Bow News : golf

Bow School welcomes golfer as artist-in-residence

Goffstown Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:21:00 GMT

BY DARRELL HALEN

When Bow Elementary School students recently learned about golf, their lessons covered much more than how to properly grip and swing a golf club.

The youths were exposed to some important values, including sportsmanship, respect and honesty.

The lessons were delivered by Jim Blalock, a golf enthusiast and life skills coach who served as this year’s artist-in-residence at the school. The artist-in-residence program is an enrichment opportunity for the students that usually exposes them to something they would not ordinarily experience.

“Their enthusiasm was wonderful,” said Blalock who spent five days visiting the school.

Blalock serves as the lead coach of The First Tee of New Hampshire, a North Hampton-based organization that positively affects young people by providing learning facilities and programs that promotes character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

Physical education teacher Regan Dowe learned about the First Tee and its life skills program when he attended a physical education teacher’s conference a few years ago.

The school’s art, music and physical education departments take turns hosting an artist-in-residence.

When it became Dowe’s turn, he chose to bring in this program.

He’s glad he did. His students, according to Dowe, loved learning from Blalock.

“It’s a great program,” said retired teacher Nonnie Hall, one of the volunteers helping in the gym during Blalock’s visit.

When Bow Elementary School students recently learned about golf, their lessons covered much more than how to properly grip and swing a golf club.

The youths were exposed to some important values, including sportsmanship, respect and honesty.

Physical education teacher Regan Dowe learned about the First Tee and its life skills program when he attended a physical education teacher’s conference a few years ago.

The school’s art, music and physical education departments take turns hosting an artist-in-residence. When it became Dowe’s turn, he chose to bring in this program.

He’s glad he did. His students, according to Dowe, loved learning from Blalock. “It’s a great program,” said retired teacher Nonnie Hall, one of the volunteers helping in the gym during Blalock’s visit.

Bow High School's solid golf season points to lower rounds, higher finish in ’09

Bow Editor — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:45:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

For the Bow golf team, 2008 was a good year. Coach Mike Seraikas said 2009 has the potential to be a great year.

“The kids worked hard, they all improved, and now we’re just looking forward to next season where we’re going to be a year older and a year more experienced,” said Seraikas, who expects to return all but one current player.

Corey Johnson is the lone senior on the Falcons. In his final varsity golf match, at the Class I championship on Thursday, Oct. 2, Johnson turned in an 18-hole 86.

Though that performance didn’t figure into the top five Bow scores, Seraikas credited his captain with keeping teammates loose throughout the season, including when the pressure was greatest.

Ryan Varney and Sam Cole led the unit at this year’s state tournament, which took place at White Mountains Country Club.

Each carded a 79 during day-one competition to make the cut for individual play. Varney finished with a 36- hole total of 160, while Cole tallied a 166.

Others contributing during team play included Jake Hughes, Bruce LaCasse, Ryan Hill, Peter Cummings and Robbie Gunnison, who notched scores of 82, 83, 84, 95 and 95, respectively.

“Some of kids played their best golf of the year at the state tournament, and I’m looking for that same improvement next season,” said Seraikas, who noted scores are down and parity reigns in Class I.

This year’s champion, Lebanon, which turned in a 376 in the finale, graduates seven players. That undoubtedly makes second-place Bedford, which has no seniors and finished eight strokes back, the odds-on favorite.

Seraikas said there’s no reason his young squad can’t compete with the likes of Bedford, Lebanon, Hanover, Hollis-Brookline and St. Thomas next season.

“I feel we can be very competitive and give Bedford a run for their money if the kids continue to work on their games,” he said. “I mean, Bedford got a 384 with all sophomores and juniors … That’s a hard score to beat, but we’re going to try.”

Bow golf team's fast start bodes well for 2008 and beyond

Bow Editor — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:20:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

They’re young. They’re raw. They might just be good enough to surprise some teams in Class I.

Come Oct. 2, when the top golf teams from around New Hampshire meet at White Mountain Country Club to compete for the state championship, Bow coach Mike Seraikas said he fully expects his squad to be in the mix, despite having just one senior.

“This is a good team with a good bunch of kids,” said Seraikas. “I’m really optimistic about this year, but what I’m really looking forward to is next year when they’re all juniors and seniors and we’re that much more experienced.”

The top six golfers, said Seraikas, are pretty well set. Ryan Varney, Jake Hughes, Ryan Hill and Peter Cummings should consistently score in the top five.

