Hopewell Valley golf
By: Jim Green
The Hopewell Valley Central High School golf team has done what any great team does after a tough loss pick itself up, dust itself off and move on.
The Bulldogs suffered as difficult a loss as they possibly could imagine on April 18, dropping a 224-224 decision to Lawrence at Hopewell Golf Club on a match of cards. Lawrence was awarded the victory because its top scorer, Steve Mann, outshot Hopewell’s No. 1, Ben Bershad, 39-40.
Instead of getting down on themselves after the tough loss, though, the Bulldogs have made their last three opponents pay for their disappointment. On Tuesday, they ran their winning streak to three matches with a 222-271 win over Hightstown at Peddie Golf Club. Alex Laughlin, climbing out of the shadow of Bershad for one day, shot a team-best 4-over par 36, while Bershad posted a 41.
"I think Alex has been playing unbelievably," Hopewell coach Bill Russell said. "He was one of the kids in the Lawrence match that didn’t mess up at all. I know Ben and Alex go out one and two, and they’re going to bring back low scores."
Back-up players Steve Marsh (46), Nick Passanante (47) and Matt Henderson (48) received a rare chance at the spotlight and came through.
"We had a nice win today (Tuesday)," Russell said. "Some kids who usually don’t play hit great rounds today. They don’t get to play as much. When they do, it’s nice to see them play well."
The win, while expected, was big for the fact that it clinched the Bulldogs a berth in the state tournament. In order to qualify for the state tournament, golf teams must have a .600 record or better by the May 6 cutoff. With the victory over the Rams, Hopewell now is 9-2 overall and 6-1 in the Colonial Valley Conference.
"It is a relief," Russell said. "We have one goal down. Now we can concentrate on going after the Patriot Division."
Qualifying for the state tournament should only help, as the Bulldogs attempt to put the Lawrence loss in their rearview mirror.
"That was a real tough one," Russell said. "We didn’t hit the ball well that day. Lawrence came out and had a great day. It was a tough loss, because the guys really wanted that one. We knew it was going to come down to one or two stokes, which it did."
The Bulldogs bounced back by finishing last week with back-to-back wins over Ewing and Princeton Day School.
On April 21, in its first home match since the Lawrence loss, Hopewell beat Ewing 228-280, with Bershad shooting an incredible 3-under par 36 with two birdies and an eagle. Clearly, Lawrence had caught the Hopewell star on the right day.
"Shooting a 33 is just unbelievable," said Russell, who is trying to find out what the school record is. "It was one of those rounds when every ball he hit was a beauty. It was a great round and nice little win."
Alex Laughlin provided support against Ewing with a 43, followed by Andrew Glander (49), Marsh (50) and Henderson (53).
A day earlier, the Bulldogs knocked off PDS 219-227 at Bedens Brook Club. Bershad was 4-over par 36, while Areeb Zamir had a 42, Laughlin a 43, Dave Coville a 45 and Glander a 49.
The Bulldogs, who were scheduled to play Nottingham on Wednesday, will visit Mercer County Tournament favorite Princeton at 3 p.m. today (Thursday) at Springdale Golf Club.
"It’s two matches back-to-back that I think our guys are geared up for," Russell said. "They’re ready to go."