Dexter, ‘Jammers earn state crowns Camden Hills finally conquers Class B

VASSALBORO – For one team’s members, it was the realization of a three-year goal. For another, it was a totally unexpected end to a season they weren’t even sure would happen.

“It” was a Maine State Team Golf Championship and “they” were the teams from Camden Hills and Dexter, which walked off the green grass of Natanis Golf Course with the Class B and C titles, respectively, on a bright, balmy, beautiful fall Saturday.

Camden edged Falmouth by a single stroke, 319 to 320, to claim its first-ever outright state championship and its first B title since 1994, when it shared the crown with Windham.

Thornton Academy fired a 307 to win the Class A title at Lakewood Golf Club in Madison. Bangor was fourth with a 334 while Brewer shot 339 and finished seventh.

“I don’t even know how to express it,” said lone Camden senior Grant Lippman. “It’s just as big as the basketball championship we won last year. It’s incredible. I didn’t even dream of doing something like this.”

It’s the culmination of a rebirth for the golf program, which has gone 27-0 in regular season matches the last three years.

“Last year we were undefeated, won the KVAC [Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference], and then kind of blew up in states and tied for seventh,” said Camden-Rockport alumnus and coach Chris Christie. “This year was the same, exact thing, except for the way we played today.”

And that was outstanding, thanks to five-over-par 77’s from Lippman and Casey Crabtree, an 82 out of Joey Povec, 83 by Brady Butler, and a self-described “blow-up” score of 89 from Dan Dalfonso.

“We had nothing to prove to ourselves because we all knew we could play well,” said Lippman. “It’s just experience, and that’s what made the difference today. We had a different mindset.”

The trophy presentation to the Windjammers preceded a dip in Natanis’ frog pond by Christie. It was something he promised the team he’d take if they came away with a title.

“I hope it’s the first of many,” said a dirty, drenched, but delighted Christie. “This is my fourth year and last year was the first year we’d qualified for states in seven or eight seasons.”

Tigers coach Gary Reese didn’t take a celebratory swim, but he was no less thrilled by his team’s performance as Dexter won its first-ever state golf title.

“This is my seventh state championship, but this is my best,” said Reese, who won three A and three B titles in 23 seasons as coach at Greely. “We only had eight kids on the team and two of them were beginners, so there was no depth.”

But there was talent, although how much may never have been known had Reese not decided to come out of retirement and take over the team after longtime coach Martha White retired.

“I just didn’t want to see the program die since I’m club pro up there [Dexter Municipal],” he added. “This is great. Maybe it’ll get more kids out playing.”

Having a gleaming state championship trophy in the school case shouldn’t hurt.

“I think it’s gonna help us out a lot,” said sophomore Brett Towle. “I’ll tell you one thing. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Gary. Whenever he had free time from the pro shop, he was out there helping us.”

Towle is one of the solid five who Reese calls mainstays for the Tigers, who went 5-4 in a Class A- and B-dominated regular season schedule. Dexter showed it was better than its record with a runnerup finish in the Penobscot Valley Conference championships and a score of 160 in their last match.

“Coming into PVC’s, we didn’t really expect to go to states, but we all pulled together and made it here,” said senior Travis Hall. “I don’t think anybody was thinking we were really gonna win it today.”

Well, one person did.

“About the 18th hole – That’s where I started believing we had a shot at this,” said sophomore Skye Dillon. “I mean, this whole season’s been up and down.”

The Tigers won by four strokes over pre-match favorite North Yarmouth Academy with a score of 334. Freshman Matt Murray led the way with 80 followed by Dillon at 82; Hall (85); senior Bill Worley, who rebounded from a 102 on a cold, rainy, windy day at PVCs for an 86 Saturday; and Towle (91).

“I’m pretty surprised because in my four years of high school, we never made it past PVCs before now and I didn’t think we were even gonna have a team this year,” Worley said. “Then, coming out and doing this? Geez, it’s just incredible!”