Bergen Catholic leads Bergen golfers into Garden State Cup by Greg Mattura of The Record
Bergen Catholic leads a powerhouse Bergen County contingent into New Jersey high school golf’s first major test of the season.
The Crusaders, three-time reigning Tournament of Champions titlists, are among five Bergen schools teeing off Wednesday morning at the prestigious Garden State Cup at Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Galloway.
Defending champion Bergen Catholic is joined by the reigning state Group 3 champion, Northern Valley at Old Tappan, as well as Paramus, Don Bosco and Pascack Hills.
The Garden State Cup is to New Jersey golf what The Masters is to the PGA Tour, and often serves as a window into the season. The 19-team GSC opens with an 11:30 a.m. shotgun and features 10 schools that competed at last year’s Tournament of Champions.
“I think there will be some rust,” said Bergen Catholic coach Jim Jacobsen, whose team opened the season Monday with a nine-hole win over St. Joseph. “I just hope that we have an advantage in that we’ve been [practicing] so much and playing in the bad weather.”
Cold temperatures in March are not conducive to hot golf in April, and scores on the par-72 course are expected to be high. Bergen Catholic won last year’s shoot-five, count-four event with a wind-swept 322, seven strokes ahead of St. Rose and nine better than Don Bosco.
St. Rose, which won Monday’s Wall Invitational, returns to the GSC, as do fellow non-public powers Peddie and St. Augustine. Christian Brothers Academy, third at last year’s Tournament of Champions, makes its debut. Also back are Rumson-Fair Haven, Morristown and Mainland.
Bergen Catholic features three All-State returnees from the quartet that won last year’s Tournament of Champions with a tournament-record 4-under 284: senior Jimmy Criscione and juniors Chris Lee and Dan Yam. Junior James Pak and sophomore Alex Lamarca provide depth.
To underscore how the GSC is a window into the future, consider that Reid Bedell of Rumson-Fair Haven won last year’s title as a senior and went on to win the Tournament of Champions. Morgan Hoffmann, now a PGA Tour veteran, won in 2005 as a Ramapo freshman en route to capturing his first Tournament of Champions.
NV/Old Tappan will make its debut at the GSC, which requires a round-trip drive in excess of 250 miles for Bergen schools. The Golden Knights feature three stellar juniors in All-State pick Ryan Lee, Sam Yom and Chan Park.
“I think we have a real good team, specifically three real good juniors, and I just wanted them to do something extra this year, so we looked around and we found another tournament for them,” said NV/Old Tappan coach Tom Quinn. “And I’m excited about bringing the team down.”
Paramus is also a state Group 3 contender and features excellent balance. The Spartans field five seniors in Gaetano Fernandes, Spencer Lubash, James and Joe Rendine and Eric Waxman.
Don Bosco will arrive as somewhat of an unknown commodity. Sophomore John Driscoll, who won last year’s Bergen County individual title and earned All-State, transferred out of state. The Ironmen return seniors Toby DiPaolo and Tyler Nielsen and junior Chris Rauchet.
“We’re breaking in a lot of new faces,” Don Bosco coach TC Sweeney said, “and it allows them to compete at a really high level and see Bergen Catholic and some of the best teams in the state and how good they are. And where we have to be if we want to compete when it’s time for league, county and state sectionals.”
Pascack Hills is a state Group 2 title contender. The Cowboys’ lineup includes seniors Garrett Koroghlian, Kevin Michael and Scott Rabinowitz and juniors Kyle Spielman.
“We play in an early-season tournament like this to gauge where we are now, and to prepare for where we need to be in May,” said Pascack Hills coach Ed Sandt. “But we’re there to win.”
GSC teams (19): Bergen Catholic, Burlington Twp., Christian Brothers Academy, Clearview, Don Bosco, Lenape, Mainland, Morristown, Northern Valley at Old Tappan, Paramus, Pascack Hills, Peddie, Rumson-Fair Haven, St. Augustine, St. Rose, Seneca, Shawnee, Southern Regional, West Windsor-Plainsboro South.