East Brunswick I t’s not how you start the season but how you finish that counts. That was how the East Brunswick High School golf team kept alive a streak of 12 consecutive years either winning or finishing runner up in the season-ending Greater Middlesex Conference Championships.
Following an average (for them) regular season that resulted in an uncharacteristic 10th seed in the tournament, the regulars — who had nursed injuries throughout the spring — shot lower scores. The result was a second place to St. Joseph High School of Metuchen.
If they are to duplicate or surpass that effort, the Bears will have to play to their averages — and then some.
“We have experienced players,” said veteran coach Bo Henning, “but the future of the program is with six freshmen who are on the team. They will eventually become good golfers, but I don’t see them helping much this season.”
That is the difference between the current and past Bears. East Brunswick could always depend on one or two newcomers to immediately contribute to helping the Bears finish among the best in the conference.
Senior John Landi and junior Mike O’Kane are experienced, and their 44- stroke average for nine holes will help EBHS win its share of dual matches. But it’s the performance of seniors Austin Westbrook (46), Ryan Ur (47), Brian Lee (47) and Chris Kania who will ultimately determine the Bears’ success. The newcomers are junior Mike Sharoff and sophomore Kyle Potkulski; the frosh are David Nadler, Ryan Toa, Brian Schuld, Scott Heiberger, Sang Kim and Ross Goldwasser.
“This group hasn’t played in many tournaments outside of the high school season,” observed Henning. “But most have privately worked on their games.”
Henning has coached the boys basketball team for the past 23 years but takes a different approach when it comes to preparing his charges for competition on the links. “The biggest difference in coaching basketball,” he said, “is that when you help a player change his game, you can see immediate results. If you try and correct a golfer’s swing, his game may suffer first before it improves. But that change is important toward helping him reach his potential.” Henning sees the similarity in both when it comes to reaching goals. “I always preach responsibility to teammates,” he said. “How a player practices, whether it’s swinging a club properly or giving his all on the court, will directly impact how the team performs.”
East Brunswick opened the dual match season with a win over Old Bridge but has dropped consecutive matches to South Brunswick and St. Joe’s.
The Bears faced South Plainfield on April 9 and will meet Edison on April 16 and Old Bridge again on April 18.