With most of the area’s best golfers from 2001 returning, the 2002 season promises to be highly competitive and exciting. Championship seasons are not out of the question.
Last spring, Colts Neck and Marlboro picked up the major hardware with the Cougars claiming the Central/South Jersey Group I and State Group I titles. Colts Neck’s top linksman, Brad Domenico, won the Group I state title.
Marlboro topped the field at the Central/South Jersey tournament and also won the Freehold District championship. At the district tournament, Manalapan’s Jason Miller made history by becoming the first freshman to win the individual crown. He shot a 75 over the tough par-71 Shore Oaks Golf Club course.
Colts Neck Coach Ron Polakowski returns all of his key players from the state championship team that was 16-3 in dual meets, and won a Class B Central Division co-championship. Leading the way is senior Domenico, who is bound for Rider University, Lawrence, in the fall on a golf scholarship. Domenico has a steady, all-around game with no weaknesses. He can do everything well. He was Mr. Consistent for the Cougars throughout ’01 and capped his season with his Group I state title at the Burlington Country Club course in Mount Holly. He was third in the state sectional and second at the district tournament a year after winning it. Domenico will be shooting for individual titles this spring as well as keeping the Cougars on top.
Dave Cohen, Joe DiMarco, Jason Schonholtz, Todd Stoner and Eric Christensen give the Cougars a very formidable lineup. The only player missing from last year’s championship team is John Burton. Cohen, DiMarco and Schonholtz are each capable of shooting low scores. Cohen and DiMarco played well in the states while Schonholtz battled an injury. When healthy, he is Colts Neck’s No. 2.
Newcomers include Eric LeFante, Joe Fitzpatrick and Cynthia Sobleski.
Marlboro Coach Stan Bryck still has a solid nucleus with the return of Kevin Silvestri, Brent Cohen and Aaron Asedo from last year’s state sectional championship run. Silvestri was the team’s consistent No. 1 player throughout the season. Asedo came up big in the sectional. The ’Stangs lost Becky Pernicone, who was the first female to make All-District, as well as Brian Higgins and Ryan Lemontang.
Mike Zecker and Aaron Asedo are the other returning varsity players from ’01. The newcomers are Garrett Gilbert Pat Piro and Rob Tomaini.
John Natoli is the new coach at Manalapan, and he inherits a very experienced team that could make a run at perennial A North king Christian Brothers Academy. Sophomore Miller leads the veteran cast that was 11-4 in dual meets. He earned his wings last year winning the district title. Steve Grank, Craig Moylan, Brett Levy and Allan Blithstein give the Braves a strong quintet that will be tough in dual meets and have the ability to be a solid tournament team as well. Keith Wasser and Pat McGrady provide the Braves with further depth. Adam Kaplan is the only newcomer to this veteran team. The Braves are loaded.
Freehold Township will look to rebound this spring, and it has a veteran cast to build around. The Pats will miss four-year starter Steve Banks who was the cornerstone of the team’s past successful teams. Adam Favelson and Greg Martz are coming off good ’01 seasons and are the players that Coach Jesse Renna will count on. Adam Kaplan, Dave Warneke and Mike Holliday are the other returners from last year. Newcomers Ryan Brown and Dustin Scholl should provide the team with a boost.
At Howell, Coach Walter Boyd is building for the future with a host of freshmen. The rebels do have Dan Evans, Ryan Vivian and Maria Zuco back from last year, but the rest of the squad is made up of freshmen. They are Nick Geraci, Matt Marchank, Tim Schweitzer, Pete Boorodich, Ryan Cisek, Pete Castro and Amanda Lawson.
Freehold Borough is looking to drive its way forward this spring, and Coach Scott Noseworthy has a veteran cast to do it with. Travis Galli, who tied for seventh at the district championships, heads the returning class. Also back are Ryan Casey, Zack Zweber, Kerri Hassell, Adam Pennetti and Jackie Meder.
Hassell and Meder could be two of the better girls in the conference.
The first major tournament of the season is the Monmouth County Tournament on April 24 at Hominy Hill. The Shore Conference Tournament will again be hosted by Pebble Creek on May 6. The state sectionals are May 13 and 14 with the Tournament of Champions set for May 20 at Rumson Country Club. The annual Freehold Regional District Tournament is May 28 at Shore Oaks Golf Club.