15 Seacoast girls and boys golfers to watch from eight high schools in 2022

As the high school golf season began last week, it’s very apparent the Seacoast is developing some great talent who have not only made for themselves in high school but the junior and state level as well.

Highlighting the group is a pair of sophomores who won their respective individual tournaments. Exeter High School’s Jascha Johnston won the Division I boys championship, while Dover’s Carys Fennessy won the NHIAA girls championship.

Joining Fennessy, are four girls, including June Doerr of Winnacunnet, Lindsay Butkus of St. Thomas Aquinas, Sydney Ferguson of Marshwood and Delaney Nadeau of Oyster River High School.

Here are some of the top players from around the area who likely will be making some noise throughout the season right through the team and individual tournaments:

Connor Allard, senior, Exeter

Allard brings plenty of motivation into his senior year, especially after the way his junior season ended. Allard had to miss the Division I team and individual tournaments because he had COVID-19. Exeter was a big favorite heading into the team tournament but lost to Bedford with the glaring absence of Allard looming large.

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“He’s pretty motivated this year to show that he's one of the best players in the state,” Exeter coach Bob Bailey said. “He’s very dedicated and it's rare not to see him practicing. All the players look up to him.”

Allard proved how good he could be in various junior tournaments this summer, which included a fifth-place tie in July’s New Hampshire Boys championship at the Country Club of New Hampshire in North Sutton.

“He’s a good ball striker, composed and hits the greens regularly,” Bailey said.

Jackson Barnes, senior, Portsmouth

Barnes missed last year's individual state Division II tournament, but helped Portsmouth to a fourth-place finish in the team tournament. The goal for him is for him to qualfy for the boys tournament, and Portsmouth coach Kyle Harrison believes Barnes the game to do it.

With an average round hovering near 40 that’s aided by a 280-yard drive, Barnes has all the potential to take the next step in his final year.

“He’s a great teammate and a student of the game and has all the tools to be successful,” Harrison said. “Making it to the individual tournament is a big goal for him. He’s in great shape and primed to improve on what he did last year.”

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Lindsay Butkus, junior, St. Thomas Aquinas

After finishing fifth in the NHIAA girls tournament as a freshman, and seventh last year, Butkus is poised to get back within the top five when the tournament rolls back around. Butkus, who averages around a 39, shot rounds of 37 and 42 in St. Thomas’ opening matches of the season.

Standing in at 5-foot-5, Butkus brings a wallop to a drive that averages around 240 yards. St. Thomas coach Dennis Coffey said if Butkus improves upon her putting, there is no reason why she can’t take a bigger step up the ladder this season.

“The sky's the limit for her, she’s such a good player,” Coffey said. “Her drive off the tee is her biggest strength. She’s small, but hits it far and straight.”

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Tyler Conant, senior, York

This is Conant's only second year on the golf team, but he’s made a lot of strides in shooting an average around 40.

Conant’s biggest strengths are his drive off the tee and the way he manages the course. York coach Tina Jovanavich is confident Conant has the tools to improve his game.

“He definitely drives a long ball,” Jovanavich said. “I think he could have a really good season. He motivates the team, has a great mental approach and has great course management.”

June Doerr, junior, Winnacunnet

Doerr is coming of a sophomore season that culminated with a fourth-place finish in last fall’s NHIAA girls state championships and carried that play into a memorable summer that saw her win July’s New Hampshire Girls Junior championship by 10 strokes at the Country Club of New Hampshire in North Sutton.

In early August, Doerr followed that by finishing second in the New Hampshire Women’s State Amateur championships at Concord Country Club. Doerr lost in a two-hole playoff to Juliana Megan.

Doerr was also named to the Division II all-state first team last year, helping Winncunet to a third-place finish in the Division II championships

“She's so dedicated and has aspirations of playing at the next level,” Winnacunnet coach Patrick Snow said. “She’s got a work ethic. She drives the ball well and is consistent with her approaches. She’s a good one and should have a big year for us.”

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Boden Driscoll, senior, Portsmouth

Driscoll’s main sport is baseball, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t lack in his golf game. Driscoll shot a 41 in Portsmouth’s opening match against St. Thomas Aquinas and Kennett.

Beginning with a steady drive, coach Harrison says Driscoll has a complete game, and making the individual Division II tournament is in his sights.

“He’s got a decent drive and he's a leader on this team,” Harrison said. “He’s in control of himself and very confident.”

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Jon Dumais, junior, Dover

Dumais is coming off a season where he helped Dover placed fourth in the Division I championships, and followed that by tying for 18th place in the Division I individual championships.

Dover coach Matt Fennessy said Dumais’ strength is his drive that regularly goes between 270 and 280 yards, but he’s seen it go over 300. Once he strengthens his short game, Fennessy believes Dumais could challenge to finish in the top 10 of this year’s tournament. Dumais won the Cochecho Country Club Junior tournament this summer, and averages a round of 40.

“He hits it a long way,” Fennessy said. “A top 10 finish this year is a good goal for him.”

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Sydney Ferguson, senior, Marshwood

Ferguson has been on varsity since her freshman year, and is coming off a year after that saw her finish in the top 10 of the Maine Class A girls championships at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.

