HS golf: Exeter's Johnston, Dover's Fennessy enjoy leads heading into individual tourney

CANTERBURY – After graduating 10 players from last year’s championship squad, first-year Exeter High School golf coach Ira Martin knew there would be some rebuilding necessary, but the Blue Hawks persevered through a 23-4 record that earned them the third seed in Tuesday’s Division I tournament at Canterbury Woods Country Club.

It turned out to be a difficult day overall for the Blue Hawks, but junior Jacsha Johnston is back in position to reclaim his individual title from two years ago.

Johnson paced the Blue Hawks’ seventh place finish (49-over par, 409) by shooting a 2-under-par 70, and holds a one-shot lead heading into Saturday’s boys individual championship at Beaver Meadow Country Club in Concord.

Concord won the team title by 10 strokes, shooting a 23-over par (383) ahead of Hanover (393), Londonderry (397) and Bedford (398).

The Blue Hawks received other scoring from Bryce McGuinness (82), Adam Boys (84), Brady Smith (85) and Chad Walston (88).

“We’re happy for Jascha who gets another chance this weekend,” Martin said. “It’s a learning experience every time you get on a course like this and anything can happen. There were some great scores by some other teams today. It’s different when you go from playing nine holes to 18 holes. This is a really great golf course that asks you to do a lot of things and some days it's pesky."

It was a similar result on the day for Dover (39-over par, 399), who finished ahead of Exeter in fifth place, but is sending two golfers to Beaver Meadow on Saturday.

Two-time defending girls individual champion Carys Fennessy had already clinched a spot of attempting a three-peat, but that didn’t deter her from turning in a medalist-winning effort of 4-over-par 68 on Tuesday.  She’ll be joined in Concord by senior teammate Jon Dumais, who fired off a 1-over par 73 and his tied for fourth place with Londonderry’s Patrick O’Connor heading into Saturday.

The Green Wave also received scoring from Ben Larson (84), Ben Zibkowski (86), Michael Gorman (88) and Logan Carter (88).

“I thought we played pretty well and obviously some teams played very well,” Dover coach Matt Fennessy said. “Jon and Carys played where they needed them to play to give us a chance, but that back part of our lineup struggled a little bit. I thought we were in it through the first nine holes, but the last nine we just couldn’t get in.”

Johnston is back in a familiar position

As a freshmen, Johnston immediately put his name on the map by winning the 2021 Division I individual championship. He was in prime position to repeat last year after recording a 3-under par 69 in leading Exeter to the Division I championship.

It all fell apart two days later, when his five-stroke lead over graduated teammate Connor Allard evaporated via Johnston’s 7-over par 79 and Allard ended up winning by four strokes.

Johnston said he learned a lot from last year and is ready to redeem himself, but it won't be easy, as four players trail him by three strokes or less. Johnston holds a one-stroke lead over Concord’s Gavin Richardson and Hanover’s Adam Goodney, and three-stroke leads over Dumais and O’Connor.

“This year I’m thinking of just playing my game and getting in the fairway because my scores are dropping a lot when I’m in the fairway a lot,” Johnston said. “I’m going to do my best to hit the fairway and as many greens as I did today and hopefully more and make a lot of crucial putts. I’m feeling good about my game and I think my game can win it. I just have to stick to it.”

Johnston entered the back nine holes on Tuesday 2-over-par after bogeys on the fourth and ninth. He responded by birdying the par 5, 10th, and then reeled off three straight birdies, capped off by a sand save and a putt off a bad approach shot on a par 5. He finished the back nine with a 32.

“The front was a bit of a struggle,” Johnston said. “I finished strong in the back, which was helpful for my round.”

Martin feels Johnston is hungry to get back at it Saturday and finish it off this time around.

“He’s incredible," Martin said. "He gets off to a little tough start for his standards and then he strings together bogies on the back nine and it’s fun to watch him play. He’s another year older, he’s won it before and I’m confident in his abilities. He’s pretty darn confident in himself and he’ll be ready to go.”

Dumais is in contention

After last year’s team portion of the championships ended, Dumais had to go back out and compete in a playoff hole to gain the 16th-and-final spot in the Division I boys individual tournament.  He went onto win that playoff and shoot the lowest score of the day two days later for a remarkable third-place finish.

It didn’t come down to the end for Dumais this fall, despite a triple bogey on his fourth hole. Dumais birdied two of his final four holes to put him within striking distance at 1-over par 73.

“It’s a lot less stressful,” Dumais said. “I hit my irons pretty well, but I didn’t make any putts. I thought I hit the ball well, not off the tee, but I hit a really lot of good shots on par-3s. I let a few shots slip away.”

Dumais carries into Saturday the confidence of knowing how to battle on the final day.

“I’m in fourth place so I’ve got some work to do, but I feel good,” Dumais said. “If I can just sneak some putts in I’ll be OK. I’ve shot the ball better this year and have given myself good opportunities. I just have to capitalize on them.”

Matt Fennessy was happy with how Dumais shook off his tough start to put him in good position.

“I’m proud of Jon, he had a really rough start but battled back and gave himself to be in contention for Saturday,” Fennessy said. “I think he’s better off playing 18-hole matches because it gives him time to adjust. I hope he goes lights out on Saturday. It would be cool and maybe we can have two championships.”

Carys Fennessy medals

Matt Fennessy’s dual championship hopes for Dover is in reference to Dumais and his daughter, Carys, who is aiming to win her third straight girls individual title on Saturday. Carys Fennessy picked up her second medalist honor in the Division I championship with her 4-under 68, after she also had the lowest score as a freshman and finished third last year.

“It went pretty well out there, my ball striking was really good and I knew that if I had an iron or wedge in my hand, I knew I was going to be on the green inside 10 or 20 feet,” Carys Fennessy said. “My stroking was pretty good too. I got up-and-down a lot for birdies on par 5’s and I saved two pars out there.”

“She struggled a little bit with putting, these greens are tricky a bit in some spots, but she hit the ball well and ended up being the medalist for the second time,” Matt Fennessy said.

Carys Fennessy will carry a four-stroke lead into Saturday over Winnacunnet’s June Doerr after she shot even-par in a qualifier at Scottish Highlands in Salem on Sept. 30. Fennessy defeated Doerr by nine strokes in last year’s title.

“I know (Beaver Meadow) pretty well, so if I can hold my putting, my ball striking is where it needs to be,” Carys Fennessy said. “I’m pretty excited.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Exeter Dover compete in Division I state golf tourney at Canterbury