By: Redd E. Patrick
The South Brunswick High School golf team had the right frame of mind heading into its showdown against East Brunswick last week, but when it was all said and done, the Vikings could not handle the Bears on the friendly confines known as at the Tamarack Golf Course.
The Vikings shot a respectable 173, but the Bears shot the lights out with a 163 in a battle of undefeated Greater Middlesex Conference Red Division powers.
Senior Brian McCracken led the Vikings with a 41, senior Ryan Cohen shot 42, sophomore Christian Dellow fired a 43 and junior Bryant Morin 47. Steve Ahn and Paul Zeidman made it tough on South Brunswick as each player shot 38.
"We were fired up, we were mentally prepared, it just didn’t work out," said McCracken. "East Brunswick played really well. They know the course obviously and some of us hadn’t played there, but overall, we didn’t play up to our capabilities. We haven’t played as well as we’re capable of this year, but we’ll come around."
The Vikings bounced back strong on Tuesday with a 132-142 victory over Piscataway at par-29 Raritan Landing. Ayala and Dellow each shot 31 and McCracken shot 36.
"Before the match with East Brunswick we were saying how we were just going to go out and do our best and that we had nothing to lose," said McCracken. "Afterward, even though we didn’t play our best, we had the same mentality. We said ‘Let’s move on and take the same approach to the next match.’ We did that. We played very well against Piscataway."
A junior varsity player two years ago when the Vikings captured the GMC Tournament, McCracken cracked the varsity lineup a year ago, shooting five-to-six strokes over par. This season, McCracken is about seven-to-eight over, but he’s not concerned.
"I’m actually playing well, I just haven’t scored well,"’ McCracken said. "Against Piscataway, I putted better than I have in years, so I just need a few good rounds to get me going. The team is the same way. We’re starting to come around. I think we can play with anyone in the county."
A big test came on Wednesday when the Vikings were scheduled to take on St. Joseph’s at the Metuchen Country Club. St. Joe’s was 5-5, but the Falcons were coming off a two-shot loss to East Brunswick. The Vikings will play J.P. Stevens on Thursday at the Metuchen Country Club before hosting West Windsor-Plainsboro North on Friday.
South Brunswick will match up with East Brunswick several more times this season, in a dual match at Bunker Hill on May 4, at the GMC Tournament and the NJSIAA State Tournament.
On Monday, the Vikings will be the host team at the second Annual Bunker Hill Invitational, in which two-man teams vie for a title. There will be 18 high-caliber schools represented, and awards will be given out to the top three boys and girls teams as well as the low five individual boys and low three individual girls scores.

