Mars Hill CC to host qualifier

The Central Aroostook Panthers are perennial contenders in the Aroostook League, having won the title in each of the last five years. With the championship match to be held on their home course, the Panthers have to be considered even more of a favorite.     Mars Hill Country Club will host the Aroostook League Championship/Regional Qualifier Saturday morning, an 18-hole event which serves as a qualifer for the state competitions in October. The top two teams qualify for the Class C team championship, to be held at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro Oct. 6, while the top five individuals, considering they break 90, will be eligible to compete in the individual championships Oct. 13, also at Natanis. Female players who shoot 110 or below also qualify.
Limestone/MSSM, Katahdin, Fort Fairfield and Hodgdon are the other teams competing.
“There is definitely a huge advantage to hosting the regional qualifier,” said CA coach Ryan Guerrette. “My kids play the course every day and local knowledge will be a big advantage to my team.
“Mars Hill Country Club is a unique course because of its rolling hills, narrow fairways and thick rough. We don’t play any other course like it,” he added. “You never have a flat lie, so being able to play there everyday and practicing the uphill, downhill and sidehill shots are definitely to our advantage.
“The course is in great condition and will provide a formidable test to all the teams.”
Central Aroostook will have some extra motivation to do well after losing for the first time in the regular season Monday to Katahdin at VaJoWa Golf Club in Island Falls. The host Cougars won by 12 strokes and only three Panther golfers were able to break 50 for nine holes on the afternoon.
Lee Gagnon and Greg Cousins are the current CA players who in previous years have qualified for the state meet. Freshman Kane Kingsbury has been the team’s top golfer with a 45 scoring average to date. He was the medalist in Monday’s match with a 38.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to qualify two or three individuals,” Guerrette said.
Guerrette expects Katahdin’s Evan McCarthy and Josh Guiggey, Fort Fairfield’s Ian Towle and Limestone/MSSM’s Tom Albert and Matt Beaulieu to be other contenders for the top-five on the individual side.
In other golf action last week, CA won by forfeit over Fort Fairfield Friday at MHCC, as the Tigers had only four golfers. Kingsbury had a 42 to lead all golfers, while Towle paced the Tigers with a 47.
Presque Isle won a match at Penobcot Valley Country Club last Tuesday, beating Orono, 177-191. The medalists were Wildcats’ Matt Talbot and Tyler St. Pierre, who each shot 40s.