Three straight years. The same outcome.
Last Tuesday, the boys golf team came out victorious in yet another Union County victory. The Blue Devils went into the tournament ready to defend their two consecutive wins from the previous years, and were able to triumph over their competitors to win the trophy yet again.
The event took place at Echo Lake Country Club, the home course of the Blue Devils. Despite it being familiar territory, the team faced some challenges, but persevered through. “The most challenging part was the greens as the pins were set in really tough spots and they were also super fast so it made things on the green a little bit harder,” said sophomore Jack Brouillard.
Sophomore Chase Simms agreed. “I had some trouble on the greens but through all the frustration, I still stuck to my process and hit some really good shots down the stretch, which helped me come in with a respectable score and help out the team.”
Both Brouillard and Simms finished with strong scores within the top five that helped the team secure the victory. Brouillard placed third with a score of 76 and Simms placed fourth with a score of 77. Senior Nick Benson also added his name to the top five with a score of 78.
Even with some challenges and tough competition, the Blue Devils were able to triumph, topping Scotch Plains-Fanwood by eight strokes. “There were some great teams there that we had to battle to get the win at such a historic tournament, so I’m really proud of all the guys for pulling through,” Simms said.
Head coach Ryan Daly says that he is proud of the way the team performed knowing the pressure tournaments like this can put on the golfers. “I am most proud of how these guys handle pressure. It doesn’t bother them at all. I think they welcome challenges and they want to be playing when the match or tournament is on the line,” Daly said.
Daly also mentioned the significance of the three-peat. “It means a lot to have a consecutive title because it shows that these guys continued working really hard in the off season to prepare for this prestigious event,” Daly said.
Looking ahead, the Blue Devils turn their focus to the state level and the Tournament of Champions. The sectional tournament on Tuesday at High Bridge Hills Golf Club at 9 a.m. will determine if the Blue Devils will move on further to the state championship. “We need to be on our A-game to make it to the Tournament of Champions in two weeks, so for myself and as a team, we have our sights set on Tuesday where we will just keep doing what we’ve been doing already this season,” Simms said.
