Courtesy photo Nashua North's Bryce Zimmerman hopes to be able to keep this Division I individual title trophy this fall, and help the Titans earn a team one as well.

What’s new in high school golf?

On the surface, it doesn’t seem like much as Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Exeter, Pinkerton, Keene, and Hanover have all been mentioned by some coaches as the contenders for the Division I title this fall.

But there was another team: Nashua North.

“My surprise sleeper team is North,” Nashua High School South coach Steve Lane said, “led by DI individual champ returnee Bryce Zimmerman.”

And there you go. Zimmerman’s presence gives everyone a reason to consider the Titans. He came on the scene as a freshman in 2017 and surprised everyone by finishing second in the Division I individual tourney.

Since then, he’s become a fixture in local golf circles.

“Bryce is a highly competitive golfer,” said North coach Scott Anderson, who has four other starters back. “After finishing runner-up as a freshman it was his goal to win as sophomore. Now it’s his turn to try to defend.”

To do that, Zimmerman will likely make even more improving strides.

“Coming into this year I see that he is a bit stronger and is definitely driving the ball much further than last year,” Anderson said. “If he maintains his short game he is again going to be one of the top players. He’s put in a lot of time during the summer and it looks like it really has paid off.”

Locally, Bishop Guertin looks to get back to contention after a tough 2018, while Lane has a young team at South. Alvirne actually had the highest local Division I finish last year but longtime coach Bob Lind retired, giving way to Sy Tebbetts. Merrimack, which has struggled of late, has a new coach in Ryan Farnsworth and several returning players.

In Division II, Hollis Brookline has a new coach as Shaun Hastings has moved over from Campbell. Souhegan hopes to build on last year’s fifth place Divsion II finish but the Sabers’ top three scorers graduated.

And, once again, Divisions II, III and IV will use the Stabelford System until the state tournament. Players get four points for an eagle, three for a birdie, two for par and one for a bogey, with the top five point getters in Division II matches used for team score, and the top four in the other two Divisions.

“It seemed to encourage the game of golf to the less talented,” said Milford coach Bill Soubosky, who had only six players last year for a one-win season but is up to eight this year.

Note: Repeated attempts to contact the Campbell athletic department, which is in transition, for golf information were unsuccessful.

Here’s a capsule look:

DIVISION I

ALVIRNE

COACH: Sy Tebbetts (first year)

LAST SEASON: 11-10, ninth in Division I state tournament.

RETURNING PlAYERS: Anthony DeRosa, sr.; Bret Mckinley, sr.; Colby Dillon, sr. Jackson DeWitt, sr.; Michael Downling, sr.

PROMINSING NEWCOMERS: Noah LeClair, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “It was clear the group was in good hands prior to my being here,” Tebbetts said. “The future is bright but it’s a tough division. … We’ll have to work hard to make our presence felt.”

BISHOP GUERTIN

COACH: Paul Rousseau (18th year)

LAST SEASON: 6-14, did not qualify for state tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Jack Fitzgerald, sr.; Aaron Pratt, sr. ; William Scanlon, sr.; Ryan Horgan, jr.; Luke Mutty, jr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Brett Daniel, sr.; Nicolas Ayotte, sr.; Victor Palazzolo, sr.; Constantine Liakos, so. ; Max Riordan,so.; Tyler Manning, fr.; Connor Bouvier, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We have a nice group of returning players along with a good group of decent new players,” Rousseau said. “Our goal is to make the state tournament as a team; if our teamcan play to their potential, then that goal is very reachable.”

MERRIMACK

COACH: Ryan Farnsworth (first year)

LAST SEASON: Did not qualify for Division I tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Braden Atkins-Allard, so.; Patrick Browning, jr.; Nolan Cummings, sr.; Ryan Gosselin, so.; Cameron Higham, jr.; Hayden Lawton, sr.; Ethan Matte, so.; Tyler Seaver, sr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Drew Delay, fr.; Jackson Forbes, fr.; Matthew Todd, so.; Keaton Miller, sr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’re looking forward to having a great season,” Farnsworth said. “The team is dedicated and looking forward to playing the best they can.”

NASHUA NORTH

COACH: Scott Anderson (13th year)

LAST SEASON: Finished 10th in Division I tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Bryce Zimmerman, jr.; Chris McQuinn, jr.; Thomas Kelly, jr.; Spencer Champagne, jr.; Owen Graham, so.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Tyler Almedia, so.; Camden Burgess, fr.; Javan Ellison, fr.; Ethan Gaffney, jr.; Eve Gonzales,fr.; Brendan McMahon, jr.; Brandon Ouellette, so.; Jack Sullivan, fr.; Noah Weiss, sr.; Owen White, fr.; Chloe Young, sr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “North will have a competitive team,” Anderson said, citing the return of Zimmerman and four other starters. “Fresmahn Eva Gonzales will be a strong contender in the girls states for the next four years. So filling spots 7-8 will make practice very competitive.”

