Lawrence freshman Kelsie Dessent and Madison senior Seth Sweet each have set goals for Saturday’s state individual golf championships. Given their experience, Sweet’s are a little higher.
“I want to win the overall, and I want to be the low person there,” said Sweet, who won the Class C individual title last fall.
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Schoolboy championships will be decided in Class A, B and C on the two 18-hole courses at Natanis in Vassalboro, while there will be one overall schoolgirl champion.
“I want to try and come in at least the top three,” said Dessent, who went 9-2 this season playing for the Lawrence boys team.
Sweet’s game has taken off in the past couple of years. This summer he was one of two Maine golfers to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur tournament. He recently committed to play golf for Old Dominion University, a Division I school in Norfolk, Va.
“They have a young team right now,” said Sweet, who initially will receive a half scholarship. “Once we start building that up we’ll get a lot better.”
Sweet was low man with 72 at last week’s Mountain Valley Conference qualifier played in wet and windy conditions. Saturday he expects more of the same.
“I actually like playing in the rain,” Sweet said. “I feel like it gives me a competitive edge. I like it when everyone complains about the conditions.”
Dessent began playing golf when she was 7 years old and three years ago began taking lessons from four-time schoolgirl and seven-time Maine Amateur champion Abby Spector.
“She’s been giving me lessons and showing me the basics,” said Dessent, who plays with clubs Spector owned in college.
Since Spector returned to Florida recently, Dessent has been working with Abby’s dad, Gary. She’s a member at Natanis and said iron play and driving are the strongest parts of her game.
Class A qualifiers from central Maine include Ethan Pearl of Nokomis, who was the low individual qualifier last week for the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference with 72. Also qualifying in Class A were Cony’s Zach Gagne, Erskine’s Simon Rollins, Mt. Blue’s Drew Ferarri and Messalonskee’s Justin Rollins.
Class B qualifiers include Maine Central Institute’s Gavin Dugas, Mt. View’s Erik Larrabee, Maranacook’s Luke Ruffing and Winslow’s Justin Kervin and Ryan Dutil. In addition to Sweet, Winthrop’s Tyler Foster and Taylor Morang qualified for the Class C championship. Erskine’s Ashley Chubbuck and Oak Hill’s Alexis Priest qualified for the schoolgirl tournament.
Gary Hawkins — 621-5638
ghawkins@centralmaine.com
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