Viking girls golf team claims three straight wins

By: Rich Fisher
   The South Brunswick High School girls golf team is only in its second season, so new records should be taken with a grain of salt.
   However, they should also be taken in a positive vein, as it shows the program is making progress.
   The Vikings (3-2) have shown that progress in the past week, reeling off the first three-match winning streak in their two-year history.
   South Brunswick won at Peddie last Thursday (278-306), defeated Moorestown at Bunker Hill in a rain-shortened match last Friday (139-141), and downed Southern at Atlantic Country Club on Monday (214-216).
   "Things are going great," coach Jaymee Boehmer said. "They’re really focusing on just being a team, and that goes a long way. We only have seven kids, we play six and rotate whoever doesn’t play. They’re really supportive of each other."
   Boehmer, who has been a "team" coach over the years in soccer and basketball, says that team spirit is still important in an individual sport such as golf.
   "I totally think that’s the case," she said. "I’m a team sport person, and they’re really supportive of each other. That’s a big part of it. You’re out there to do your best and get support from one another."
   Against Peddie, Brittany Boyd and Priyanka Chinchani each shot a 53, followed by Kerri Tracy (54), Danielle Eige (58) and Lisa Nicolaison (60).
   That was followed by what Boehmer termed "a big win" over Moorestown in the first home match of the season. Boyd checked in with a 25 while Tracy and Nicolaison both shot 26. Chinchani had a 28 and Katie Petrikonis a 34.
   "That was big because they beat us by 30 the first time we played," Boehmer said. "And the way we were playing, I really think we would have pulled away by the end of the match."
   After the match was called, Nicolaison waited out the weather to complete her round, and finished with a 47. That was Nicolaison’s second qualifying score toward the state tournament.
   Against Southern Chinchani unseated Boyd as the usual Viking medallist by carding a 50. Boyd had a 52, followed by Eige (53) and Tracy (59).
   "Priyanka did a nice job in that match," Boehmer said. "It was a wide open course but it was raining on us. First we went to the wrong course and it was already a two-and-a-half hour bus ride for us. But everything is that long for us," she added with a laugh.
   The Vikes will not have to travel for the GMC tournament, which will be at Bunker Hill on May 29. The state tournament is on May 22 and Boyd and Tracy both have the five necessary qualifying scores to compete. Eige has two qualifying scores while Chinchani and Nicolaison have one each.
   "Brittany has been very consistent this year," Boehmer said. "Kerri has been a little up and down, but she’s young, she’s only a sophomore. By the time she’s a senior she’ll be doing some nice things."