Leavitt Area High School senior Jade Haylock is the second Maine golfer to win state championships in each of her four high school seasons. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

As Jade Haylock played her Class B championship round at Natanis Golf Course, there was a story unfolding. Not so much about who the Leavitt senior was trying to hold off; Haylock was already the defending champion three times over, and on her way to a seven-stroke victory. Her status as the state’s best high school player was beyond settled.

The story was about who she was chasing. And whose nearly untouchable standard set over 25 years ago she was about to reach.

When Haylock finished the championship with a 5-over 77, she became the second player in Maine history to sweep all four state championships, equaling a feat first accomplished by Abby Spector of Waterville from 1995-98. It was the wrap to a career that began in a teammate and sister’s daunting shadow, and in the process became one of the best the state has seen.

For her performance, Haylock is the Varsity Maine Girls’ Golfer of the Year, for the third straight season. It was a dominant year for the Sacred Heart commit – and, often, a wistful one.

“I did think about it a lot, especially playing with some of my good friends, just thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’ll never be playing high school golf with you again,’” she said. “At states (I was) thinking, ‘This is my last state championship, I won’t be competing against these girls anymore. I won’t be encouraging them to do their best.’”

Haylock’s career began as a freshman behind her older sister Ruby, who was going into her senior year and already had a state title and Maine Women’s Amateur championship to her name. Jade acknowledged having to show she was more than just the kid sister. With four championships, that’s a box that’s long been checked off.

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“I cannot put that into words, man,” said her coach and father, Harry Haylock. “That is certainly one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve been around. Not only golf in Maine, but especially to have her represent Leavitt and represent our family that way, it’s phenomenal. The amount of time, the amount of effort she puts into the sport, I’m happy for her. It’s been rewarded.”

The state championship was merely the cap on what was a year to remember for Jade Haylock. In July she rolled to a three-shot victory at the Women’s Am in Biddeford-Saco, posting the tournament’s only round under par on the second day. She also won the Maine Junior Championship’s girls’ division by 18 strokes, shooting 1 under over two days.

“These past two years I’ve felt the most confident ever,” she said. “I’ve taken a lot of time to go out and practice, and I just feel confident and fluid and good about my swing. When I hit the ball, I feel like I know right where it’s going to go. It’s a good feeling.”

She had to do it all under the pressure of college recruitment. Quinnipiac, Fairfield, Merrimack and Navy were among the schools that were interested, and Haylock knew an ill-timed slump could affect her hopes of playing at the NCAA Division I level.

“That’s impacted me for a long time in all my tournaments,” she said. “At times I could use it as good pressure to put on myself, but most of the time I’m just thinking, ‘Oh, no, don’t have a bad round today. You never know what will make coaches look the other way.’ ”

That pressure was gone by the time October and the state championship rolled around. Four birdies on a windy day helped Haylock get out to an early cushion, and steady play allowed her to remain comfortably in front. For the fourth straight year, she shot the lowest score of any girls’ golfer in the Class A, B and C state tournaments.

Along the way, she made sure to soak in her final event of high school competition. When she rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole, she waved to the onlookers – some of whom have been there alongside her the whole way.

“I was just thinking (at that moment) about how much I love high school golf and it was great feelings of sinking those putts and having your little crowd cheering for you,” she said. “It’s not often I can perform in front of my family. … At the end of high school comes the end of easily accessible tournaments that my family can watch.”

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