By Jim Lockwood
Staff Writer

Last season, Manchester West High School's golf team had many inexperienced players, which reflected in the Blue Knights. 2-28 record.

Although still a young team in '05, West is showing signs it benefited from traveling a bumpy road a year earlier.

Hooksett's Matt Breault, a sophomore on Manchester West's golf team, attempts to drain a putt on the fifth hole at Derryfield Country Club on Sept. 7. Breault's putt bent to the right at the last moment, but he finished the afternoon with a 41. West beat Goffstown, Manchester Memorial and Winnacunnet in the multi-school match. (Jim Lockwood Photo)

Bedford's Kyle Badger and head coach Don Van Uden said the team could challenge for a postseason tournament berth.

"They are going to get physically bigger and mentally tougher the more golf they play," Van Uden said. "I think they'll keep (getting) better. By the time the state (tournament) rolls around, they'll be very competitive."

In '04, the Blue Knights included seven freshman new to the pressures of the high school golf scene. Per match, the locals normally posted a team score between 215 and 220.

But this summer, several of West's athletes competed in New Hampshire junior golf tournaments, or found other ways to sharpen their individual skills.

Garrett Lofstrom of Bedford said he learned more about the sport caddying at the Manchester Country Club for players with plenty of tournament experience.

The sophomore was told improvements came with continuous practice and the desire to compete in more tournaments, he added.

The '05 edition entered this season with seven sophomores and only three seniors. West also features two freshmen - the Bedford duo of Devin Greaney and Scott Underhill.

Greaney and Underhill made instant impacts for the Blue Knights this season.

Greaney shot a 40 over nine holes, leading West to a pair of wins against Bishop Guertin of Nashua and Spaulding of Rochester on Aug. 31 at Green Meadow Golf Course in Hudson. Underhill drained a 12-foot putt for par to seal wins against Trinity of Manchester, Alvirne and Timberlane on Sept. 2, according to Lofstrom.

Through Monday, Sept. 19, the Blue Knights were victorious in 15 of their 20 matches. Through their first 12 matches, when the team was 9-3, the locals compiled team scores between 190 and 195 per match.

Several players agreed West needed to continue posting those numbers for the team to remain successful.

According to Van Uden, depth could help the team; regardless of which players are plugged into the lineup, many golfers can score under a 45.

Hosting Goffstown, Manchester Memorial and Winnacunnet at Derryfield Country Club on Sept. 7, five Blue Knights broke 40. Three others shot under 45. West scored a 196 to earn three wins, as Memorial shot a 209, Winnacunnet recorded a 211, and Goffstown registered a 219.

However, in spite of West's depth, increased experience and solid start, West's Matt Breault of Hooksett is cautiously optimistic.

"We have so many matches. It's tough to keep having good scores. Everybody's going to have bad days. That's what's going to kill us," Breault said on Sept. 7 after shooting a 41.

Breault said the mark was his worst of the season. However, the five scores that beat his 41 were four 39s and a 38.

Breault said he believes winning will be tougher by the end of the season because many teams will be fighting for playoff spots.

He added West might not have the experience to overcome the pressure associated with playing high-level golf late in the season.

The West roster includes Bedford's Badger, Greaney, Rob Litterst, Lofstrom, Zach Musgrave, Ben Sherr, Kyle Sullivan, Brett Underhill and Scott Underhill; Hooksett's Breault; plus Chris O'Brien.

"I know that in the future we're going to be a lot better," Badger said. "We've been playing as a team the last two years and we're learning how to play (Derryfield Country Club, our home course)."