By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
VASSALBORO, Maine — Presque Isle placed fourth out of 13 teams as they came in with a 347 at Saturday’s Class B state championships, held at Natanis Golf Club’s Tomahawk Course. “The team as a whole played pretty well,” said Wildcat coach Daren Hunter. “I know one of the team’s goals was to have five scores in the 80s as we thought that would give us a legitimate shot of being in the top five. While we didn’t get five scores in the 80s, we did end up in the top five with a fourth-place finish, which I know the team was very happy about.
“We actually knocked 14 strokes off our score from last year and finished three places better,” he added. “All in all, we consider that a success.”
Jenna Hallett led the Wildcats with an 82 and Michael Boone had an 86, with Karson Eaton turning in a strong round with an 87. Liam Hughes and Josh Gordon registered scores of 92 and 97, respectively.
Hallett’s score was tied for the 10th lowest among Class B individual golfers. The low round in Class B was a 71 turned in by Maranacook’s Luke Ruffing.
Camden Hills was the team champion in the ‘B’ division with a score of 321. Cape Elizabeth beat out Maine Central Institute for second place via a tie-breaker.
The Fort Fairfield Tigers placed fifth out of 11 teams in Saturday’s Class C state championships, held at Natanis’s Arrowhead Course.
Fort’s Robbie Watson had the second-lowest score among Class C golfers with a 73, three strokes behind Winthrop’s Taylor Morang. Also for the Tigers, Noah Bernard shot an 84, Jon Bernard an 88, Jordan Coiley a 103 and Larry Warner a 112.
Fort Fairfield’s team score of 348 left them 19 behind the victorious St. Dominic’s team. Winthrop was second, Houlton third and Wiscasset fourth.
Central Aroostook came in eighth place with 378 strokes. Alex Folsom led the Panthers with an 82, followed by Chandler Brewer with a 94 and Zach Grass with a 96. Kenny Bell carded a 106.
The individual state tourney will be played this coming Saturday, again at Natanis. Local players competing in the boys’ event will be Fort Fairfield’s Watson, Noah Bernard and Vincent Campbell, Central Aroostook’s Folsom and Brewer and Presque Isle’s Boone and Hughes.
Hunter said Boone and Hughes are both capable of shooting in the low-80s, which could translate into top-10 finishes.
Coiley and FF teammate Shyla Bouchard, Hallett and Limestone-MSSM’s Meghan Flanagin will all participate in the schoolgirl tourney.
Hunter has high hopes for Hallett, based on her play this past weekend and throughout the 2013 golf season.
“I really like her chances,” he said. “She carded an 82 from the white tees and in last year’s girls individual match, an 84 was the score that won. From the red tees, Jenna is easily capable of shooting in the 70s.
“She experienced a lot of success over the summer and this has helped with her confidence and I foresee good things happening this weekend,” said the first-year coach.
