RallyNorth.net

It was a great day for golf at Hanover Country Club on Thursday afternoon. Ten teams competed for the Division I title that was ultimately won by Bedford. 

Pinkerton placed seventh with a 422, while Londonderry placed ninth with a 441.

Last year at Campbell’s Scottish Highlands, Lauren Thibodeau was the hotshot freshman who upset the defending champion to win the New Hampshire girls golf state title. Saturday, the now super sophomore for Pinkerton Academy, repeated at Campbell’s Scottish Highlands. If you were looking for drama yesterday, Thibodeau was having none of it. She shot a five-over 76 to win going away. Runner-up Sara Feith, a senior at St. Thomas, shot an 84. Erin DelloRusso, another Pinkerton sophomore, took fifth in the 12-player field with a 91. With tough weather and little competition, she wasn’t going to top last year’s record-setting 1-under 70, but she came through like a champ, nonetheless. Thibodeau carded three birdies, eight pars, six bogies and one double-bogey. “It means a lot to me,” said the 15-year-old from Hampstead. “Looking at the trophy and all the names. Some really good players have won it.” “There is not much to say,” began Astros coach Jeff Sojka, “she just went out and played her game under tough conditions: high 40s (temperature), high wind and rain. That’s something no golfer wants to face.” Thibodeau called it, “Surival of the fittest.” Darwin would have been proud of Thibodeau, who deftly survived the challenging conditions. Thibodeau has been on fire with a 4-under 32 last week in practice at Hoodkroft then another 4-under 32 Friday in a match back at Hoodkroft. “I don’t think I’ve ever shot a 32 before,” said the 5-foot-2 Thibodeau, the first repeat winner since Lebanon’s Colette Schmidt in 2010 and 2011. “That’s my best 9-hole score by far.” So everything was pointing to a positive outcome. Until Friday night. Taking her clubs out of the car, she snapped her driver. “I heard a huge snap and thought, ‘Oh, no!’” said Thibodeau, who is hearing from Division 1 colleges like the University of Central Florida and the University of Southern Florida. “Luckily, I had a replacement. ... I had to adjust a little.” Thibodeau knows a little about adjusting. In the spring she switched from putting righty to lefty. She still drives right-handed. Sojka wasn’t overly concerned about the broken driver. “She said, ‘Coach, I’ll make it work,’” recalled the rookie head coach. In the 23-year history of the New Hampshire girls championship, nobody has won it four times. With Thibodeau’s game, nobody is betting against her. As for streaks, she’s the five-time defending New Hampshire Junior Girls (17 and under) champion. NHIAA Girls Championship at Campbell’s Scottish Highlands (par 71) Results (12 golfers): 1. Lauren Thibodeau (Pink) 39-37—76, 2. Sara Feith (St. Thomas) 44-40—84, 3. Hannah Drew (Keene) 44—43-87; also 6. Erin DelloRusso (Pink) 49-42—91

Pinkerton and Winnacunnet both shot 202 but the Astros won the tie-breaker to sweep the tri-meet. Lauren Thibodeau placed second with a 37.

Led by a 36 by Marshall Halpin and a 37 for Lauren Thibodeau, Pinkerton opened its season by taking first in a tri-meet with 194 points, downing Nashua South (227) and Salem (238).