Chargers continue to surprise with success
Spotswood golf team earns chance to compete for county title
BY RICHARD JEROME
Staff Writer

Talk about strange and wonderful: Last year, the Spotswood High School golf team went 6-14.

This spring, with only one starter back, the Chargers are 15-3, with a championship-winning 11-1 mark in the Blue Division, and a team berth in the Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament.

“There is one word to express this year,” said coach Frank Marchesi. “Surprise. We’ve had six or seven sophomores come out this year, and they’re all excellent athletes, as well as excellent golfers.”

To put it in terms of strokes, SHS averaged 210 last year; this season, the Chargers have shaved that to 181, with a best effort of 166.

The returning starter, senior Mike Homan, is the best ball striker on the team, and after a slow start is averaging 8.2 strokes over par.

Sophomore Chris Manfre, in his first year out for golf, is at 10.2 over.

“He’s had many good scores over the past couple of weeks,” said Marchesi. “And senior Kyle Drake is just a shade behind him.”

Rene Evennon, a junior, has shown steady progress in his three years. As a freshman, he was hitting in the mid-60s for nine holes; he dropped that to the mid 50s last year and has shaved another 10 or so strokes off his game this year, averaging 10.8 over par.

“He’s been a pleasant surprise,” said his coach.

Sophomores Frank Petry and Tyler Astor are both around 12.9 over par, while classmates Andrew Bartlett and Nick Ardonte have also shown promise.

“This year has been amazing,” Marchesi said. “I was hoping to win eight or nine matches. But this is a great bunch of kids — and they’re really into golf.”

The Chargers had a GMC Tournament match on Tuesday, and knocked off Edison, 171-173. Homan was the low shooter on the day with a 39 at the Tamarack Blue course (par 36), followed by Evennon with a 42, Drake with a 44 and Manfre with a 48.

Spotswood will be back in action today in the championship round of the GMC, where they will compete at Tamarack with top-seeded East Brunswick, second-seeded Old Bridge, third-seeded South Brunswick, fourth-seeded Monroe, as well as fellow second-round winner Colonia.

Tee-off is set for 7 a.m.

The individual championship should be an interesting one as well, with a wide-open field containing several contenders.

Piscataway’s Isaac Lim will be looking to become the third golfer in the past eight years to repeat as GMCT champ,but has struggled of late, failing to qualify for the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions with an 84 at his state sectional.

Lim has played to a two-over par average this year, and is the deserved favorite. However, East Brunswick’s team feature a trio of golfers who are all capable of shooting a low number and stealing the title.

Steve Ahn is the leading contender, playing to a 3.5-over average, but teammates Paul Zeidman and Steve Kuei are equally dangerous in a one-day tournament format.

Monroe’s Doug Rohrig has played to a 6.5-over par average, but has also shown flashes of brilliance at Tamarack this spring (with scores of 39 and 40 there), and finished second in last year’s GMCT with a 77. Rohrig got a taste of competing for the title last year, and should be considered a threat to seal the deal this time around.

Another player who should not be taken lightly is Old Bridge junior Bill Root, who took 10th at last year’s tournament, but is markedly better this spring, and could be a sleeper to emerge with the individual title.