VASSALBORO — After losing heartbreakers the last couple of seasons, St. Dom’s wanted to return the favor to it’s northern Maine rivals at the Class C state golf championships Monday.

That the Saints did so emphatically made the victory that much sweeter.

Anthony Fagone led the charge with an 80 at a wind-swept Natanis Golf Course and four other Saints folders came in at 87 or better as St. Dom’s reclaimed the Class C crown by 28 strokes over a surprising Fort Fairfield.

“It was really windy and the greens were a lot harder and faster than when we played them in practice rounds here,” Fagone said. “It was reassuring to see that at the end of the day, all of our time spent practicing had paid off.”

St. Dom’s lost to Houlton by a single shot last year, and by two the year before. This year, things were nip and tuck again for most of the day.

Until the final six holes.

“We saw the guys from Fort Fairfield having great rounds,” St. Dom’s coach Kevin Cullen said. “It really was tight for a while. But then Danny Nadeau played his final seven holes under par, Joe Bryant came in even par on his last six holes and Zack DeBlois played his last six at even. That’s where we pulled away.”

Two weeks ago, the Saints played a practice round at Natanis. They combined to shoot a 318. Last week they returned, and fired a 314. Their winning score of 327 was well off that pace, largely due to the firmer-than-normal conditions.

“Today, the guys had to play more of a bump-and-run game,” Cullen said. “It took a while for them to adjust to it, which is why I think you saw the scoring the way you did.”

Fagone credited his teammates’ play on the course’s front nine for the team’s ability to remain in the match and ultimately take home the victory.

“A lot of us played well on the front side,” Fagone said. “One through five were definitely where we had to score, and we did that.”

Bryant was right behind Fagone with an 81, DeBlois carded an 82 and Nadeau and 84 to complete the scoring for St. Dom’s, and Cody Rodrigue just missed factoring in the team score with an 87.

In the Class A matches, Oxford Hills placed 10th out of 12 teams with a four-golfer score of 372. Freshman Cam Letourneau led the Vikings with an 83, nine strokes behind the day’s low medalist.