Through an unprecedented season, the golf season rolled on and champions were crowned.
As all other fall sports across the state were reshaped due to modifications caused by the pandemic, golf stayed mainly the same, with a few adjustments.
“We’re fortunate that golf is naturally a socially distanced sport and didn’t have to go through too many changes,” said Freeport head coach Jason Ouellette.
Golf was the only fall sport to hold their state championship. Freeport took home the Class B title.
“It was great to accomplish our goal that we set around this time last season, Ouellette said. “Our guys really stepped up to the challenge that day.”
Matches this year consisted of several teams per match, opposed to the usual two. Teams were permitted to play fewer matches than usual, and had regionalized scheduling.
“It was exciting and fun to meet new people and play some courses I had never played before,” said Mt. Ararat junior Ty Henke. “It was strange not playing being paired up with a teammate, but the team got used to it.”
Wade Bradford, a senior at Morse, also enjoyed seeing some new competition throughout the season.
“At first it was a little intimidating going up against some of the schools in the class above us, but as the season rolled on we improved as a team and new friendships were made between the golfers,” Bradford said.
Matt Kempf of Freeport lines up his putt during a match earlier this season against Greely at Freeport Country Club. Eli Canfield/Times Record
Shipbuilders head coach Mike Dutton was more than pleased with how the season went.
“It was great for the kids to have their season and to be able to get on the course amid everything,” Dutton said. “It didn’t matter how well we played, it was just about coming together as a team”.
Morse saw some serious improvement in their scores as the season moved along.
“Improvement was the name of the game for us this season,” Dutton said. “At the state match we tied teams that we had been defeated by in the regular season, all my golfers improved their handicaps this year.”
Many schools in the area saw a jump in numbers of students going out for the golf team.
“It was nice to see the amount of kids who joined the team this season,” said Morse senior Tanner Hennin. “Our team definitely grew in size and that’s a step in the right direction for our program.”
In the final match of the season, two state champions in Greely and Freeport met for one final match at Freeport Country Club.
“We had it planned before the season, it was just a coincidence that it ended up being the two state champions,” said Ouellette.
It is believed to be the first time that two state champions have met for a match in the same season following the state match. Freeport freshman Eli Spaulding saved his best play for the end of his rookie season. Spaulding shot a personal best -4 on the par 36 course, including back to back eagles to solidify his round.
“Even though the match didn’t have any meaning competition wise, I wanted to win that day and played the best golf I’ve ever played,” Spaulding said.
Traditionally a short season in a normal year, the 2020 version of Maine high school golf was condensed to about a month.
“It went by too quickly for my liking,” said Gerry Cannon, head coach of Mt. Ararat. “The state did a great job in making everything work, and we were all thankful we were able to have a season.”
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