By JAY McAREE
Monitor staff

MEREDITH – There was no secret as to who the favorite was. The Bow High School golf team had been penciled in for a title since the season began, and for good reason. Bow entered Thursday with an undefeated record, riding an unparalleled 120-match win streak. The trophies? The Falcons have those, too, topping the Division III field in each of the last four championships dating back to 2012.

But golf tournaments aren’t won on paper, so with Lebanon and Derryfield creeping up in the rearview during a tight Division III championship match at Waukewan Golf Club, the Falcons did what they do best: thrived in the spotlight.

Bow’s Doug Champagne carded a 75 – the lowest score of the afternoon – on the 18-hole, par-72 course and the Falcons (321) fended off Lebanon (332) and Derryfield (335) to claim the program’s fifth straight Division III title.

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D-III #NHIAAgolf scores from today's championship, where .@bow_falcons won their fifth straight title. All details in Friday's Monitor.

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“It’s definitely been incredible,” said Champagne, who leaves the program without a single loss on his resume. “We’ve all been on the team since freshmen year and not losing a match all four years is something most teams can’t say.”

Champagne was aided in the victory by teammates Ronan Lucey and Jack Olsen, who shot 81 and 80, respectively, while Colin Plumb added the fourth and final score towards the total with an 85.

“There’s not a better feeling. Honestly, there’s nothing better,” Lucey said. “We just stayed loose because that’s the team we are, we’re loose and always having fun. ... This was the first year where we kind of really thought about losing. We were scared going into the Derryfield match because we saw them and Lebanon at the same time so we knew we could lose so there was definitely a lot of pressure.”

That pressure, though, was matched by the hard work the Falcons put in day in and day out, not only during the season and tournament play, but during key months of the offseason that’s helped shape this program into a dynasty.

“It’s hard work, they don’t just pick up the clubs and go when the season starts,” Bow Coach Mike Seraikas said shortly after the match. “As soon as the snow melts, they’re out there playing, and as soon as the tournament season opens, they’re ready. So they have a lot of drive in themselves to excel.”

Gilford (356, 4th place), Stevens (364), Pelham (380) and Kearsarge (409) rounded out the scoring in the tournament on a picture-perfect afternoon in the Lakes Region.

Gilford’s Grant Workman, who was part of a pairing that included Champagne, stuck it out through a rough start to his round before finding his groove in the middle holes. After starting 6 over through four holes, Workman rebounded with nine straight pars before capping his round off with a birdie for a 79. The Golden Eagles also received solid contributions from Hunter Wilson (91), Connor Hayes (92) and Shaun Edson (93).

“It was the worst start I’ve ever had (all) season,” Workman said. “I finally figured out what I was doing wrong and started trusting myself a little more than I had. I just needed to trust myself and trust my swing.”

As for playing with Champagne, Workman said it only helped motivate him more.

“We’ve gone back and forth the entire season so it’s always fun to play with him,” Workman said. “When he hits a shot, I do what he does and when I hit a shot, he does what I do, so it’s kind of like a competitive drive.”

The Division III cut to qualify for the individual tournament beginning Saturday at Waukewan was set at 85 and all four top scorers for Bow made the cut with an impressive team performance.

“The best way to describe it is it’s a good position to be in,” Seraikas said. “To constantly have these kids coming through, some schools get a kid for a year or two and it seems like we always have somebody waiting in the wings.”

Other notable players to make the cut were Derryfield’s Corey McGinley (82) and Colin McCaigue (80), Lebanon’s Hunter Marsh (79), Alex Bitler (85) and Kyle Pelletier (81), Stevens’ Cody Schoolcraft (85), Monadnock’s Izzy Avilez (83), Prospect Mountain’s Sam Reynolds (80) and Belmont’s Nicole Antonucci (85), who is not eligible for the individual championship.

Just missing the cut, but still playing exceptional golf were Derryfield’s Max Curtin (86) and Gunnar Senatore (87), Lebanon’s Kevin Kieman (87) and Stevens’ Ian MacDonald (87).