Senior captain Corey Johnson and junior Sam Cole are the two most likely candidates to fill out the top five on any given outing, added the coach. Any one of the top six, said their coach, has the talent to compete in the individual tournament. The last couple slots in the lineup are still up in the air.

“What we’ve got is a lot of kids, ninth- and 10th-graders, competing at the bottom of the order,” said Seraikas. “I’m looking for one or two of them to break away from the pack and fill in our No. 7 and No. 8 spots.”

That list includes Bruce LaCasse, Gerald Kuenning, Connor Whalley and Ryan Meaney.

Seraikas said he takes winning seriously but likes to have fun, too, an attitude that clearly rubs off on his golfers. The formula seems to be working.

Through two outings, Bow is 6-0. After demolishing Portsmouth, Laconia and Con-Val, 202 to 215, 229 and 236, respectively, on Sept. 2, the Falcons edged Kearsarge, 208 to 209, and trumped Pelham and Pembroke, which carded 214 and 250, respectively, on Thursday, Sept. 4.

Falcons finish seventh

Bow Editor — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:23:00 GMT

On Thursday, Oct. 4, the boys of Bow High golf took the course at Beaver Meadow in Concord for this year’s Class I championship tournament. Entering the tournament ranked seventh, with an 18-7 record, the Falcons placed seventh overall, shooting 421 as a team.

The match included the top-20 teams in Class I, with the top-10 teams allowed eight golfers and the top five scores accounting for the final team score.

Squads 11 through 20 brought two golfers to compete for the chance to advance to the individual tournament. The top 24 golfers, including ties, moved to the individual championship on Saturday, Oct. 6.

Matt Lennon led the Falcons with a 79; James Fellows and Ryan Varney each shot an 84; Bret Borbidge and Dan Achorn both carded 87s; Sam Cole shot a 92; and Andrew Knight finished with a 93.

Closing argument – Bow’s postseason chances lie with play on back nine

Bow Editor — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 22:44:00 GMT

BY RYAN O'CONNOR

The 2007 Bow Falcons golf team is a loose bunch, with one eye on the postseason prize and the other on a nearby teammate who’s joking around.

“We take it seriously, but we try to enjoy ourselves,” said head coach Mike Seraikas, who last year watched his team finish on the outside looking in at the season-ending Class I championship tournament, the first time that’s happened in his nine-year tenure.

The Falcons finished this season at 18-7 after splitting the final regular-season match on Friday, Sept. 28, at Overlook Country Club in Hollis. They defeated Pelham, 206-211, but lost to host Hollis-Brookline, which shot 194.

As was the case most of the year, senior Matt Lennon led the Falcons in scoring with a 39.

Lennon, a four-year letterman, has medaled three times this season, including a 34 against Hanover at Claremont on Sept. 19.

“Last year, Matt’s problem was closing,” said Seraikas. “This year, he’s really overcome that. He’s really become a strong player who takes this game very seriously.”

Lennon attributed his recent success to plenty of practice and repetition during the summer.

In addition to his ace, Seraikas said Bow’s other three top golfers give the squad a chance to compete with anyone in the state.

Seniors James Fellows and Brett Borbidge have been consistent all season, as has sophomore Sam Cole, said the coach.

Seniors Dan Achorn and Andrew Knight, sophomores Jake Hughes and Ryan Varney, and freshman Peter Cummings round out the Falcons top nine, and while less consistent than his fearsome foursome, Seraikas said each is capable of putting up a top score on any day and course.

Also representing the Falcons this season are seniors Jack Mulvaney, Jonathan Parker, Matt Raffio, James Richards and Marc Simpson; juniors Corey Johnson and Joseph Pelton; sophomores Gerald Kuenning, Ryan Varney and Connor Whalley; and freshman Ryan Meaney.

Now, Seraikas and the Falcons head to the Class I tournament at Beaver Meadow Golf Course in Concord beginning Thursday, Oct. 4.

“My goal is to come in the top five, but I think we have a shot (to win the tournament),” he said. “You play the whole season to get there, and once you’re there, the regular season has no bearing. So it all comes down to next Thursday and what the kids can do.”

The challenge, according to Seraikas, will be how his student-athletes respond to playing 18 competitive holes instead of a standard nine-hole regular-season match.

“A lot of kids I’ve seen in the past will go out there and have a great 13 holes, then their proverbial wheels fall off. So it should be interesting to see how these kids hold their concentration,” he said.