DOVER — Despite feeling shaky about his putting early on, Chelso Barrett won his third consecutive NHIAA Division I individual golf championship Saturday at Cochecho Country Club.

The 17-year-old Keene High School senior added a second-round 72 to his 68 in Thursday's first round for an even-par 140 total, giving the reigning New Hampshire Golf Association State Junior champion a seven-stroke victory over Bedford High School's Nick Dempster (73-74) and Manchester Central's Matthew Paradis (73-74).

Starting the day with a five-stroke lead over playing partners Dempster, Paradis and Sam Shafer of Dover High School, Barrett had an up-and-down opening nine, making three bogeys and two birdies before three-putting for double bogey on his eighth hole, Cochecho's par-3 15th.

“It was just a mental mistake, more than anything,” Barrett said.

The miscue allowed Paradis, a 16-year-old Central junior who was runner-up in last year's tournament, to climb within two strokes. But Barrett quickly reasserted his supremacy with birdies on two of the next three holes. He reached the green with a 3-hybrid second shot on Cochecho's par-5 16th before two-putting and canned a 12-footer after a 9-iron approach on the par-4 18th.

After Paradis made a three-putt bogey on No. 18, Barrett's lead was back to five shots. And despite making bogey on his 12th hole, Cochecho's par-3 ninth, the front-runner parred the last six holes.

Barrett credited a slight putting adjustment for helping him right the ship after his double bogey.

“I felt like my hands were doing the work, so I just kind of rocked my shoulders, and it felt better,” he said.

Meanwhile, Paradis was kicking himself for missing a par putt from inside the leather on 18.

“I think that was definitely the turning point,” he said.

Dempster, a 17-year-old Bedford senior, surprised many with his finish. The seventh player in the Bulldogs' eight-man lineup, he posted his best score ever on Thursday and his second-best on Saturday.

“Throughout the season I struggled with putting a lot,” he said. “My putting the last few matches of regular season really improved. And coming out here to Cochecho, a course I like, I just putted really well, and that helped a lot. I only had one three-putt in two days.”

Shafer, a 17-year-old Dover junior, shot 73-76 and finished alone in fourth.

In the Division II championship at Canterbury Woods, Windham High School's Connor Greenleaf overcame a four-stroke deficit to win by two strokes over first-round co-leader Tom Hickson of St. Thomas Aquinas. Greenleaf, who opened with 77 on Thursday, shot a 2-under-par 70 Saturday, while Hickson shot 73-76. Windham's Adam Dolan (78-73) tied for third with Hanover's Benny Hayes (73-78).

In the Division III-IV tourney at Newport Golf Club, Mascenic's Roman Ojala and Moultonborough's Hayden Maroun posted victories. Ojala (77-76) won the Division III crown by four strokes over Pelham's Jake Vaiknoras (79-78), while Maroun (72-78) won his second consecutive Division IV title, prevailing by three strokes over Derryfield's Patrick McGinley (71-82).

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Mike Cullity may be reached at mcullity@unionleader.com.