’s 5-0 start, Brookline, Natick, and Weymouth all have at least three wins.

“[Conference play] will definitely keep us in better form. When you’re playing against better competition, you tend to play better as well,” Lavu said.

“In past years, some guys have gone into slumps when we’ve had some easier stretches, and now without that it only has upside. We know we have a lot of tough competition down the road, so while we’re happy now, we’re still going to stay focused and see what happens.”

A nonconference gauntlet to end the regular season still looms, with matches against BC High, Xaverian, Concord-Carlisle, and Westford in advance of the postseason.

“I set up our schedule that way to get them to focus on how state contenders are going to play,” Bateman said. “We’ll see how good we really are when we hit those matches. They’re going to be a lot of fun.”

Though the postseason is more than a month away, Turner believes this year’s Raiders have something special, captains or not.

“We’re very confident in what we can do, and we think we’ve got the talent and the ability to beat anybody,” Turner said. “We’ve had a good taste of serious competition. We’ll see how it goes for us.”

Wellesley junior Adrian Daigle hits a beautiful approach shot on the third hole at Nehoiden Golf Course.Daniel Bruni/Wellesley High School

Tee shots

▪ After finishing 3-13 last season, Rockport has kicked off this year a perfect 4-0.

Sophomore Nolan Bace has been a big reason for the Vikings’ success. Through four matches, he contributed 130 Stableford points. Eighth-grader Jack Rose added 32 and 28 points against Georgetown and Hamilton-Wenham, respectively. Senior Sam Kesterson totaled 97 in wins over Ipswich, Hamilton-Wenham, and Winthrop.

The Vikings set a school record for most points scored on their home course, Rockport Country Club, on Thursday.

Rockport sits second in the Cape Ann League behind Lynnfield, which is 4-0 in league play.

▪ St. John Paul II has continued building on last season’s success, winning its first two matches. The Lions won the Cape & Islands Lighthouse division before placing second in the South Sectional and fourth in the Division 3 championship last season.

Senior captain Sam Scioletti recorded a 1-over-par 37 to lead his team to a win over Falmouth. Scioletti put in another top-notch performance the next day, shooting 2-under-par 33 in a nonleague victory against Mashpee.

Joe Eachus can be reached at joseph.eachus@globe.com. Follow him @joeeachus_.