Shore golf 2023: Colts Neck's Ethan Weinberg wins Wall Invitational; Westfield takes team title

Stephen Edelson, Asbury Park Press
·4 min read

NEPTUNE – A year ago, Colts Neck’s Ethan Weinberg double bogeyed his final hole to lose the season-opening Wall Invitational in his first high school tournament.

On Monday, Weinberg left no doubt.

The Cougars’ sophomore rolled in a birdie putt on his second to last hole of the day to take the lead, before cementing the win with a two-putt birdie at the last for a round of 1-under-par 71, good for a two-shot victory at Jumping Brook in cool, blustery conditions.

More:Top Shore boys, girls golfers ranked for 2023 season: plus, team rankings, key dates

“I was close in a lot of tournaments last year, but especially this one,” said Weinberg, who was seventh at the Shore Conference Tournament and third at the NJSIAA Central/South Group 3 championship during his rookie season.

A strong performance by Monmouth’s Jack Hennelley secured third place. The Golden Falcons’ junior had the lead a 1-under-par midway through the round. But a double-bogey on the par-3 third hole dropped him back to 1-over-par, eventually finishing with a 74.

Colts Neck's Ethan Weinberg waits to tee off on the 3rd hole during the season-opening Wall Invitational boys high school golf tournament at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune Monday, March 27, 2023.
Colts Neck's Ethan Weinberg waits to tee off on the 3rd hole during the season-opening Wall Invitational boys high school golf tournament at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune Monday, March 27, 2023.

Westfield senior Barnes Blake, the reigning NJSIAA individual state champion, who helped the Blue Devils win the 2021 Tournament of Champions title, spearheaded a winning effort. Blake shot 75 to finish tied for fourth with teammate Tate Esler, while Westfield shot 308 to take the team title.

Wall golfers serve notice

While Wall junior Pat Scenna, the defending champion, was not in contention for the win, he rolled in a sizeable eagle putt on his final hole to push the Crimson Knights, the defending team champs, into a second-place finish, two shots clear of Colts Neck and Princeton. Scenna also grabbed a top-10 finish individually with a 78.

“It’s never okay to lose, but I’m not disappointed we came in second. It’s usually been a good sign for us later in the year,” said Wall coach Matt Stefanski, whose team did not qualify for the TOC last year after winning the Group 2 championship in 2021. “How can I be unhappy if I have four scores in the 70s.”

For Colts Neck, it was a promising start, as the Cougars and Wall look to challenge Christian Brothers Academy’s dominance in area tournaments for more than a decade. Wall and Colts Neck finished second and third behind CBA at both the Monmouth County and Shore Conference tournaments last year.

“I think we have a lot of potential this season,” Weinberg said. “Our top four have improved tremendously this season. There’s no reason we can’t win tournaments. We’ll see what happens. We should have some good rivalries.”

After a bogey dropped him back to 1-over-par with three holes to play, Weinberg sprayed his drive right on the 415-yard seventh hole. But a 9-iron shot from 153 yards stopped six feet from the cup and he was able to convert the birdied to take a one-shot lead.

“I knew that I was up there. I didn’t know I was in first, but I knew I was in contention at that point,” he said.

On his final hole, the 526-yard ninth hole, his second shot from 219 yards out stopped on the back fringe, eventually sinking a six-footer for birdie.

Results

Team: 1. Westfield 308; 2. Wall 318; 3. tie, Colts Neck, Princeton 320;  5. Rumson-Fair Haven 333; 6. tie,  Holmdel, Middletown South 334; 8. Allentown 349; 9. Morristown 350; 10. Freehold Twp. 352.

Individual: 1. Ethan Weinberg (Colts Neck) 71; 2. Brooks Cahill Sanidas (Princeton) 73; 3. Jack Hennelley (Monmouth) 74; 4. tie, Barnes Blake (Westfield), Tate Esler (Westfield) 75; 6. tie, Eric Castner (Colts Neck), Dan Cassidy (Middletown South), James Dunn (Westfield) 77; 9. tie, Patrick Sharpe (Holmdel), Pat Scenna (Wall), Cormack Meldrum (Morristown) 78; 12. tie, Walter Gumbinger (Princeton), Richie Reck (Middletown South), Will Ross (Rumson-Fair Haven), Boden Pepe (Wall), Alex Menges (Wall), Jack Aiello (Colts Neck) 79; 18. tie,  Jack Lawless (Rumson), Spencer Shore (Westfield), Max Kuchor (Allentown) 81; 21. tie, Andrew Schrager (Middletown North), Matthew Bontz (Monmouth), Christian Klemanowicz (Freehold Twp.), Nolan McCarthy (Wall) 82; 25. tie, Peter Eaton (Princeton), Amsel Patel (Freehold Twp.), Charlie Comey (Wall) 83; 28. tie, Luke Pangborn (Rumson), Jeremy Maia (Howell), Peyton Cerminaro (Howell), Brody Esler (Westfield), Alex Bayham (Ocean City) Finian Healey (Manasquan), Matthew Merkel (Holmdel) 84.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shore NJ golf 2023: Colts Neck's Ethan Weinberg wins Wall Invitational