Dolan cracks top ten at states

Even when the putts weren’t dropping, settling instead on the lip of the cup, Christian Dolan still managed a top ten finish in his final high school tournament.

“It’s not the best week I’ve had,” Dolan said, “but it’s still a good way to end it.”

For the second straight year, the Islip senior had the best finish among Long Island representatives in the NYSPHSAA boys golf championships, shooting a 9-over 81 in treacherous conditions on the first day and a 3-over 75 yesterday to finish with a combined score of 156 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course. He finished 14 strokes behind the winner Yarik Merkulov of Penfield High School, who shot even par-72 followed by a 2-under 70.

“My putting wasn’t that great but I was able to make up for it off the tee,” Dolan said.  “I hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of good shots onto the greens.  I just didn’t really drop the putts that I had to.”

Dolan, who finished second in the county tournament, was one of three Suffolk golfers to finish in the top-20 and qualify for All-State.  East Islip junior Brian Allmendinger tied for 17th with a combined score of 158 (78-80) and Suffolk County champion Frank Amicizia, a junior from Kings Park, finished tied for 19th with a 159 (81-78).  

At the state tournament last year, Dolan tied for 24^th with a 157.

“It’s my second year coming back and I felt like I needed to make a better showing this year,” Dolan said.  “So it’s good to come in the top 10.”

Despite finishing in the top 10, Dolan’s coach feels he could have finished even higher.

“Honestly, I bet you he would have finished in the top five but he was struggling with his putter a little bit,” Islip coach Mike Reilly said.  “The top two kids were lights out both days but he could have finished third if he was able to knock down a couple of putts.”

Other members of Suffolk, who finished sixth out of 11 sections, included Bay Shore’s Jack Maerki (81-81 – 162), Deer Park’s Kyle Morris (82-86 – 168), Half Hollow Hills West’s Brandon Jaffe (91-80 – 171), Ward Melville’s Tom Jannace (94-83 – 177), Longwood’s Justin DiMarco (89-90 – 179), and Smithtown West’s Tom Burton (94-88 – 182).

Kurt Brey, of the back-to-back Long Island champion Dalers, wrapped up his successful tenure by leading the Nassau golf team with a 9-over 81 on the first day and 7-over 79 yesterday for a combined score of 160.  Mepham senior Adam Larkin, who tied for 47^th place last year with a 164, improved by three strokes, shooting a 9-over 81 and an 8-over 80 for a 161.  Syosset eighth-grader Matt Csillag, who qualified for states by winning a playoff hole in the county tournament, shot a 164 (80-84) and should be a fixture on the Nassau state team throughout his high school career.

Rounding out the Nassau team, who finished in seventh as a team , was county champion Matt Lowe (86-81 – 167) and his Farmingdale teammates James Darcy (88-79 – 167) and Kyle Brey (89-86 –175), Lynbrook’s Matt Hirsch (87-80 – 167), Jericho’s Sahil Iyer (93-87 – 180), and the lone girl on the boy’s team, who came in second in counties, Kelly Shon of Port Washington (88-79 – 167).