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The Presque Isle golf team has had several wins this season – the Wildcats are in fact undefeated – but only one of those victories has prompted the PI team to celebrate at the local Pizza Hut afterwards.
That’s just what the ‘Cats did after beating Bangor, the defending Class A state champion, last week at the Presque Isle Country Club.
It was the biggest victory this season for a young but deep squad that finished fifth at the 2003 Class B state championships. Presque Isle has 20 on the team – which prompted the school to officially hire longtime volunteer assistant coach Bill Campbell – and just three seniors, none of whom regularly score for the Wildcats.
Head coach Richard Sirois attributes his team’s 9-0 start – including the Bangor win, which he called the most important for the program in several years, and a win over Class A Brewer Monday – to his club’s depth.
“We have a lot of kids that are fairly good golfers and two or three that are exceptional,” said Sirois, who is in his fifth year. “That allows us to falter at one position occasionally and still maintain a low score.”
The Wildcats carded a 154 versus the Rams’ 165 at the par-36 Presque Isle Country Club. Chris Coffin, PI’s top golfer, scored a 35 followed by Mike Hersey’s 38, Brad Young’s 40 and Spencer Deschene’s and Doug Cyr’s 41.
“I’ve got up to nine kids who can come in at 6-over or below,” Sirois said. “In high school golf that’s very good.”
Coffin, a junior, averages one stroke over par. Young, also a junior, and sophomore Hersey usually score two or three strokes over par. All three were Aroostook County all-stars last year.
“Michael’s short game is his strength,” Sirois said. “Brad has a very good long game and Chris’ major strength is his temperament.”
The Wildcats now have their eyes on the qualifying match for the Class B state meet. The match will be held Oct. 1 at JaTo Highlands in Lincoln.
Teams advance to states by qualifying through a league match. Presque Isle was the top qualifier in the Penobscot Valley Conference Class B tourney last year.
“We know we have a really good chance to win with the team we have,” Coffin said. “A lot of the teams that did well last year had a lot of seniors but we’re still developing.”
States are Oct. 9 at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.
“I think we have a really good chance of going far at states,” Young said. “We’ve played that course two years in a row so we know what to expect.”
Sirois attributes the team’s recent growth to Campbell, who had been a volunteer coach for three years, and PICC golf pro Barry Madore, who works with several of the high school golfers during summers.
“People wonder why the success has grown, and it’s because Bill is here,” Sirois said. “There are 20 kids and we can both work with them. The team has really grown because now, hey, it’s cool to golf. It’s not always about soccer.”
Higgins nearing 400th win
If the Ellsworth High boys soccer team beats Bucksport Tuesday night, it’ll be a milestone victory for longtime Eagles coach Brian Higgins.
He’s in line for his 400th win.
The teams play at 6 p.m. at Ellsworth’s Del Luce Stadium.
Higgins, who is in his 31st season coaching the Ellsworth boys, led the Eagles to Class B state titles in 1985, 1988, 1989 (co-champion with Falmouth) and 1993. Ellsworth also won Eastern Maine titles in 1986, 1987, 1996 and 1999.
If the Eagles prevail there will be a ceremony after the game.
Skowhegan hires Cowan
Heath Cowan will be coaching basketball in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference again next year, but it won’t be with the same team he’s coached for the past three seasons.
Cowan, who has coached the Gardiner girls for the past three years, has been named the new girls coach at Skowhegan. He replaces Paul True, who resigned this summer and took the varsity girls basketball coaching position at Lake Region in Naples.
Cowan took over the Gardiner girls for the 2001-02 season. The Tigers went 5-13 that winter, but emerged with a 13-5 mark in 2002-03 and 2003-04.
The Indians are also one of the top Eastern Maine Class A teams, making it all the way to the regional final under True. Skowhegan lost to Cony of Augusta but return junior guard Nicole Paradis and sophomore guard Bethany Sevey, who were both all-tournament players last year.
Cowan, a 1990 Madison High graduate, has also coached varsity golf and girls basketball at his alma mater. He was the varsity baseball coach at Carrabec High in North Anson.
Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.
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