PHS Boys' Golf Takes MCT, Sectional Titles; Aims to Excel at Tournament of Champions

Bill Alden

Coming into the Mercer County Tournament last Wednesday, the Princeton High boys' golf team knew it didn't have much of a margin for error if it was going to regain the team title.

PHS had its sights firmly set on defending champion WW/P-S, who had edged the Little Tigers by one stroke in a dual match earlier this spring.

The pressure on PHS intensified early in the event at Mercer Oaks when senior star Jon Bichsel had to withdraw after two holes due to illness. As a result, the Little Tigers' four remaining players had to finish their rounds and play well if PHS was to have any chance at the title.

Showing their competitive mettle, the quartet of Peter Teifer, Will Madden, Curtis Smith, and George Graham came through to combine for a score of 308 to win the title as they topped runner-up WW/P-S by five strokes.

Teifer led the way for PHS as he carded a 73 to tie Anthony Aloi of WW/P-S and WW/P-N's Dan Trink at the top of the individual standings. Trink went on to win the individual crown in a sudden-death playoff.

As for PHS, Madden was next for the Little Tigers as he shot a 76 with Smith at 79 and Graham at 80.

PHS head coach Sheryl Severance was proud of how golfers responded as the program won its fourth MCT team crown in the last six years (2002, 2003, 2005).

"They stepped up; they played well," said Severance, whose team kept rolling last Monday as it placed first in the North Jersey Section 1 and 2 Group 3 championship at Overpeck Golf Course sectional to qualify for the Tournament of Champions on May 21.

"George had a 10 on one hole and he still shot an 80. He was playing on a broken ankle. Will was very happy; he came off the course smiling so we knew he had a good score."

While Teifer had the team's best score, it was a bittersweet day for the senior star who badly wanted to win the individual title in his final MCT.

"He feels he gave it away," said Severance, referring to Teifer's bogey on the first hole of the sudden-death playoff. "He had too much adrenaline going on that first hole of the playoff. He still had a great day. He birdied the last hole and he knew he needed that to tie Aloi."

It was a great feeling for PHS to edge WW/P-S. "It was so sweet," said Severance. "It's good to have a rival like that. The guys really buckle down when they are competing with them."

Winning four MCT titles has made PHS a team that has drawn the attention of the competition. "It makes us a team everyone is looking up to," added Severance,- whose team previously won the Cherry Hill Invitational and the Bunker Hill Invitational this spring. "Teams call us wanting to play us."

PHS is now looking to have everyone in the state looking up at it next Monday when it competes in the Tournament of Champions at the Burlington Country Club in Mount Holly. "We need to take it one shot at a time," asserted Severance, whose team is ranked No. 1 in the state. "The most important shot is the next one."

And if PHS can maintain its focus, it has a good shot to do something special at the Tournament of Champions.

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