Bow won its second consecutive Division III team championship on Wednesday at Laconia Country Club after posting a team 33-over-par score finish to secure the crown.
The Falcons’ final tally was 11 strokes better than second place Pelham (44 over), and the next best area team was Hopkinton, which finished at 50 over.
A strong core of Bow golfers competed Tuesday, featuring freshman Owen Webber, sophomores Hunter Duncan and Eli Wilkening and junior Cam Evans. Evans, who shot a 7-over 79, had an impressive stretch on the back nine where he hit par on six of the nine holes, including a par 3 on the 14th hole.
His finish at the team championship was tied for sixth-best among all of the competing golfers at the tournament. Wilkening and Webber both shot an 8-over 80, tied for eighth-best in the tournament. Wilkening’s best shot of the day came on the 17th hole, where he recorded an eagle after a bogey and a double bogey on the previous holes.
Webber finished with a pair of birdies on the back nine, coming on the 10th and 18th holes. Duncan, who finished third in last year’s contest, faced a difficult back nine that featured four bogeys and a double bogey. He rallied on the last two holes, however, where he finished with a birdie and par.
Bow’s team title on Tuesday is its eighth in 10 years, and the dynasty has no signs of slowing down as it only graduates two seniors – Amelia Soucy and Andrew Conley. According to coach Matt Davis, the excitement for next season has already begun.
“(Tuesday) we were all just sitting around thinking as a group that, ‘Wow, yeah, we are losing a couple of seniors this year, but we still have the bulk of our core,’ ” Davis said. “Five out of the top seven going to states are coming back next year. I think the great thing about the team since I’ve been here is that we’ve had really great success.”
That’s not to say Davis gives himself credit for the Falcons’ success; it’s quite the opposite. He spoke about how the Falcons have already began to wonder where they can improve for next year’s season. Whether it’s shooting under a combined 320 at states or having a higher average score in the regular season, there’s always a goal to achieve, especially when you sit at the top year in and year out.
Bow’s core four now will compete for an individual state title on Saturday at Beaver Meadow Golf Course in Concord. Tee times are yet to be announced, but the individual championships will feature all four divisions and the top 20 finishers from each of the team championship rounds.
Other area teams: While the Falcons claimed their eighth title, Tuesday’s event featured ample success for other area teams.
Hopkinton was one of the darlings in the team run as it finished fourth. The Hawks’ placement was their best in the two years they’ve competed in Division III. A year ago they finished in seventh place and have seen improvements since then.
Kody Dexter and Evan Fairneny will represent Hopkinton at the individual tournament after they shot an 82 and an 84, respectively.
Coe-Brown, Kearsarge and John Stark finished in seventh, ninth and 10th on Tuesday, respectively. The Bears finished at 66 over and the Cougars at 96 over. Even though the Generals finished in last as a team with a 99 over, they will be represented in the individual round Saturday by Kyle Provencher.
Provencher finished Tuesday’s round shooting a 78 that was highlighted by birdies on the 13th and 17th holes.