Stein Defeats Teammate, Advances To 94th Juniors Semifinals
Not only was Dylan Stein forced to battle the heat and humidity, but one of his closest friends, Hunterdon Central high school teammate James Wolfangel, also of Copper Hill, in the quarterfinals of the 94th NJSGA Junior Championship at par-72, 6,687-yard Rumson Country Club.
Stein managed to defeat Wolfangel, the co-medalist on Monday, 2 and 1, and advanced to play Sam Goldenring of Brooklake, a 5 and 4 winner over Reid Bedell of Manasquan River, in Wednesday’s semifinals at 7:38 in the morning
In the other semifinal, the other co-medalist, Chris Gotterup of Rumson, who edged Chris Kopeck of Ramsey, 1 up, will face Jake Meyer of Plainfield, a 1 up winner over Paolo Matti of Plainfield West at 7:30 a.m.
JUNIORS BRACKETS BOYS BRACKETS PHOTO GALLERY
Following the semifinals, the players will return for the championship final in the early afternoon. All players also played Round of 16 matches in the morning.
The 45th Boy Championship semifinals have top-seed Robert McHugh of Darlington against fourth-seed Jimmy Apostolico of Newton at 7:45 a.m. and Tyler Senior of Ridgewood against Alessandro Lamarca of Valley Brook at 7:53 a.m.
“James (Wolfangel) a really good friend of mine and we both compete hard. We each tried out hardest to win. This won’ affect our friendship,” said Stein, who said he was cramping up due to dehydration in the early going of the quarterfinals. “James and I both wanted this.”
Stein was third in the state high school Tournament of Champions in May after winning a sectional championship with a 69 at Trump National in Bedminster. He also won the Copper Hill club championship last year. He will play golf at Towson University beginning this fall while wolfangel will attend Colgate.
Stein claimed his victory vs. Wolfangel on the strength of a birdie victory on the par-4 13th hole and a sand save for a triumph on the par-4 15th to go 2 up. But Wolfangel rallied with a birdie on the 16th, until Stein’s up-and-down on No. 17 was good enough to win the hole for the 2-and-1 triumph.
In his Round of 16 4-and-2 triumph over Zach Potten of Newton, Stein put together a stretch of an eagle and three birdies in succession on his back nine to pull away. The eagle came on the par-5 No. 11 when his 3-wood from 275 yards ended five feet from the cup.
Goldenring won the Essex County and Prep B championships this spring to earn first-team All-State honors out of Newark Academy, The Newark Academy rising senior carded five birdies in his quarterfinal match.
“My driving has improved. I’m able to get close on the par-4s and shorter par-5s. I’ve been making putts. This weekend, I switched from a mallet to a blade and it has given me confidence. I’m excited about reaching the semifinals. It would mean a lot to me. The last three years, I haven’t been able to get past the quarterfinals and today, I finally did,” Goldenring said.
For the second year in a row, Gotterup took home medalist honors, doing it in 2014 in the Boys Division. On Tuesday, he made amends for losing in the second round of match play last year.
“It takes a little pressure off me to play here because it’s like my backyard,” said Gotterup, 16, a rising junior at Christian Brothers Academy. “Everything is coming together for me this year. I’m hitting a lot longer. I’ve gotten bigger and stronger.”
Gotterup was runner-up to Delbarton’s Will Voetsch in the Tournament of Champions and won the Monmouth County title and also earned first team All-State honors. Last week, he played in the U.S. Junior Amateur in Bluffton, S.C.
Gotterup halved the 18th hole with a par to close out Kopack after his bogey on No. 17 allowed Kopack to pull within one hole. In the Round of 16, Gotterup defeated Nick Miller of Valley Brook, 3 and 2.
“I just try to go out there and not think about anything and swing the club,” he said. “To win this would be an accomplishment. Making the U.S. Juniors was a big confidence builder. I lost in the finals of the Met Boys here last year. It would be cool to get a little redemption by winning this.”
Mayer, a rising junior at Pingry, was 4-up on Matti with six holes to play before Matti, who will be a freshman at Iona, roared back. His birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 enabled him to close within one hole. But Mayer won with a halve on the par-4 No. 18.
“It’s my fourth year in the match-play and first year in the Juniors and it felt good to beat a rising freshman. I’m happy to be here and to have gotten this opportunity. I’ve got to keep playing smart,” said Mayer, who has won a club championship at Metuchen. “It will be tough to beat the top seed (Gotterup) playing at his home course ,” Mayer said.
“I really didn’t putt well,” said McHugh, 15, a rising sophomore at Wayne Hills High School. “I couldn’t get the speed right.”
As a freshman, McHugh placed third in the Passaic County Championship and led Wayne Hills to the team title.
