Lawrence golfers bring score down

GOLF

By: Tim Falls
   The Lawrence High School varsity golf team could not be playing better at a better time.
   The Cardinals posted scores under 200 going into matches against West Windsor-Plainsboro South and Princeton. Lawrence was scheduled to play the Pirates on Wednesday and are slated to take on the Little Tigers today (Thursday).
   "We’re peaking at the right time," said Lawrence golf coach Gregg Zenerovitz. "We’re obviously playing really well. We have West Windsor South, who’s ranked third in the state, and then Princeton, who’s ranked second, back-to-back."
   At 4-1 and a recent record of success, Lawrence likes its chances against the top teams in the Colonial Valley Conference, especially since the Cardinals are hosting the Pirates at their own course, Green Acres Country Club. That’s just a little extra advantage, if they were to need it.
   Because Green Acres is a private course, high school players may not be as familiar with it as they are with the public courses. It can be a definite home course advantage for the Cardinals.
   Still, Lawrence proved even private courses can be contended with when the Cardinal defeated Pennington at Hopewell Valley Country Club on Tuesday.
   Lawrence recorded its lowest score of the season, winning the match with a five-score total of 194.
   "It was our best of the year so far," said Zenerovitz. "I was a little nervous going in because we haven’t played well there in the past. For us to walk out shooting a 194, I’m absolutely pleased. It’s a challenging course and it’s a private course so we don’t get to play there too often."
   Steve Mann led Lawrence’s shooters against Pennington.
   The senior Cardinal shot 1-under par (36) with a 35. Chris Boutote shot a 38, Andrew Slom and Lee Kwon each carded a 39 and Greg Wrobel finished with a 43 for Lawrence.
   "These are great scores," said Zenerovitz. "I’m really pleased with where we are right now. We’re playing our best golf when we need to play our best."
   Lawrence easily handled Ewing, 197-234, at Mountainview on Monday.
   Mann and Slom both shot a 36, 1-over-par (35), while Wrobel had a 39.
   Against Nottingham last Wednesday at Green Acres, Lawrence posted its best score in school history on the Cardinal’s home course.
   Lawrence shot a 196, six strokes better than last season’s best at Green Acres. This is the second season Green Acres has acted as the Cardinals’ home course.
   "Our lowest was a 202," said Zenerovitz. "Green Acres is a tough course, for us to get below 200, I was pretty proud of them."
   Boutote led with a 37, Slom had a 38, Mann and Matt Merencik both shot a 39 and Kwon had a 43.
   Those are obviously numbers to be proud of, and if Lawrence can reproduce those rounds the Cardinals could knock off WW-P South or Princeton.
   "South played Notre Dame at their own course and shot a 209," said Zenerovitz, "so they’re beatable."
   Still, Zenerovitz isn’t counting those matches in the win column just yet. He knows from experience how tough those teams can be out on the course.
   "We came so close last year," said Zenerovitz, who added that he doesn’t want his team trying to beat the opposition. The coach only wants his team to keep playing the way they have been.
   "We can play well," said Zenerovitz. "I truly believe, if we play the way we’ve been playing — smart, one hole a the time – we have a really good shot."
   While Lawrence is going into its match against WW-P South, 4-1, a win there and against Princeton would go a long way toward qualifying for NJSIAA tournament play.
   "You have to win 60 percent in golf," said Zenerovitz. "If things don’t go our way, we could easily be 4-3 going into Friday."
   Losses would mean a lot more work with Lawrence facing tougher competition, like WW-P North, Hopewell Valley and rematch with Notre Dame. The Irish handed the Cardinals a loss in their opening match.