The Knightly News

By: Sarah Hudes and Jesse Polin

The boys golf team has lead one of its most successful seasons yet with 15 wins, one loss, and an undefeated win in their division at the Colonial Valley Conference.  Not only did they play exceptionally well at the Mercer County Tournament, where the team came in second against fifteen other teams, but North’s very own senior, Bennet Perrine, was the individual winner.

The team’s teamwork definitely paid off in the end, because in the 2016 CVC Golf Coaches End of Season Awards, Perrine received player of the year.  “My ultimate achievement this year was winning the Mercer County Championship and also going undefeated in the CVC. It was also an honor to be named player of the year,” Perrine said.

The team’s achievements could not have been completed without hard work.  “Rain or shine the whole team was out on the course practicing,” freshman Eric Devlin explained.  Coach Courtney agreed, “I am a strong proponent that we play in even the poorest weather, so we go out and we play on the course four days of the week, and then we usually go to the range on Friday.  The more they play the better they will get.”

The team’s unwavering commitment to becoming the best in the area is what drives their wins.  Practicing on the field every day, according to Perrine, is their best winning strategy.  “[Practicing] on the field is valuable because it prepares me for actual tournament play as opposed to just practicing technique; I’m able to visualize how I want to play in tournaments,” Perrine said.

One of the team’s greatest accomplishments this year is its low score of 192 as a team.  This low score was the best Courtney had seen since he started coaching the team several years ago.

Coming into this season, the team faced a loss of six seniors, leaving a younger team with room to grow.  According to Courtney, who is looking ahead to next season, losing some of their seniors, Patrick Zeoli, Ben Perrine, and Prasanth Yedliopoli, will be tough, but will ensure the underclassmen work even harder next year.

Devlin describes how, although he was new to the team this year, by the end of the season, he had become very close to his fellow teammates.  “I’ve definitely spent a lot of time with all of them and have gotten to know them very well; they are all really great, awesome, and funny guys,” Devlin said.

A strong sense of companionship also exists among the all the team members.  According to Perrine, “Spending so much time with [the team] makes it easier to become closer, and all the trips we’ve gone on has given us a great opportunity to bond.”