NORTH YARMOUTH — Nick Mazurek of Rockland shot an even-par 71 to take the first-day lead in the Maine Junior Amateur Championship on Wednesday at Toddy Brook Golf Course.

Mazurek flirted with a sub-par round for the first 17 holes but had to scramble to make a double bogey after hitting his second shot out of bounds on the 18th hole.

Carter Pearl of Newport watches as his chip shot almost goes in on the 13th hole during the first day of Maine Junior Golf Championship at Toddy Brook Golf course in North Yarmouth. Photo by Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Carter Pearl of Newport keeps his head still as he makes an 18-foot birdie on the 18th hole to finish with a 79 for the first day of Maine Junior Golf Championship at Toddy Brook Golf course in North Yarmouth. Photo by Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Eric Dugas, a student at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield, reacts to a birdie putt on No. 18 that just slips by the hole on first day of Maine Junior Golf Championship at Toddy Brook Golf course in North Yarmouth. Photo by Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

“I had to make a difficult up-and-down to make a seven,” he said. “It ruined things a little bit but I got a lot of holes left.”

Eric Dugas of Pittsfield and Logan Thompson of Lincoln, who played together in the same three-player group, carded 73s.

Last fall, Mazurek, who will enter his senior year at Oceanside High School in September, tied Drew Powell of Bangor for the Class A schoolboy championship. Dugas, an incoming senior at Maine Central Institute, won the Class B individual title, and Thompson, an incoming sophomore at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, was the Class C champ.

Robbie Watson of Fort Fairfield and Austin Legge of Cape Elizabeth shot 75s and John Witt of Kennebunkport fired a 76 to remain in contention in the 15-17 age division.

Play in the 36-hole tournament continues Thursday with competition in three age groups for boys and two age groups for girls.

A total of 87 golfers teed off Wednesday, and most hadn’t played Toddy Brook.

“I tried to get a practice (round) in (Tuesday), but with the lightning they had to call us in, so I only got two or three holes,” Thompson said.

“Sometimes going into a course blind is good,” Doran said. “You don’t know where the trouble is, so you just see a target and you hit it.”

On Wednesday, players in the two upper divisions for boys’ and both girls’ divisions started on the par-36 back nine.

“It’s a really difficult nine holes,” Doran said. “It’s hilly. There’s a lot of trouble lurking on every hole.”

Mazurek stood at 2-under-par going into the final hole.

“You definitely have to stay accurate,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how long you are as long as you stay within play and you can hit it again.”

Thompson remained in contention by making a couple of big putts on the back nine. He rolled in a 65-footer for a birdie on 12 and sank a 24-footer for an eagle on 14.

“I’ve worked on my putting quite a bit,” he said. “Usually, when I struggle it’s just three putts, so that’s what I’ve been working on. It’s slowly getting better.”

Lauren Schonewolf of Cape Elizabeth carded a 79 to lead the girls’ 15-17 division. Stephanie Rodrigue of Lewiston followed with an 80.

Caleb Manuel, a 13-year-old from Topsham, shot a 2-over-par 73 to lead the 13-14 boys’ division. Mitchell Tarrio of Augusta followed with a 76. In the girls’ 13-14 division, Jordan LaPlume of Saco led with a 77.

In the nine-hole tournament for players 12 and under, Ryan Stinson of Scarborough carded a 3-over par 38 and Peter Malia of Scarborough finished with a 39 to lead the nine-player field.

Originally, the event was scheduled to take place at Val Halla Golf Club in Cumberland.

“It is Val Halla’s 50th anniversary this year, and we’re having our mid-amateur championship there in September,” tournament director Mike Doran said. “We didn’t want to double-book events there, and Toddy Brook was gracious enough to host the juniors.”