Brunswick’s Will Farschon says of playing at the High School Golf National Invitational: “It’s going to be a great test. This has been our goal for the past two years; we’ve been working really hard trying to make it to nationals.” Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
The Class A championship was the biggest goal for the Brunswick High golf team last fall. But a state title wasn’t the only thing the Dragons were chasing.
The players on the team knew that the team with the best score at the state championships would be eligible to play in the High School Golf National Invitational. So when states rolled around, they knew there was something even more to play for.
“It was the main reason we pushed so hard to try to win a title,” said Austin Stromick, a senior last fall. “We all knew about this tournament. We all wanted to play in it.”
They’ll be able to, as winning the Class A championship in October set up the Dragons with a spot in the national invitational, scheduled for July 17-19 at the PGA headquarters in Frisco, Texas. Brunswick qualified because its winning score of 308 was better than that of Leavitt and Maranacook, which shot 330 and 334 to win the Class B and C titles, respectively.
“It’s going to be a great test,” said Will Farschon, a rising junior. “This has been our goal for the past two years; we’ve been working really hard trying to make it to nationals. Obviously it didn’t work out the first year, but we got it done last year.”
Brunswick will be the latest Maine team to play in the four-year old event, after Yarmouth went last summer and Freeport went in 2021. Stromick, Farschon, Garrett Countway, Charlie Austin, Brayden Grant and Ayden Marini will represent the Dragons. Individual champions are also eligible, so Class A champion Marc Twombly of Scarborough and Class C champ Owen Moore of Maine Central Institute will play. Freeport’s Eli Spaulding, who won Class B, is eligible but will instead be playing in the New England Amateur at The Woodlands in Falmouth on July 18-20.
Brunswick will play the three-day tournament on the Fields Ranch East and West courses, with the final day being played at The Tribute Golf Links. The Dragons will be the first Maine team to play on the new Fields Ranch courses.
“This should be a great experience for them,” said Coach Mike Routhier. “From an individual standpoint, (they get to) see where they stack up. As I always say, there’s golf beyond the green bridge. There’s a lot of good players across the nation. It’ll be good for them to see what’s out there. Some of them have aspirations to play some type of college golf.”
Maine hasn’t stood out in the tournament’s brief history. Last year, Yarmouth was 43rd out of 53 teams. The year before, Freeport finished 36th of 46 teams.
The Dragons aren’t expecting to beat the teams from year-round golf states. But they’re hoping to hold their own.
“I think we can be in the top third somewhere,” Routhier said. “I think we’re going to be right in there. Are we going to be a top team? I wouldn’t say that. … But I think we can put up a good showing and put some good, respectable scores up.”
Stromick said he’s looking forward to teeing it up with the best high school players in the country.
“I’ve always played my best golf when I’ve played with better players. It makes you have to raise your game. We’re all going to benefit off of that,” he said. “Our guys are definitely capable of going low. If we have a good week, I think we can definitely contend.”
Provided they can handle the course – and the heat. Temperatures are forecasted in the upper 90s during the tournament in Frisco.
“It’ll definitely be a big key, just staying hydrated and making sure we stay cool,” said Stromick, a former Florida resident. “It’s tough. Your hands get sweaty, it can definitely affect your game.”
It’ll be an experience, however, that can only help a Dragons team that will return all but Stromick this fall.
“It’ll be a good way for them to take that experience and see if they can inject that into this coming fall,” Routhier said. “It’s exciting for them, a new experience, and not something just any team gets an invite for.”
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