While head coach Ben Adams said his golf team was underestimated by many entering the season, the Blue Devils ultimately overwhelmed the Class L competition for their second consecutive state title on Thursday, Oct. 1, at Stonebridge Country Club in Goffstown.

Unlike last year’s dominant effort, when six SHS golfers broke 80 and the team won by 15 shots, Salem did not post eye-popping numbers, but instead used consistency from its four scoring individuals to shoot 320, beating Pinkerton Academy by three strokes.

“Adversity reveals character,” said Adams. “Those kids were champions to begin with, but they flew under the radar. There were teams picked ahead of them, but they didn’t let it bother them. They believed in themselves, perhaps even more than I did, and they felt that once you’re a champion, you can’t take that away.”

Ed Haroian led the Blue Devils while carding a 78. Jeff Cohen scored a 79, Ryan Butler added an 80, and Ryan Greenleaf managed an 83 on the 18-hole track.

Kyle Gaudette, who fired an 87, and Andrew Santo, who scored a 94, also competed for the Blue Devils.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, at the same venue, Cohen made it a clean sweep of Class L events for Salem when he came away with the individual title. Playing on a wet course, the senior trailed by four strokes during the round before coming all the way back to win by two.

“Skill-wise Jeff has the ability to play at this level – and the next,” said Adams. “He has a sense of confidence that is very healthy. Sometimes you run into the issue of a bad hole derailing the whole match. He has the ability to allow a bogey or double bogey to be what it is, and just move on to the next hole.”

The victory served as revenge for the Blue Devils, who lost only three times during the season.

Two of those losses were to Pinkerton, the other to Bishop Guertin, which finished in third place at the Class L tournament. Adams said it was the play of two of his seniors, Cohen and Haroian, that was the biggest reason for the title.

“They stood up and did what they needed to do,” said Adams. “The two of them combined are probably the quietest seniors I have ever had. They let their actions speak for them.”

Filling the shoes of the graduating seniors next year are Greenleaf and Butler, who took sixth at the individual event this year.

Salem’s mentor said he believes his team can again use its consistency for a third consecutive title run.

“(Greenleaf and Butler) are now two-time champions,” said Adams. “One time is wonderful, but two times is a tradition. While they are enjoying this moment, they understand that the expectation is for them to continue that and for us to be a high-level golf program.”