VASSALBORO — With the weather ideal for scoring, Maine’s top schoolboy and schoolgirl golfers took advantage to post impressive scores in the individual golf state championships Saturday at Natanis Golf Course.

Nick Mazurek of Oceanside and Drew Powell of Bangor tied for first in Class A with even-par 72s.

Gavin Dugas of Maine Central Institute won the Class B title with a 1-under 71. In Class C, Logan Thompson of Mattanawcook Academy prevailed with a 72.

Hashilla Rivai of Thornton Academy fired a 2-under 70 to capture the girls’ championship.

Natanis is a 36-hole layout. Class A and B golfers played the Tomahawk course, while Class C and the girls played Arrowhead. With temperatures in the 60s and the greens in excellent condition, there were 27 scores in the 70s.

“It was perfect,” Dugas said of the conditions. “The course was a little wet in certain spots but otherwise was in great shape.”

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Dugas, a senior, was playing in the individual state tournament for the fourth time.

“It feels awesome to win it. It’s like a dream come through,” said Dugas. “All the hard work has paid off. I played my normal game and stuck to my game plan. It was a good ball-striking round and I putted all right.”

Dugas, who finished seventh last year with a 78, had three birdies. He started on the fourth hole in the shotgun start and made birdie on No. 5. He also birdied No. 7 and No. 1.

“The birdie on five, my second hole, got my round going,” he said.

Dugas said he made a nice par save on the sixth hole after pulling his drive. For his third shot, his feet were in the bunker and the ball was in the grass above it. He almost chipped in for a birdie.

“I’ve played this course five times in the last month, so that helped,” he said.

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Cape Elizabeth’s Reese McFarlane, also playing in his fourth state tournament, finished second in Class B with a 74. A double bogey hurt his chances. McFarlane won Class B as a sophomore and a week ago shot a 67 in the team championship.

In Class A, Mazurek continued his hot play while Powell broke out of a slump.

“I haven’t played very well the last three weeks but I found my swing today,” said Powell.

Powell had four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. He was second this summer in the state junior amateur championships and third in the Maine Amateur.

Mazurek posted another low round at Natanis after shooting a 73 in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference qualifying tournament and a 70 in the team championship. He birdied his last hole, the par-4 ninth, while one of his playing partners, Chris Billings of Cheverus, double bogeyed to fall out of the lead. Billings, a senior, finished third with a 73.

Mazurek said he hit a 6-iron over a tree in the middle of the fairway, leaving him about 150 yards to the hole. A 7-iron approach stopped 15 feet from the hole.

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Billings, meanwhile, pulled his tee shot into the woods and had to use a recovery shot to get back to the fairway. His third shot reached the green but then he three-putted.

Drew Kane of Scarborough placed fourth in Class A with a 75, while Craig Smith of Falmouth was fifth with a 77.

Rivai, a junior from Indonesia, credited her score to her approach shots and her putting. She had four birdies and two bogeys.

“I was sticking it pretty close and I made some putts,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for this tournament all season. It’s especially nice to win it shooting a good score.”

Rivai said she plans to play golf for as long as the weather permits this fall, then will look to play some junior tournaments in California during Christmas vacation. She also plans to try out for the girls’ basketball team at Thornton. She said she intends to return to Thornton for her senior year.

Bailey Plourde of Lincoln Academy and Jenna Hallet of Presque Isle tied for second with 75s. Erin Holmes of Greely and Jordan LaPlume of Thornton Academy were next with 76s.

Adam Hachey of Winthrop finished second in Class C for the second year in a row with a 73. Cameron Clark of Houlton and Robbie Watson of Fort Fairfield tied for third with 76s.


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