The Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School golf team hits the links this spring looking for its fourth straight Shore Conference A Central championship.
The Bulldogs, which also won the NJSIAA Group II title in both 2010 and 2011, are coming off a 16-3 season and have several key players back in the fold, including the 2011 Monmouth County champion John Edler.
Edler, who will continue his career at Bucknell University next year, is always around par or better, and Rumson-Fair Haven coach Brad Margolis expects him to once again contend for the top spot in the county. The coach praised Edler’s solid all-around game, as well as the maturity he has shown in taking the team’s younger golfers under his wing.
“John has really assumed a leadership role,” the coach said. “He helped make sure everyone was working to prepare for the season. He’s also a good role model on the course. John has great technique, and he is very focused. That’s very important for our other players to see.”
Another key player for the Bulldogs is Jack Luby, who is coming off a promising freshman campaign. Margolis said Luby is consistently at about four over par, thanks in large part to his power off the tee, which in turn sets up manageable second and third shots for the sophomore. Junior Jesse Bevilacqua, who has improved through each of his two seasons, should also be in the plus-4 range. In addition, Perry Litwin has been a pleasant surprise. The sophomore played baseball last year, but opted for golf this time around. He has displayed a good short game thus far , and Margolis is expecting Litwin to generally be at plus-4 or 5.
Jack Hawke is another ex-baseball player who is expected to contribute on the links. The senior is working to develop more consistency, but he has logged a couple of low practice rounds thus far.
Another sophomore, Ben Eisenstadt, is working on his consistency after garnering some playing time a year ago. Two freshmen are also expected to get a chance to break into the lineup. Reid Bidell, a 6-foot- 2-inch player on the football team, has impressed with lengthy drives and accurate approach shots, while Rob Coene has a good all-around game and has shown a composure that allows him to bounce back when his shots are inaccurate.
“We have a good mix of veterans and young golfers that will keep us in title competition this year and in the future,” Margolis said. “Right now, I think we’re a pretty strong team up and down the lineup.”
The Bulldogs are set to open the season on April 1 with the Wall Invitational at the Shark River Gold Course in Neptune, where Rumson-Fair Haven has won for the past three seasons. Margolis’ team will play its first match on April 4 against Red Bank Regional High School, also at Shark River.
“Our main goal is to get better with each match and to contend again in A North,” the coach said. “We want to be playing our best when the state sectionals start, and we want to qualify for the Group II tourney and from there get back to the Tournament of Champions, which we missed last year.”