With the work she’s put into her game, Marshwood coach Mike Corriveau believes Ferguson can become more consistent with her putting, she can crack the top five in Class A and hopefully qualify for the New England Championships. Ferguson shoots an average of 42 a round.

“She’s got a complete game,” Corriveau said. “Her strength is her driving and if she just improves on her putting and becomes solid at it, by the end of the season I can see her shooting around 80 in the state tournament.”

Jack Jellison, senior, York

Jellison was on the varsity as a freshman and is coming off a season which saw him finish just outside of the top 20 in the Class B individual state championships. Jellison opened the season by shooting a 38 against Yarmouth.

York coach Tina Jovanavich called Jellison a complete player and is hopeful he’ll be able to improve upon his finish when the regional individual championships come around. Jellison is shooting an average of around 40.

“He’s a team player, a leader and helps everyone on the team,” Jovanavich said. “He’s got a great drive and plays a level game. He’s got great composure and doesn’t get overwhelmed with any shot.”

Jascha Johnston, sophomore, Exeter

It’d be hard to top the start to a high school then the way Johnston finished his freshman season, as he won the Division I individual championship by firing rounds of 71 and 73 at Beaver Meadow Country Club in Concord. Johnston outdueled his graduated teammate, second-place finisher Will Ducharme, who is now playing at Virginia Tech University.

“He was probably our third-lowest scorer going into that tournament, but he just played outstanding,” coach Bailey said. “He played very consistently as a freshman, and it’s tough coming onto a team that had a lot of upperclassmen. He had a great attitude and quickly became a key player for our team."

Johnston heads into the fall full of momentum after finishing second in July’s New Hampshire Boys Junior championship at Country Club of New Hampshire in North Sutton. Johnston finished 6-over par in the three-day tournament, losing by one stroke.

“He’s just steady; the pressure doesn’t bother him,” Bailey said. “He’s calm and plays better in the heat of the moment.”

Will Mollica, junior, St. Thomas Aquinas

Mollica didn’t make last year’s Division II individual championship after he didn’t qualify following St. Thomas’ fourth-place finish in the team championships. That’s a goal that coach Coffey believes Mollica can accomplish this season.

Mollica’s biggest weapon is a tee shot that averages over 300 yards. Mollica is averaging around a 39, and opened this high school season with rounds of 40 and 42.

“He’s worked hard and improved so much over the summer and is a more complete player,” Coffey said. “He’s got a great swing. If he has better course management and improves on his short game, there is no question he can take that next step.”

Delaney Nadeau, junior, Oyster River

Nadeau is coming off a season that saw her finish seventh in the New Hampshire Girls individual tournament, and she headed into this high school season full of confidence after a great summer. Nadeau finished third in the New Hampshire Junior Girls championships and followed with a ninth-place finish in the Women’s State Am.

“She’s got a pretty beautiful swing,” Oyster River coach Paul Bramford said. “She works hard, plays all the time, and is a great team leader. Her best asset is her course management. She knows when to go for it and doesn’t force anything.”

Nadeau is carrying an average of 39 into this season and can drive the ball around 240 yards. Bramford said Nadeau's resolve and mental toughness is what makes her one of the top girls’ players in the state.

“She never gets flustered, she has the mentality of iron,” Bramford said. “She thinks she can overcome anything. Her demeanor under pressure is the part about her game.”

Myles O’Quinn, junior, Oyster River

O’Quinn shot a 7-over-par and finished tied for 10th in the Division II individual championships last  year and was a key player in leading the Bobcats to the Division II team championship. O’Quinn then followed that this summer by placing fifth in the New Hampshire Junior championships.

Bramford thinks O’Quinn is a great wedge player, a skill that has helped him maintain an average of around 37. O’Quinn adds a drive that averages around 280 yards when he needs to.

“He's a phenomenal wedge player," Bramford said. "I think he’s one of the best wedge players in the state, and his chipping is great. He's the fastest player I’ve seen, meaning that he just gets up to the ball and hits it. He doesn’t have a pre-shot shimmy or practice shot.”

Aidan Pride, junior, Marshwood

Pride is looking to improve upon his 41 average this year, and coach Corriveau has seen him make the necessary strides to hopefully qualify for the Class A boys state championships this fall.

Corriveau loves Pride’s chipping and thinks if swings become more consistent, this could be a great fall for the junior.

“He works hard and is a great chipper; that’s where you score,” Corriveau said. “Sometimes his swing is over-the-top too much, so if he corrects that he’s going to be tough to beat.”

Jimmy Schouller, sophomore, Winnacunnet

Schouller made the Division II all-state first team last year, and finished sixth in the Division II individual championships at Beaver Meadow Country Club in Concord.

Coach Snow believes Schouller has all the tools and expects him to contend right at the top of Division II this season, as he’s regularly around even par. Schouller has been putting a lot of work over the summer at Abenaqui Country Club and primed for a big fall.

“He should be one of the top players in the division,” Snow said. “He works a lot at it; he golfs all the time. He’s got a great love for the game and swings the club beautifully.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 2022 Seacoast NHIAA MPA: 15 high school golfers to watch