NASHUA SOUTH

COACH: Steve Lane (16th year)

LAST SEASON: 7-13, did not qualify for state tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Alexis St. Laurent, sr.; Grac Conard, jr.; Kailey Pull, so.; Stephen Robbe, so.; Josh Gao, so.; Cam Cole, so.; Ethan Roy, sr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Josh Bailey, sr.; Chris Skelley, so.; Emma Kobbs, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’re going to need some match experience to build confidence for the future,” Lane said. “Looking forward to working with a great goup of kids wanting to learn and improve.”

DIVISION II

HOLLIS BROOKLINE

COACH: Shaun Hastings (first year)

LAST SEASON: Seventh in Division II tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Aaron Brown, sr.; Matt Dias, jr.; Rory Klauber, jr.;Colin MacDonald, jr. : Grady Sturges, jr.; Garret Sturges, jr.; Cayden Plummer, jr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Jackson Lewis, sr.; Ben Lafontaine, sr.; Ian McNabb, sr.; Braedan O’Connor, fr.; Reid Mitchell, fr.; Cavan Quinn, fr.; Josh Lapointe, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “This team is full of level headed, focued players,” Hastings said, “who are eager for the year to start and play the best golf that they can.”

MILFORD

COACH: Bill Soubosky (12th year)

LAST SEASON: 1-19, did not qualify for Divison II tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Jacob Dube,jr.; Ryan Cavanaugh, so.; CoreyGirouard.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Zach Greer, fr.; Devon O’Brien, fr.; Brady Hansen, fr.; Holden Bertoncini, jr.; Brandon Shaw, jr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’ll have marked improvement in our season, and with no seniors, possibly sneaking into the playoffs,” Soubosky said.

SOUHEGAN

COACH: Jon Garrity (second year).

LAST SEASON: Finished fifth in Division II state tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Quade Bell, sr.; Ethan Cockerill, sr.; Lydia Tesconi, Liam Deselle, Jona Brandes.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: N/A.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “Our goal is to once again make the state tournament,” Garrity said. “We graduated our top three scorers and four starters, and have a very small team this year.”

TK 2019 HS GOLF PREVIEW FOR WEDNESDAY; lacking Campbell, which has new coach but the athletic office has become the black hole (no calls returned, emails bounce back, etc.)

If I get any info I’ll send it in asap, but doubt it.

By TOM KING

Staff Writer

What’s new in high school golf?

On the surface, it doesn’t seem like much as Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Exter, Pinkerton, Keene, and Hanover have all been mentioned by some coaches as the contenders for the Division I title this fall.

But there was another team: Nashua North.

“My surprise sleeper team is North,” Nashua High School South coach Steve Lane said, “led by D1 individual champ returnee Bryce Zimmerman.”

And there you go. Zimmerman’s presence gives everyone a reason to consider the Titans. He came on the scene as a freshman in 2017 and surprised everyone by finishing second in the Division I individual tourney.

Since then, he’s become a fixture in local golf circles.

“Bryce is a highly competitvive golfer,” said North coach Scott Anderson, who has four other starters back. “After finishing runnerup as a freshman it was his goal to win as sophomore. Now it’s his turn to try to defend.”

To do that,Zimmerma will likely make even more improving strides.

“Coming into this year I see that he is a bit stronger and is definitely driving the ball much further than last year,” Anderson said. “If he maintains his short game he is again going to be one of the top players. He’s put in a lot of time during the summer and it looks like it really has paid off.”

Locally, Bishop Guertin looks to get back to contention after a tough 2018, while Lane has a young team at South. Alvirne actually had the highest local Division I finish last year but longtime coach Bob Lind retired, giving way to Sy Tebbetts. Merrimack, which has struggled of late, has a new coach in Ryan Farnsworth and several returning players.

In Division II, Hollis Brookline has a new coach as Shaun Hastings has moved over from Campbell. Souhegan hopes to build on last year’s fifth place Divsion II finish but the Sabers’ top three scorers graduated.

And, once again, Divisions II, III and IV will use the Stabelford System until the state tournament. Players get four points for an eagle, three for a birdie, two for par and one for a bogey, with the top five point getters in Division II matches used for team score, and the top four in the other two Divisions.

“It seemed to encourage the game of golf to the less talented,” said Milford coach Bill Soubosky, who had only six players last year for a one-win season but is up to eight this year.

Note: Repeated attempts to contact the Campbell athletic department, which is in transition, for golf information were unsuccessful.

Here’s a capsule look:

DIVISION I

ALVIRNE

COACH: Sy Tebbetts (first year)

LAST SEASON: 11-10, ninth in Division I state tournament.

