New golf coaches step up in Hanover, Lebanon
Some coaches wait for their chances. Others have opportunities thrust upon them. That’s how Matt Dancosse and Zach Temple find themselves following high school golfers around the links this fall.
Dancosse took the reins at Lebanon High when longtime coach Chris Pollard stepped down over the winter. Zach Temple was anticipating another season with Hanover High’s junior varsity until last month, when veteran Marauder coach John Donnelly suddenly decided to take a season off.
Their backgrounds in the game are as different as the circumstances that got them there.
“I’m happy to fill (Donnelly’s) shoes for the time being,” Temple said after the Marauders recorded a six-stroke victory over host Stevens in a four-school NHIAA golf match at Claremont Country Club.
“My passion right now is in teaching, so definitely right now I could easily say I could see myself (coaching). … I’ve been through what these kids are going through right now. I’m young, and I think I can relate to them pretty well.”
The Hartford High graduate’s ascent from JV to varsity came barely a month ago. Dancosse has been working his way up the Raiders’ ladder more gradually.
A Lebanon High physical education teacher and subvarsity basketball coach, Dancosse picked up golf several years ago and learned much of what he knows now from working with Stevens coach Ryan Seaver. When Pollard ended his tenure to focus on his own golf professional career, Dancosse felt ready to move up.
“(Pollard) is still a good resource to me,” said Dancosse, who ran the Lebanon JV program for four years. “When he told me he was stepping down, obviously it was easy for me to step into there. It’s good to know the kids, too; I have them in class every day. Everyone that’s on varsity, I had on JV at some point.”
Seaver believes Dancosse is well-suited for his new role.
“Matt’s one of my best friends; Matt was in my wedding,” Seaver said. “I know he’s determined … and golf is his passion. Having him on board the coaching staff up there is going to be huge for them. They’re pretty motivated, and I’ve seen a lot of good things out of them so far.”
Temple has taken Hanover’s mantle at a time of considerable change.
The Marauders, the NHIAA’s most decorated golf team, lost their home Hanover Country Club course when Dartmouth College closed the facility in a budget-reduction move this summer.
Temple, who left HCC for an assistant pro job at the Quechee Club last November, has the blessing of his boss, T.J. Anthoine, to bring the Marauders over for twice-a-week practices.
Temple credited co-captains Natalie Morhun and Spencer Lawe for holding workouts in the offseason and Lake Morey Country Club has stepped in as a replacement home for matches this season.
“We didn’t have our ‘A’ game (today) by any means, and we were still able to pull it out, which says something about these kids,” Temple said. “They’re gritty. They want to win. Every single kid wants to be the best on the team.”
Hanover (3-0) won the match with a team 161. Ben Plottner shot a 4-over-par 38, producing a solid six-par round. Morhun (40), Casey Graham (40) and Dylan Jopp (43) also scored for the Marauders.
Finn Allen polished off a 3-over 37 to lead the Cardinals (4-1), sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole to close his round. Reeve Wilkinson (39), Dylan Adamovich (43) and Cedric Allen (48) completed Stevens’ team 167.
Ben Begin stuck a 75-yard approach from a sidehill lie to 6 inches for a kick-in birdie on 2 to post a team-best 43 for third-place Lebanon (2-3). The Raiders shot 183 behind Begin, Roy Shapard (46), Nate Stark (46) and Zach Bitler (48).
Fall Mountain’s Mitchell Cormier won the individual medal at 1-over 35, a curving 20-foot putt for birdie on 3.
Their backgrounds in the game are as different as the circumstances that got them there.
“I’m happy to fill (Donnelly’s) shoes for the time being,” Temple said after the Marauders recorded a six-stroke victory over host Stevens in a four-school NHIAA golf match at Claremont Country Club.
“My passion right now is in teaching, so definitely right now I could easily say I could see myself (coaching). … I’ve been through what these kids are going through right now. I’m young, and I think I can relate to them pretty well.”
The Hartford High graduate’s ascent from JV to varsity came barely a month ago. Dancosse has been working his way up the Raiders’ ladder more gradually.
A Lebanon High physical education teacher and subvarsity basketball coach, Dancosse picked up golf several years ago and learned much of what he knows now from working with Stevens coach Ryan Seaver. When Pollard ended his tenure to focus on his own golf professional career, Dancosse felt ready to move up.
“(Pollard) is still a good resource to me,” said Dancosse, who ran the Lebanon JV program for four years. “When he told me he was stepping down, obviously it was easy for me to step into there. It’s good to know the kids, too; I have them in class every day. Everyone that’s on varsity, I had on JV at some point.”
Seaver believes Dancosse is well-suited for his new role.
“Matt’s one of my best friends; Matt was in my wedding,” Seaver said. “I know he’s determined … and golf is his passion. Having him on board the coaching staff up there is going to be huge for them. They’re pretty motivated, and I’ve seen a lot of good things out of them so far.”
Temple has taken Hanover’s mantle at a time of considerable change.
The Marauders, the NHIAA’s most decorated golf team, lost their home Hanover Country Club course when Dartmouth College closed the facility in a budget-reduction move this summer.
Temple, who left HCC for an assistant pro job at the Quechee Club last November, has the blessing of his boss, T.J. Anthoine, to bring the Marauders over for twice-a-week practices.
Temple credited co-captains Natalie Morhun and Spencer Lawe for holding workouts in the offseason and Lake Morey Country Club has stepped in as a replacement home for matches this season.
“We didn’t have our ‘A’ game (today) by any means, and we were still able to pull it out, which says something about these kids,” Temple said. “They’re gritty. They want to win. Every single kid wants to be the best on the team.”
Hanover (3-0) won the match with a team 161. Ben Plottner shot a 4-over-par 38, producing a solid six-par round. Morhun (40), Casey Graham (40) and Dylan Jopp (43) also scored for the Marauders.
Finn Allen polished off a 3-over 37 to lead the Cardinals (4-1), sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the first hole to close his round. Reeve Wilkinson (39), Dylan Adamovich (43) and Cedric Allen (48) completed Stevens’ team 167.
Ben Begin stuck a 75-yard approach from a sidehill lie to 6 inches for a kick-in birdie on 2 to post a team-best 43 for third-place Lebanon (2-3). The Raiders shot 183 behind Begin, Roy Shapard (46), Nate Stark (46) and Zach Bitler (48).
Fall Mountain’s Mitchell Cormier won the individual medal at 1-over 35, a curving 20-foot putt for birdie on 3.
