By Jimmy Allinder
Chris Fiebel, the third-year coach of the Spotswood High School boys’ golf team, believes moving to the Greater Middlesex Conference (GMC) Blue Division will make the Chargers more competitive.
Spotswood formerly labored against larger-school teams in the White Division, with an 11-5 record last season and 9-8 mark the year before, and a lot of those wins can be credited with having Evan Esposito on those teams. Esposito was one of the GMC’s top golfers and won the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Central/South state sectional as a senior.
Esposito has graduated, but the Chargers’ move to the Blue Division has softened the blow of losing their stellar golfer, and they are currently 4-3 overall and 3-1 in the division.
“I think [the Blue] is where we can make a run at winning the title,” Fiebel said. “We return six starters plus a transfer, which gives us depth.”
Spotswood leads off with sophomore Trevor Jozefowicz as the team’s top returning golfer with a 43 average for nine holes, although senior Doug Gumprecht’s average is just a half-stroke higher and is the clear No. 2. Mike Langon arrives from East Brunswick High School with excellent skills and should contribute.
The rest of the lineup includes seniors Joe Angeloni, Blake Janeczek and Kevin Ehreman and junior Justin Rochford.
Golf continues as a varsity sport at Spotswood, but Fiebel said much credit should go to the players’ parents, who have helped fund the program through the Hole in One Club. The Chargers also benefit from playing at Rossmoor Country Club in Monroe Township, which donates use of its facilities.
Two other area boys’ teams, East Brunswick High School and Monroe Township High School, expect to contend for the Red Division and GMC Tournament titles and qualify for the state sectional.
Monroe is competing in the Red Division for the first time and is 5-0, including victories over South Brunswick High School and Saint Joseph High School of Metuchen. The Falcons are scheduled to play East Brunswick April 21.
Because of poor conditions the beginning of the season, East Brunswick’s victory over South Brunswick was its only match, but the team had a busy week before facing Monroe. The Bears faced Old Bridge High School April 17, Sayreville War Memorial High School April 19 and are slated to face Perth Amboy High School and Piscataway Township High School in a triangular match April 20.
South River High School is 0-5 thus far.
