GOLF
By: Mike Molaro
In the highly-competitive Colonial Valley Conference, every golf match provides an opportunity for the upper-echelon squads to distance themselves from the rest of the pack.
The Hopewell Valley Central High School squad has its sights set on West Windsor-Plainsboro North, which currently leads the Bulldogs by one match.
HoVal picked up three key victories last week to raise its record to 12-3 and stepped up the momentum for Tuesday’s Mercer County Tournament at Mountain View Golf Club in Ewing.
With junior Joe Tirpak firing a low score of 39 in his first full varsity match on May 1, the Bulldogs dominated McCorristin, 211-290, at the par-35 Hopewell Valley Golf Club.
Junior Greg Morten carded a 41, senior Jason Pall and junior Matt Castagna each shot a 42 and sophomore Matt Betz shot a 47.
"This match allowed us to get some guys in the lineup who haven’t played a lot," Bulldog head coach Skip Johnson said. "Two-eleven is a solid score for these guys. It was a good opportunity for this guys."
Castagna shot a medal-winning 39 the following afternoon to lead the Bulldogs to a 204-234 triumph over Hamilton at par-34 Cream Ridge Golf Course.
Pall fired a 40, junior Andrew Varhley shot a 41, and junior Brandon Rust and sophomore Greg Carver each had a 42.
"Hamilton was coming off a 219 and I was concerned about that," added Johnson.
"We took our top six guys and shot a 204. I’m happy about that.
"This was also a great chance for us to see this course. We have Allentown here (Cream Ridge) on May 16. There have been some chances to this course this year and it was good even for our guys who have played the course to see it. They changed the hole on four and changed the greens on three and eight."
The Bulldogs earned a 162-195 rain-shortened victory over Trenton on April 30 in a match that was stopped after the official five holes.
Riding the positive momentum, HoVal should be in the thick of what Johnson feels will be a very exciting county tournament.
"There are probably six teams that can win it," the veteran coach said. "Everyone is beating everyone else this year. Lawrence recently lost to Nottingham, WW-P South beat WW-P North, and North defeated us. Notre Dame is always tough.
"It should be very competitive and very interesting. I like it this way."
In addition to the county tournament, the Bulldogs are also focusing on the CVC crown.
"We are in the hunt right now," added Johnson. "We have three CVC losses and WW-P North has two. If we defeat the teams we should, we have an opportunity to gain some ground when we face North at home on May 15. North defeated us at their place earlier this year but I feel good about the way we are playing right now."
A scheduling change that moved the sectional state tournament action from Tuesday, May 14 to Monday, May 13 at Sand Barrens Golf Course in South Jersey could provide the Bulldogs with a key day off before their two tough matches.
"I don’t know why they moved the sectionals up a day earlier, but that shift is a positive for us," Johnson said. "It’s a two-hour ride down to Sand Barrens and we would’ve been tired if the North match was the next day. With the sectionals being moved to Monday, we have a day off before we face North on May 15. Then we have Allentown the next day, so that day in between will help us."