Viking golfers look to surprise at PVCs

14 years ago

By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter

CARIBOU – The Viking golf team heads into Thursday’s Penobscot Valley Conference championship match at Jato Highlands Golf Club in Lincoln hoping to qualify as a team for the Class B state tournament to be held at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro Oct. 9.

sp-golf-dc1-ar-36Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
Watching his tee shot from the first tee of the Houlton Community Golf Course is Caribou’s Ben Wyman during a recent match. Wyman, a junior, holds a 41.5 scoring average for the Vikings, who will compete for the PVC title Thursday in Lincoln.

Coach Shawn Savage is also hoping at least three of his golfers can shoot scores low enough to make it to the individual state tourney Oct. 16, also to be played at Natanis.

Those are high hopes for a team that has won just two of eight matches during regular season play, but Savage likes the way his team has come together and feels the Vikings will battle as they have all season.

“I’m impressed with our team’s competitiveness,” he said. “We have no seniors, but our kids still hit the course convinced they can win. I admire the way they get along on and off the course. They communicate well with each other and express a genuine sense of interest in each other’s game.”

Caleb Chapman, a junior, competed in last year’s state tourney as an individual and serves as the team leader. He carries a scoring average of 44 and possesses a true golfer’s mentality, according to Savage. “He never gets over-excited or rattled,” the coach said.

Classmates Ben Wyman and Matt Kamm have also had solid seasons, averaging 41.5 and 42.8, respectively. Wyman worked hard on his game in the summer and his scores are proof, said Savage, while Kamm is the “ultimate grinder, just fighting his way around the course,” while always posting scores between 40 and 45.

Reggie Rideout, another junior, averages 50.8 strokes per nine holes and his younger brother, sophomore Cory (53.3), has come on late with recent scores of 49 and 47 and is the team’s most improved golfer after shooting in the 60s for most of last season.

Junior Derek Dufour (55.8) and freshmen Michael Boone (55.4) and Connor Thibeault (62.4) have all worked hard at their game, according to Savage.

Savage added that Chapman and Boone are rarities in that both compete on other fall athletic teams at CHS, Chapman in cross country and Boone in soccer.

sp-golf-dc3-ar-36Staff photo/Joseph Cyr
Driving the ball on his tee shot is Viking Derek Dufour during a recent varsity competition. Dufour and his Caribou teammates held a 2-6 record entering play this week.