RETURNING PlAYERS: Anthony DeRosa, sr.; Bret Mckinley, sr.; Colby Dillon, sr. Jackson DeWitt, sr.; Michael Downling, sr.

PROMINSING NEWCOMERS: Noah LeClair, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “It was clear the group was in good hands prior to my being here,” Tebbetts said. “The future is bright but it’s a tough division. … We’ll have to work hard to make our presence felt.”

BISHOP GUERTIN

COACH: Paul Rousseau (18th year)

LAST SEASON: 6-14, did not qualify for state tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Jack Fitzgerald, sr.; Aaron Pratt, sr. ; William Scanlon, sr.; Ryan Horgan, jr.; Luke Mutty, jr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Brett Daniel, sr.; Nicolas Ayotte, sr.; Victor Palazzolo, sr.; Constantine Liakos, so. ; Max Riordan,so.; Tyler Manning, fr.; Connor Bouvier, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We have a nice group of returning players along with a good group of decent new players,” Rousseau said. “Our goal is to make the state tournament as a team; if our teamcan play to their potential, then that goal is very reachable.”

MERRIMACK

COACH: Ryan Farnsworth (first year)

LAST SEASON: Did not qualify for Division I tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Braden Atkins-Allard, so.; Patrick Browning, jr.; Nolan Cummings, sr.; Ryan Gosselin, so.; Cameron Higham, jr.; Hayden Lawton, sr.; Ethan Matte, so.; Tyler Seaver, sr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Drew Delay, fr.; Jackson Forbes, fr.; Matthew Todd, so.; Keaton Miller, sr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’re looking forward to having a great season,” Farnsworth said. “The team is dedicated and looking forward to playing the best they can.”

NASHUA NORTH

COACH: Scott Anderson (13th year)

LAST SEASON: Finished 10th in Division I tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Bryce Zimmerman, jr.; Chris McQuinn, jr.; Thomas Kelly, jr.; Spencer Champagne, jr.; Owen Graham, so.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Tyler Almedia, so.; Camden Burgess, fr.; Javan Ellison, fr.; Ethan Gaffney, jr.; Eve Gonzales,fr.; Brendan McMahon, jr.; Brandon Ouellette, so.; Jack Sullivan, fr.; Noah Weiss, sr.; Owen White, fr.; Chloe Young, sr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “North will have a competitive team,” Anderson said, citing the return of Zimmerman and four other starters. “Fresmahn Eva Gonzales will be a strong contender in the girls states for the next four years. So filling spots 7-8 will make practice very competitive.”

NASHUA SOUTH

COACH: Steve Lane (16th year)

LAST SEASON: 7-13, did not qualify for state tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Alexis St. Laurent, sr.; Grac Conard, jr.; Kailey Pull, so.; Stephen Robbe, so.; Josh Gao, so.; Cam Cole, so.; Ethan Roy, sr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Josh Bailey, sr.; Chris Skelley, so.; Emma Kobbs, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’re going to need some match experience to build confidence for the future,” Lane said. “Looking forward to working with a great goup of kids wanting to learn and improve.”

DIVISION II

HOLLIS BROOKLINE

COACH: Shaun Hastings (first year)

LAST SEASON: Seventh in Division II tournament.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Aaron Brown, sr.; Matt Dias, jr.; Rory Klauber, jr.;Colin MacDonald, jr. : Grady Sturges, jr.; Garret Sturges, jr.; Cayden Plummer, jr.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Jackson Lewis, sr.; Ben Lafontaine, sr.; Ian McNabb, sr.; Braedan O’Connor, fr.; Reid Mitchell, fr.; Cavan Quinn, fr.; Josh Lapointe, fr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “This team is full of level headed, focued players,” Hastings said, “who are eager for the year to start and play the best golf that they can.”

MILFORD

COACH: Bill Soubosky (12th year)

LAST SEASON: 1-19, did not qualify for Divison II tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Jacob Dube,jr.; Ryan Cavanaugh, so.; CoreyGirouard.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Zach Greer, fr.; Devon O’Brien, fr.; Brady Hansen, fr.; Holden Bertoncini, jr.; Brandon Shaw, jr.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “We’ll have marked improvement in our season, and with no seniors, possibly sneaking into the playoffs,” Soubosky said.

SOUHEGAN

COACH: Jon Garrity (second year).

LAST SEASON: Finished fifth in Division II state tourney.

RETURNING PLAYERS: Quade Bell, sr.; Ethan Cockerill, sr.; Lydia Tesconi, Liam Deselle, Jona Brandes.

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: N/A.

COACH’S COMMENTS: “Our goal is to once again make the state tournament,” Garrity said. “We graduated our top three scorers and four starters, and have a very small team this year.”