Logan Thompson had every intention of finishing his decorated high school golf career with a fourth straight individual Class C championship.
But even he couldn’t have written the script for how it happened.
With nine holes to play, Thompson, a senior at Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, was being pressured by Mitchell Tarrio of Kents Hill.
“He actually beat me a couple of times this summer so I knew what I was up against,” Thompson said.
Over Thompson’s final nine holes of high school golf, played on the front nine at Natanis’ Arrowhead course, Thompson made three eagles. The first came on the par-5 fourth hole. Then he chipped in for an eagle 2 on the par-4 sixth. Finally he drove the green on the par-4 ninth and rolled in a 15-footer to cap his 6-under 66, becoming the first boy to win four Maine individual titles.
“I couldn’t have drawn it up any better,” Thompson said. “The last nine holes went picture perfect.”
For the second straight year, Thompson is the Maine Sunday Telegram’s Boys’ Golfer of the Year. It’s no small feat considering the strong overall play this season by co-Class A champions Cole Anderson of Camden Hills and Anthony Burnham of Scarborough.
Thompson is a three-sport athlete. He’ll play his fourth year of varsity basketball this winter and intends to play baseball again in the spring.
But golf is his primary sport. This past summer he sought out-of-state opportunities.
“I got to play in a lot of really competitive events with a lot of really good players and it showed me that I could compete with that level, and I had a little more confidence in those big moments that I could get the job done,” Thompson said.
He was runner-up to Anderson at the two-day New England Junior PGA Championship. That qualified Thompson for one of the 144 spots in the 42nd Junior PGA Championship in St. Albans, Missouri.
Thompson didn’t make the cut but “it was really good to experience the whole thing. It felt like a major PGA event,” he said.
Thompson has been accepted at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, South Carolina, and Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
“I’m definitely going to play college golf and see how far I can improve,” Thompson said.
Methodist has won 11 Division III championships and boasts a well-respected PGA Golf Management Program. Thompson said he’s still “weighing other options,” but admits that Methodist’s combination of competitive golf and a golf-centered academic program is appealing.
“Even if I don’t make it competitively, I could still be involved in the game I love one way or another,” he said.
ALL-STATE TEAM
Cole Anderson, Camden Hills junior: Anderson earned a share of his third straight Class A title with a 2-under 70 on the Tomahawk course at Natanis. A three-time Telegram All-State pick, Anderson verbally has committed to play at Florida State.
Anthony Burnham, Scarborough junior: A returning All-State pick, Burnham was a strong No. 1 all season for the Class A champion, averaging 37.9 for nine holes. His even-par 72 in the team competition tied for medalist honors and he shared the Class A individual title with Anderson.
Elizabeth Lacognata, Scarborough senior: The Red Storm’s No. 2 player averaged 39.2 in team play. She shot a 2-over 74 to help Scarborough win the Class A championship, then won the girls’ individual title with a 2-under 70.
Jordan Laplume, Thornton Academy senior: Thornton’s No. 1 player averaged 38.0 during the season and was the runner-up in the girls’ individual tournament with a 1-over 73.
Austin Legge, Cape Elizabeth junior: After helping Cape win its second Class B title in three seasons, Legge won the Class B individual title by three strokes with a 2-under 70.
Conner MacDonald, Cheverus senior: The Stags’ No. 3 player was consistent with a 38.7 scoring average. His co-medalist even-par 72 led the Stags to second in Class A.
Caleb Manuel, Mt. Ararat sophomore: A returning All-State player, Manuel tied for Class A medalist honors in the team competition and finished fifth in the individual tournament.
Armand Ouellette, Thornton Academy sophomore: Thornton’s No. 3, Ouellette averaged a team-low 37.5 and had just two holes worse than bogey the entire season. His team-best 75 helped Thornton place third in Class A and he was fourth individually with a 1-over 73.
Lucas Roop, Gorham senior: A returning All-State player, Gorham’s No. 1 golfer shot a 72 to finish third at the Class A individual tournament.
Logan Thompson, Mattanawcook Academy senior: Thompson, the Boys’ Golfer of the Year, won his fourth Class C title with a 6-under 66. He also led the Lynx to their third straight team championship.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mike Murphy, Scarborough: Under Murphy’s tutelage, the Red Storm developed team depth and posted an exceptional 305 for their four scoring rounds – with none of the five players shooting worse than 80 – to edge Cheverus by three strokes for the Class A title.
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