Team set to compete in state finals
By: John Beisser
The storybook season the Hillsborough High golf team has been authoring all spring has added another important chapter. On Monday, the Raiders captured the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1-2,Group 4 Sectional Championship, out-distancing second place Ridgewood by 14 strokes at the demanding Alpine Country Club in Demarest.
Junior Andrew Borsuk claimed the individual title by becoming the only player in the field to break 80 on the tight, tree-lined and hilly layout. Borsuk shot a 79 to edge Luke Manton of West Orange, who came in with an 80.
Alpine is regarded as one of the North Jersey’s toughest tests with a bewildering set of sloped greens. Making Hillsborough’s accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that none of the Raiders had ever set foot on the property. In addition, each of the teams were forced to endure a 75-minute rain delay.
Steve Cannon shot an 81, while Logan Cecchine and Craig Durrant carded scores of 84 and 86, respectively, to give the Raiders a team score of 330. Ridgewood’s second place score was 344.
Playing in breezy, cloudy conditions for most of the round, the clouds eventually gave way to brilliant blue skies. When the winning trophy was handed to head coach Paul Parker, it glistened in the late afternoon sun.
"I am very proud of our guys," Parker said afterward. "I don’t know what more a coach could ask for. We’ve won the (Somerset) County Championship, have clinched a share of the (Skyland) Conference title, we’re 12-2 on the season and now we’ve won the sectionals."
The state sectional title advances the Raiders into the prestigious Tournament of Champions at the Rumson Country Club on Monday, where the team will be gunning for an outright state championship. The top two teams from each sectional site and five individuals advance to the Tournament of Champions, meaning that in addition to the team event, Borsuk will be competing in the individual competition.
At the sectionals, each team brought five players (Nick Grappone was Hillsborough’s fifth), with the low four scores counting toward the team score. At the Tournament of Champions, each team brings just four competitors and all four scores count towards the team total.
"It’s been a dream season," Parker said. "And we have a big week coming up."
Parker was referring to a week that was scheduled to include a match with Bridgewater at Green Knoll on Tuesday, weather permitting. A win there would clinch the outright Skyland championship for the Raiders. On Wednesday, Hillsborough was slated to host Ridge at Hillsborough Country Club and then on Thursday (today), the Raiders tee it up in the Skyland Conference Championships at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster.
Hillsborough will be seeking some payback vs. Ridge. Entering last week’s tri-match with Ridge and Pingry at the New Jersey National Club in Basking Ridge, both opponents edged the Raiders by a single stroke. Because of the tri-match format, Hillsborough was tagged with two losses in one day, the only blemishes on an otherwise perfect record as the 12-2 Raiders are ranked fifth in the state poll.
"Our guys have performed in every match and tournament this season," Parker said. "Alpine was a really tough course. It was narrow and the greens were very difficult to hold and, despite the rain, they were very fast. I told the guys that something around 320 would put us in great shape and we ended up shooting 330 to win.
"We were saying on the way up that anything in the mid-80’s or even around 90 would be good scores. Andrew was very steady and Steve and Logan were flirting with sub-80 rounds before stumbling a bit in the greens. But like I said, I could not be any prouder of the guys," Parker added.
As the storybook season heads towards its climatic conclusion, the Raiders are hoping to cap it off with a resounding finish.

