Golf
By: Jim Green
A cold and rainy Tuesday morning turned into the best afternoon in the coaching career of Lawrence High School’s Sam Cacallori.
The Cardinal golf team braved the conditions at Mountain View Golf Course, posting three of the top six scores at the Mercer County Tournament to claim the first Lawrence team title in Cacallori’s three years with the program. Steve Marencik, who played a vital role in the Cardinals’ win over Steinert last Friday, continued his strong junior season by winning a six-way playoff to capture the individual championship.
"It was a raw day," Cacallori said. "In the end, it turned out to be one of the best days in Lawrence golf."
Marencik, junior Jared Husch and senior Pat Moyle were among six golfers who finished the 18-hole championship with a score of 79. Marencik finished first in the sudden-death playoff, while Husch took third and Moyle finished sixth.
"You can’t ask much more from the kids," Cacallori said. "They really enjoyed the day."
Marencik actually got off to a slow start, shooting a 43 through the first nine holes. He came roaring back, though, shooting 1-under par with five birdies in the back nine to secure a playoff spot.
"I know he (Marencik) was real happy," Cacallori said. "If anyone had a right to win today, it’s Steve."
Senior Dan Shin shot an 80, while transfer Steve Molinelli, a senior, finished with an 83 in his first action of the season. Lawrence finished with a score of 317, easily outdistancing second-place West Windsor-Plainsboro South (329).
"I have four guys who have worked hard for me for three years," Cacallori said. "It’s nice to know they’re being rewarded."The Cardinals also have been playing superb regular-season golf. They have won three straight matches, improving to 8-1 Friday with a win over Steinert via a tiebreaker.
Lawrence, which tied Steinert at 215-215 through the end of the round, was credited with the win because Moyle’s 38 was the best score of the day.
"We squeaked by the other day," Lawrence Cacallori said. "It was a clutch team effort."
Marencik played a big part in the victory, shooting a 42. Marencik, who had missed three putts from inside two feet early in the match, came back to chip in from the rough for birdie at the ninth hole.
"It was sort of like it was meant to be," Cacallori said of Marencik’s early struggles. "It was nice he came back."
Husch shot at 43, and Shin was his usual consistent self, shooting a 44. While the Cardinals received the expected solid efforts from their veterans last week, they got a surprisingly strong performance from freshman Chris Trapp.
Trapp shot a career-best 8-over par 36 during Lawrence’s 210-287 win against Hamilton last Thursday. He followed that with a solid 48 against Steinert.
"We have a couple of freshmen who have been instrumental in our 8-1 start," Cacallori said. "One of them is Chris Trapp."
Cacallori has been most impressed by Trapp’s mental preparation for match play.
"What’s encouraging is how much he (Trapp) loves to play," Cacallori said. "He’s demonstrated the character you need to have in order to score in the game. He’s a good kid."
Trapp helped hold down the fort while the Cardinals waited for Molinelli to become eligible to play. Molinelli, a transfer from Notre Dame, had to sit out the first month of the season in accordance with New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association rules.
"He (Molinelli) will give us another key man," Cacallori said.
With Molinelli now eligible to play, the Cardinals seem prepared to make a strong run in the state tournament.
"Adding Molinelli to the starting lineup takes pressure off the top four kids," Cacallori said.
The Cardinals can not afford to get overconfident, though.
"The kids know that, in order for this to be a successful season, we have to continue to work and continue to concentrate to get the record we want," Cacallori said.
The Cardinals certainly were putting in the effort when they traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for a national tournament from April 17-19. Lawrence won the fourth flight of the five-flight Palmetto High School Golf Championship with scores of 321 and 325 in the two competitive rounds of the tournament.
The Cardinals, who struggled through the qualifying round the first day of the tournament, posted scores that would have won the second flight each of the last two days. Lawrence placed 34th overall in the tournament, which included 108 teams from 24 states.
"That (placing 34th) is impressive, relative to the quality of the schools," Cacallori said.
Moyle, Husch, Marencik, Shin and freshman Alex Shin competed for Lawrence. Moyle took fourth overall in the fourth flight by scoring a 155 over six holes, and Husch took fifth at 156.
After the three-day tournament, the Cardinals stayed in Myrtle Beach to take part in a coaches vs. players tournament. Cacallori and former Lawrence golfer Scott Diehl defeated Husch and Dan Shin.
"Being able to play against some of the top teams in the country, they (the Cardinals) gained a tremendous amount of experience about what it takes to win," Cacallori said. "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience."
The Cardinals will look to continue rolling when they visit Nottingham at 3 p.m. today. Lawrence defeated Nottingham 201-221 in its season opener.

