To keep a remarkable streak like the one the Great Neck girls golf team is on, it takes everybody.
Your best golfer shooting well isn’t going to cut it. You need everyone in the lineup to step up.
When junior Lia Huang shot what she called “one of the worst rounds I’ve ever played” on day one of the Nassau County championships at Bethpage Blue and Green on May 19, it was her four teammates who picked her up.
With Huang shooting much better on day two, and seventh-grader Doris Lu improving her own score by 10 strokes, Great Neck came from behind to win its sixth consecutive Nassau title.
Trailing Roslyn by four shots and in third place after Day 1, Great Neck rallied and surpassed its rivals to win by four strokes and keep its remarkable run going.
“We are out there until dark practicing sometimes, hardly able to see the ball, but that’s what makes our team succeed,” Huang said. “We knew if we stayed confident that even though we were down, we’d come back.”
Coach Matthew Corrigan attributed the success to the makeup of his players.
“These kids are just winners,” Corrigan said. “Lia was waiting for that breakout round and she had it on Tuesday, and Doris was great also. Our girls are battle-tested.”
Sophomore Cherry Wang, junior Caylin Wong, and senior Tiffany Liu round out the lineup for Great Neck, whose players attend both North and South high schools.
Huang said it was the experience of having been through many close rounds that helped them coach the younger players.
“We were able to help Doris and Cherry shoot their best,” said Huang, who has been on the team since seventh grade.
In the individual championship, Manhasset junior Madison Chen grabbed her second title in three years, shooting a two-day total of 145, just three over par, to win.
Great Neck moves on to play Suffolk champ Southampton on May 27 at Bethpage Green.
Several players earned spots to represent Nassau at the state championship, scheduled for June 7–8 at The Edison Club in upstate Rexford. Joining Chen, Huang, Wong and Wang will be Palwasha Ali (Sewanhaka), Ava Estrella (Friends Academy), Renna Chang (Jericho) Evelyn Chou (Herricks), Lydia Choi (Roslyn), and Lara Cohen (Roslyn).
In the boys competition, it was Manhasset backing up last year’s crown with a repeat title.
This year, the Set fivesome had an easier time, dominating throughout and winning by 26 strokes over Friends Academy on the Bethpage Red and Green Courses.
Leading the way for Manhasset was eighth grader Ethan Yao, who shot an incredible 67 on Day 2 to almost chase down individual winner Charles Nevin of Friends Academy.
Yao’s two-day total of 1-under 141 was just two shots off the win.
“He’s incredible, to think that in eighth grade I was just starting and learning and he’s coming in second of the county,” Manhasset senior Evan Fulgieri said. “He’s got all the shots.”
Manhasset coach Michael Tarnowski said his group, which included Jaden Chang, Ryan Liu, Justin Yem and Padge O’Connor, was a continuation of last year’s success.
“It’s a pleasure to coach these guys, who take the game seriously and each works hard in practice,” Tarnowski said. “And Ethan, I don’t think he’s anywhere close to his full ceiling; to shoot a 67 on that course was really, really difficult.”
Like Huang, Fulgieri credits the team’s practice habits for the success.
“The Nassau County championship isn’t won on the 18th green; it’s won in March and January when we’re constantly grinding late at night,” Fulgieri said. “We’re a really close group who enjoys being around each other so much.”
Yao said he thought he had a chance to catch Nevin on the second day, but was thrilled to help another county win.
“The older guys have shown a great deal of leadership to me and blending us in to the Manhasset culture,” Yao said.
Manhasset’s boys now face Northport on May 27 for the Long Island championship.
Qualifying for the state championship on June 8–9 at Mill Creek Golf Club in upstate Churchville are Nevin, Yao, Fulgieri, Liu, Bryan Zhao (Jericho), Domenick Caponi (Plainedge), Akash Agarwal (Friends Academy), Ashton Klar (Locust Valley), and Port Washington’s Bryce Karty. Port Washington’s Dylan Reyes qualified as an alternate.
