Bow High’s golf team is right where it wants to be halfway through the season.
Sitting third in the Division II standings with a 17-4 record has primed the Falcons for a good run-up to the state tournament. On their way, they earned some silverware on Tuesday afternoon.
Pembroke Academy hosted Bow, Merrimack Valley and St. Thomas on the rolling hills and fairways of Pembroke Pines Country Club for the inaugural Capital Cup. This in-season tournament will be held for years to come, and the Falcons became the first ones to take it home and stamp their name on the plaque.
The Falcons had a strong day across the board. Senior Sean Walton finished with 39, followed by freshman Erik Hall (41), senior captain Jacob Gancarz (42), senior Bryce Nichols (42) and senior Brady Anderson (43) for a team tally of 207 that won the match.
Spartan senior Andrew Fitzgerald lines up for a putt on the last hole of the day to finish with a score of 45, second-best on his team. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Bow senior Brady Anderson tees off on Pembroke Pines’ 16th hole. Anderson rounded out the Falcons’ top-five with a score of 45. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Bow senior captain Jacob Gancarz helped lead the golf team to a Capital Cup win on Sept. 22 at Pembroke Pines with a score of 42. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor 
Merrimack Valley junior Logan McCullen was the medalist of the Capital Cup with a low score of 38. Credit: ALEXANDER RAPP / Monitor
“It feels so great. I mean, I’m going to be honest: It’s not a personal effort. Although an individual sport, this wasn’t an individual effort,” Gancarz said about taking a trophy home. “Without Coach behind me, players behind me, this doesn’t happen. As captain for varstity, this is a team combined effort.”
Bow coach Matt Davis said that although it wasn’t his Falcons’ best day on the course, the team-building and feeling of winning a trophy under pressure is crucial for what’s to come.
The depth of the team was on display, with Alex Perry (50), Adam Lafferty (46) and Cavot Blaney (43) competing until the end to keep the team score tight.
Bow golf is exuding confidence because of its strength across the board and its consistency this season.
“Momentum’s high, and it’s only getting better. Not the number we wanted to shoot today, but it was good enough,” Gancarz said.
St. Thomas finished second with a team score of 212, easily cruising past Pembroke and Merrimack Valley, who tied at 237. The Spartans took the tie-breaker thanks to junior Chase Boggs’ 53 over Pride sophomore Brayden Theberge’s 58.
Pembroke now sits 11th in the standings, just on the state tournament bubble at 8-16, and will look to pull off some wins down the stretch to get in.
The Pride dropped to 14th at 3-18 but had a bright spot as junior Logan McCullen was the medalist of the event, beating out Bow’s Sean Walton by one stroke at 38.