Raiders repeat as county golf champs

Borsuk places third in individual race

By: John Beisser
   
   The Hillsborough High golf team woke up on Monday morning, saw that they were still ranked No. 1 in the state top 20 poll then went out and played like the state’s best. The Raiders shot a four-man team score of 310 to stave off second place Ridge by five strokes in capturing their second straight Somerset County Championship at the Neshanic Valley Golf Course in Neshanic Station.
   Senior Andrew Borsuk struck the ball beautifully but struggled on the greens in carding a team-best four-over par 75, which was good for third place in the individual competition. Andrew Tursky of Immaculata, a Hillsborough resident, was the medalist with an impressive two-under 69, while Alex Edfort of Franklin shot a one-under par 70 to finish second.
   How pure was Borsuk hitting the ball? Consider the fact he hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation but was undone by 39 putts, including four three-putt greens. Asked how he and his teammates are responding to being ranked No. 1 in the state, Borsuk said it has been a boost.
   "We didn’t realize that Princeton (last week’s No. 1 team) had lost so we were surprised when we saw we were No. 1," he said. "I don’t think we really look at it as pressure. It’s more of a confidence-builder than anything else."
   Logan Cecchine fired a 77 for the Raiders, while Nick Grappone and Ed Zielonka shot 78 and 80, respectively. Hillsborough shaved six strokes off of last year’s winning total of 316, a fact not lost on Raiders’ head coach Paul Parker.
   "Our score of 316 from last year would not have won it this year," Parker noted. "A couple years ago 320 won it, 316 won it last year and this year we shot 310. I feel really happy for the kids. It’s not easy to perform when you have a target on your back. We’re getting a lot of publicity, we’re ranked No. 1 in the state and in the area so our guys know everybody is gunning for them."
   A scary notion is that Hillsborough was able to win the counties by five strokes and none of the four Raider golfers had a particularly good day on the greens.
   "We three-putted left and right," Parker said. "I think we had 14 three-putts between our four golfers. Andrew might have broken 70 if he had putted better. If our guys all had a good day on the greens, we could have come in with a 290-something which is just unheard of in high school golf."
   Prior to the counties, the Raiders enjoyed a 3-0 week which improved their season record to a perfect 7-0. On consecutive days, the Raiders posted wins over Watchung Hills (197-219), Voorhees (182-213) and Delaware Valley (192-228).
   Borsuk shot a 36 while Nick Grappone had a 37 in the win over Watchung Hills. Five Raiders broke 40 vs. Voorhees with Grappone and Borsuk leading the way with a pair of 34’s, followed by Cecchine and Zielonka with 38’s and Craig Durant with a 39. In the win over Del Val, Borsuk had a 35 followed by Cecchine (37) and Zielonka (38).
   With another county championship under their belts and with the Skyland Conference Championship not taking place until May 17, the Raiders now have a chance to focus on dual match competition. Hillsborough was slated to host Franklin on Tuesday before traveling to Warren Hills.
   "The guys have a lot of pride in themselves and are playing well," Parker said. "They know all of the other teams are out to beat them. They go out each time and expect to win these nine-hole matches. Right now they are just playing with a lot of confidence."
   It is way too early to think of next season and a possible Somerset County Championship three-peat and Hillsborough will graduate five talented seniors after this season. But if rival coaches in the area and around the state think Hillsborough golf will just go away, they should consider the recent performance of the Raider jayvee team.
   Led by a pair of 37’s posted by freshmen Ed Molinari and Ryan Hengerer, the jayvees posted a 202 vs. Watchung Hills, a score that would have defeated the Warriors’ varsity team by 17 strokes.