Lynbrook golfers regain crown

For the second time in three years the Lynbrook boys’ golf team earned a conference championship.

The Owls clinched the league title with a 7-2 victory over defending champion Hewlett on the front nine at Woodmere Country Club May 11. Junior Matt Hirsh shot a three-over-38 to lead the Owls.

The next day, Lynbrook (12-0) finished off an undefeated season with a convincing victory over Calhoun at Seawane Country Club. Alec Stern, the lone senior on the roster, and freshman Anthony Rodriguez each shot a 5-over par 42 for Lynbrook.

Coach Josh Berlin, who earned Coach of the Year honors in Nassau Conference I, was pleased with his team’s accomplishment. “At the beginning of the season, one of the goals was to win the conference, and the guys went out and did it,” Berlin said. “To beat a great team like Hewlett is very satisfying. I’m proud of the team. They have a great work ethic and are a lot of fun to work with. They’re a group of guys who respect the game and their opponents.”

The season could not have gotten off to a better start for the Owls. Prior to their first matchup with Hewlett, the team ran off five consecutive shutout victories over Mepham, Valley Stream District, Long Beach, Calhoun, and Bellmore-JFK.

Hewlett, which was led by senior Taylor Heath and junior Austin Huth, was equally as impressive. The Bulldogs brought a perfect 6-0 record onto the course for the first meeting. 

With both teams likely feeling the typical pressure of the match of unbeatens, neither played its best golf. Lynbrook escaped with a narrow 6-3 victory. Junior Luke Reilly shot a two-over-38 on the front nine at Seawane as the Owls took over sole possession of first place. The teams were separated by just three strokes. Heath shot even par to lead Hewlett. 

Neither team was challenged in ensuing matches, so the stage was set for a pressure-filled match when the teams met for the second time. This time it wasn’t quite as close as Hirsh led Lynbrook to the top spot.

In the Nassau County tournament at Bethpage State Park May 24-25, the Owls finished in 10th place. As expected, Farmingdale won the county team title for the third consecutive season. 

Hirsh shot a 77 on the second day of the tournament for a two-day total of 155, good enough for a seventh-place finish and a return trip to the state tournament. His 35 on the back nine of the Bethpage Blue course was the lowest nine-hole score for any golfer in the tournament.

Hirsh traveled to Ithaca last weekend and competed in the state tournament at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course located on the campus of Cornell University.

Hirsh and Reilly both earned All-County honors this spring. Sophomore Dean Sisun picked up Honorable Mention All-County recognition. Stern, Rodriguez, and sophomore Michael Pearsall were All-Conference.