MHS rebounds from opening loss

By: Redd E. Patrick
   In three matches this young season, the Monroe High School golf team has made small improvements each time out.
   Although coach Pete LoPresti wishes his Falcons were further along at this point in the season, he also feels that by midseason, the club could be feared within the GMC’s White Division.
   After opening with a 174-194 loss to Old Bridge at home at the Forsgate Country Club, the Falcons posted a 188-253 victory over North Brunswick at Forsgate, then a 182-205 decision over Sayreville at the Tamarack Golf Course.
   Heading into Thursday’s home date with Colonia, the Falcons were 2-1. Four matches are on tap next week.
   "We haven’t got untracked yet," LoPresti said. "We’re still not in a groove. We need to shoot in the 160s to be able to compete with the best teams, but we have some kids coming along, so my mid-season, we could be pretty solid."
   Against North Brunswick, juniors Frank Ermel and Grant Herring led the squad with 43 and 44. Junior Ryan Dinsmore shot 50 and senior Eric Wysokowski 51.
   In the victory over Sayreville, senior Doug Rohrig, the club’s No. 1 player, played like it with a four-over-40 on Tamarack’s challenging Red Course. Herring shot 45, Dinsmore 46 and sophomore Evan Jones fired a 51.
   "Rohrig has been playing respectable golf, but he knows he will play much better," LoPresti said.
   "Herring has been pretty solid and Dinsmore is coming around. Jones has been a little inconsistent, but if he comes around to shoot like he’s capable of, we’re going to be okay. That fifth and sixth spot, which we’re still fooling around with, is also a key for us. That would take the pressure off some of the other guys."
   On Monday, Monroe took part in the Cherry Valley Invitational, a 20-team event hosted by Montgomery at the Cherry Valley Country Club.
   Monroe finished near the back of the pack of this talent-laden field, but the experience was well worth it.
   "It was a great experience for our kids to be exposed to that kind of talent, team-wise and individually,"’ LoPresti said. "It was a very tough course and it will only prepare us for the county and state tournaments."
   Herring and Rohrig each shot an 18-hole score of 85 on Cherry Valley’s challenging layout.