VASSALBORO — How do you follow up winning a conference championship despite thunder, lightning and hail that forced delays?

If you’re Bangor’s Jacoby Harvey, you turn around less than 16 hours later and shoot a 79 while dealing with windy conditions.

“You just have to be the most mental (tough),” said Harvey. “Just kind of grind through every shot, take one shot at a time, don’t move past the next one.”

Harvey was one of 33 golfers to shoot a qualifying score for the individual state championship during the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference qualifier Tuesday at Natanis Golf Course. He tied with Liam Greenlaw of Brewer for the second-best score in Class A behind Greyson Dooley of Messalonskee.

Bangor (349), having already won the KVAC Class A championship Monday, also qualified for the team state championship. Brewer (330), Messalonskee (331) and Camden Hills (336) were the other three Class A teams to qualify. 

“I had a good front, shot minus-1, was trying to keep doing what I was doing, obviously,” Harvey said. “Things on the back (nine) didn’t go as planned, but at the end of the day, 79, can’t be complaining.”

Lincoln Academy (343) led the pack in Class B on Tuesday. Leavitt (358), Belfast (362) and Nokomis (364) rounded out the team qualifiers. 

“They’re a great bunch of young athletes and they’re a joy to coach,” Lincoln coach Todd Brackett said. “They jell really well. And today, what you don’t know behind the scenes is my No. 3 guy isn’t here. He’s sick. So my No. 7 guy stepped up and actually shot 90, which we used as part of the team score today. So I think that’s the advantage that they have, is we’ve got some depth. One through seven, any given time, they’re going to be competitive.”

Colin Mitchell shot an 80 to anchor Lincoln, tying with Leavitt’s James Brisson for the lowest score in Class B. Caden Chretien (81) of Nokomis placed third. 

Mitchell made par on the sixth hole and chipped in for birdie on the seventh after starting the round with a bogey and a double bogey. On the back nine, he started with two double bogeys but was able to string together some pars across the rest of the round.

“I was trying to keep it low under the wind for the most part, just being happy with par, not trying to get too greedy,” Mitchell said. 

Like Bangor, Lincoln Academy had already qualified for the state championship. The Eagles won the KVAC Class B championship on Oct. 1, and they excelled again Tuesday on the Tomahawk course. 

“I said, ‘You know, guys, let’s treat it more like a practice round,’” Brackett said. “‘Go out. It’s you against the golf course. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing with, just do the best you can. We’re already qualified.’ But they’re like, ‘Geez coach, I want to qualify as an individual.’ So their mindset is to be competitive, I think, anyway. So I’m not sure that (already having qualified) eased their minds as much as I’d hoped it would.” 

The Class A team and individual state championships will take place Friday, while the Class B championships are scheduled for Saturday, both on the Tomahawk course at Natanis.

Class A individual qualifiers

Their teams did not qualify, but these golfers earned spots in Friday’s Class A championship:

Ari Brown (Skowhegan)
Ben Poulin (Skowhegan)
Caleb Greenleaf (Mt. Ararat)
Sawyer Poland (Oxford Hills)
Logan Gasper (Mt. Ararat)
Owen Reynolds-Harvey (Hampden Academy)
Brady McLaughlin (Mt. Ararat)

Class B individual qualifiers

These golfers qualified for Saturday’s Class B championship:

Jack Flaherty (Waterville/Winslow)
Rocco Fabbricatore (Cony)
Caden Hickey (Gardiner)
Lane Chapman (Lawrence)
Joseph Wilcox (Medomak Valley)