VASSALBORO – For two weeks, Toby Spector has been fighting his emotions.
Living a veritable nightmare, he has continued to play solid golf for Waterville High School with his sister – women’s amateur standout Abby Spector – in the intesive care unit at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
On Saturday, the senior channeled that emotion and blew away the field at the Maine State Schoolboy Invitational at Natanis.
Paced by an eagle and a string of four consecutive birdies on his back nine, Spector fired a 6-under-par 66 to win the Class A title, besting Chris Wilson of Brewer and Joe Elwell of Morse, who both shot 70.
“I tried not to let it get to me too much,” said Spector. “Obviously, when she told me to go out there and win it, I wanted to for her, but I didn’t want to press too hard. The putts just fell for me today.”
After a string of pars, Spector broke through on his first par 5, landing a 220-yard 3-iron 15 feet from the hole and sinking the putt for eagle.
“Once I got one I knew I was all set,” said Spector. “I can usualy hold myself under par if I get there. I was just happy to get that first one.”
After his only bogey of the day, a bizarre three-putt on his 10th hole, Spector ran into more trouble on the second hole, his 12th.
“I hit the first shot right, and my second I knew I had to get high into the air,” said Spector. “I ended up hitting a tree and bouncing 90 degrees to the left, but into the fairway.”
Spector stiffed his next shot and made the putt to save par. On the ensuing four holes, everything on the green went into the hole.
The 66 ties his low round at Natanis, which is also his home course.
Locally, Danny Cloutier of Lewiston fired a 78 to finish 12th, while Jake Girardin of Lewiston and Adam Platz of Edward Little both shot an 85. Joe Naker of Oxford Hills carded an 86.
Class B and C
Will Robinson, by his own estimation, could have gone lower.
“I burned a lot of edges on a lot of holes,” said the Greely junior. “I could have gone lower.”
He didn’t need to.
With three birdies and two bogeys, Robinson fired a 1-under-par 71 to claim the Class B title at Natanis.
The clinching putt came on the 15th hole. Faced with a 30-foot downhill putt for birdie, Robinson sank the putt to go one-under. He finished one stroke ahead of Marcus Mafucci of MDI. Adam Duplisea of Hermon, last year’s champion, finished tied for third with a 74 with Logan Gerrity of Maranacook.
In Class C, Matt Altvater of Shead took home top honors with a 77. Four golfers, including David Busch of Buckfield, Matt Murray of Dexter, Skye Dillon of Dexter, and James Anderson of Georges Valley, tied for second place with 78.
“I’d been here for four years,” said Altvater. “Last year I shot an 82 and last week at states it was an 88. I’m just glad I was able to come out and improve.”
He almost didn’t survive, but managed two birdies and a par in the final three holes.
In the schoolgirl championship, Shannon Mitchell of Brunswick and Whitney Hand of Bucksport tied for first place with an 85, followed by Alicia Ramsdell of Wells with a 91 and Alicia Bonaccosio of Brunswick with a 94.
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