Forecaster Country produced some of the finest golfers in the state this fall, something which was reinforced in recent days at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.

Monday, in the weather-delayed Class A state match, Falmouth shot a team score of 312 to hold off runner-up Thornton Academy by four strokes to take the title for the second time in three seasons and the fourth time since 2011.

Freshman Dante Iannetta shot a 2-over 74, which tied him for third in the individual standings, while Johnny Hwang (78, tied for ninth) and Anthony Graeffa and Owen Woolworth, who both shot 80 (tied for 15th) led the Navigators, who were runners-up to Brunswick in 2022, to glory.

“It’s a good feeling, especially being a senior,” Hwang said. “I wanted to leave off with a state championship. I feel like this was the best team we had, this year.”

“It’s something that’s pretty cool, pretty special, to come up just a couple short last year and I think that kind of spurred them on. There were a couple of disappointed players.” said Falmouth coach A.J. Simokaitis.

Iannetta only birdied one hole but allowed himself to go low with 15 pars.

“I tried to tell myself it wasn’t only on me, so that I wouldn’t choke and do badly,” Iannetta said. “I was nervous throughout the entire round, but I played well. I missed a few birdie putts, but I hit every approach shot how I wanted to.”

Simokaitis had a feeling his freshman would come through.

“You want to go out and play your best, and if you don’t have your ‘A’ game, how do you figure it out?” he said. “Dante has that as a freshman. It doesn’t seem like much bothers him.”

Greely (337) finished eighth in the team standings. The Rangers were paced by Eric Hansen (76, tied for sixth individually). Also scoring for Greely were Joe Hansen (84, tied for 28th), Will Klein (86, tied for 38th) and Brogan Raftice (91, tied for 52nd).

In the Class A girls’ competition, won by Thornton Academy’s McKenna Castle and Oxford Hills’ Alexis McCormick (85), Falmouth’s Carley Iannetta (87) placed third and Greely’s Karinna Beacham came in ninth (102).

The Class B state match was held last Friday in Vassalboro and while Freeport came up just short of winning a team title (Presque Isle was first with a score of 323, five strokes better than the Falcons), its senior standout Eli Spaulding won the individual crown for the third consecutive time, shooting a round of 70, giving him the crown by three strokes.

“It feels really good,” Spaulding said. “I definitely felt the pressure a little more. Obviously, a chance to get a three-peat, that doesn’t happen too many times. I really wanted to win and I knew I could.”

Spaulding started smoothly, with a birdie on the first hole followed by six straight pars, but he posted back-to-back birdies when he first got a 95-yard approach to stop within two-and-a-half feet of the hole on the eighth and then when he rolled in a 17-foot par on the ninth. He also birdied the 14th, giving him some cushion that two closing bogeys couldn’t hurt.

“That kind of got me started,” Spaulding said. “In golf, a lot of it’s about momentum, getting that confidence up. It really helped in the middle of the round when it was feeling a little close, a little iffy.”

Freeport also got strong rounds from Ryan Savona (83, tied for 18th), Dylan Foerster (84, tied for 20th) and Carter Costello (91, tied for 34th), but fell just short of its second title in four years.

“I can sense a little disappointment,” said Spaulding. “There always is when you’re going into the event thinking you can win, and you’ve got a good shot, but I think our team should be super-happy. If we came in this morning and (you said) we’d shoot 328, we’d be pretty happy.”

Yarmouth (342) wound up fourth as a team. The Clippers featured Sebastien Martinez (80, tied for 10th), Andrew Cheever (84, tied for 20th), Colby Carnes (87, tied for 25th) and Hugh O’Donnell (91, tied for 34th).

In the Class C state match, held Monday, North Yarmouth Academy had a team score of 350 and tied Fort Fairfield and Monmouth Academy for fourth place (St. Dom’s won the title with a score of 327).

Maddy Prokopius shot an 88 and held off Kents Hills’ Amelie Zachrisson and Monmouth’s Reese Beaudoin by one shot for the girls’ title after finishing fourth, fifth and second in previous seasons.

“I’ve qualified since freshman year and I’ve blown it in the past,” Prokopius said. “This is a nice way to wrap up my senior year.”

Also scoring for the Panthers were Nate Oney (82, tied for 11th), Davis Gall (90, tied for 34th) and Zach Leinwand (90, tied for 34th)

Press Herald staff writer Drew Bonifant contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.