NHIAA boys golf championship: Exeter's Johnston places second in consecutive years

CONCORD – After winning the 2021 Division I boys individual golf championship as a freshman, Exeter High School’s Jascha Johnston lost his five-stroke lead and his hopes of a repeat during the second day of last year's tournament.

Johnston once again held a lead heading into this year’s second day, a slim one-shot margin over Concord’s Gavin Richardson.

More: Dover's Fennessy holds off Winnacunnet's Doerr, wins state individual girls golf title

Johnston shot an even-par 72 in Saturday's windy and cool conditions at Beaver Meadow Golf Club, but Richardson shot a 4-under-par 68 to win the championship by three strokes on his home course.

“Gavin had a great day shooting a 4-under 68 and finishing 5-under par for two days,” Johnston said. “Two-under for me for two days is the best I’ve ever done for a tournament. Especially since it's the state tournament, I really can’t be mad about much.”

Johnston shot his 2-under par during Tuesday’s team portion of the tournament at Canterbury Woods Country Club and finished the tournament at 2-under. Richardson finished 5-under after shooting 1-under in Concord’s team championship win on Tuesday.

Hanover’s Andrew Cahoon and Concord’s David Bourgeois tied for third at 10-over.

“Wedges were a struggle today and my approach; I couldn’t hit it really close,” Johnston said. “(Richardson) was electric with the putter and he made everything. That’s what separated me from him.”

Richardson takes control after rough start

Johnston took a 3-stroke lead early after Richardson bogeyed the first two holes. After both birdied the fourth hole, Richardson gained a stroke after Johnston bogeyed the fifth. Richardson then evened the dual heading into the back nine following back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes.

Richardson carried that momentum into the 10th hole and changed the whole complexion of the round when he eagled the massive par-5, 588-yard hole and took a 1-stroke lead.

“Hitting his second shot to within two feet on a par-5 was unbelievable and making that for eagle was like ‘wow’,” Johnston said. “He just hit some great shots.”

After bogeying the 13th, Johnston faced a three-shot deficit with five holes remaining. Both parred the next four holes before each walked off the course with birdies on the 18th.

“Once he got that 1-shot lead on me I knew I had to go out and be aggressive, but playing aggressive on the back wasn’t too good for me,” Johnston said. “I tried to play more aggressively, but it didn’t happen.”

Johnston aims for book-end championships

Three years, one championship and two second-place finishes looks pretty good on Johnston’s resume.

But the goal now has already shifted to finishing his high school golf story with a championship as a senior the same way he did as freshman, with two second-place finishes in between.

“I’m thinking the last two years have been a struggle on the back side and I didn’t finish that strong and freshman year I finished strong going 1-under,” Johnston said. “I’m feeling like I want to finish stronger than I ever have next year. That’s what I want to do.”

Dover's Dumais places eighth

Last year, Dover senior Jon Dumais came into the final day of the tournament as the 16th seed and proceeded to shoot the low score of the day for a remarkable third-place finish. Dumais didn’t have to fight to get to third place this year, as that’s where he stood after firing a 1-over par on Tuesday.

Dumais’ fortunes were reversed on Saturday, shooting a 12-over-par 84 to finish overall at 13-over and placed eighth.

“The biggest struggle is that I didn’t putt well, there were a lot of three-putts and I couldn’t make anything outside 6 feet,” Dumais said. “On a positive note, I thought I hit a lot of good shots, but the putting wasn’t there.”

Dover coach Matt Fennessy has loved everything Dumais has brought to his program and is excited to see how his golf future unfolds.

“I think he is just scratching the surface of the player he can become,” Fennessy said. “Wherever he decides to go to college, I think the college is going to be surprised at what a good player they’re getting.”

Locals represented in Division II and IV

Winnacunnet’s Jimmy Schouller, along with Portsmouth’s Shea Harrison and Grey Gagnon finished in a third-place tie in the Division II tournament at 11-over par. Merrimack Valley’s Andrew Suprenant, who shot an even par, won the title.

Portsmouth’s Turner Leduc placed ninth at 14-over par and he was followed by Oyster River’s Myles O’Quinn (10th, 15-over), Portsmouth’s Briggs Williams, (14th, 21-over) and St. Thomas Aquinas’ Cam Cunio (15th, 23-over).

In Division IV, Somersworth’s Cam Brown finished 12th at 30-over. Mascenic’s Josiah Hakala won the tournament by 23 strokes with a 6-under par.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Boys golf Exeter Johnston places second to Concord Gavin Richardson