After going 10-9 in 2010, the Hightstown High golf team is in a bit of a rebuilding stage.
"We lost a lot of people," noted Hightstown Coach Dee Pasternick.
Hightstown returns three players on the varsity, but only one of them was a regular starter in 2010.
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Danielle Kierner is Hightstown's top player. The junior is entering her third year on the varsity.
Collin Hurler (junior) and Nick Bonacorda (sophomore) also played in some matches last year as well.
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Vince Bonacorda is the big graduation loss for Hightstown. Last year, he qualified for the state tournament.
Hightstown has no choice but to just enter new players into the program and let them go out and play and get better and better.
Alex Gordon (sophomore), Ben Goldfarb (sophomore), Will Grelis (freshman), David Gerhart (senior) and Amy Schwartz (senior) are also competing for varsity playing time.
Hightstown finished its first week of the season 0-3. After running into some problems with the weather, Hightstown did manage to play on three consecutive days.
On Apr. 5, Hightstown was defeated by Allentown, 220-258. Kierner's 47 was Hightstown's best score.
On Apr. 6, Kierner shot a 45 in a 199-263 loss to West Windsor South.
On Apr. 7, Kierner shot a 44 and Bonacorda a 47 in a 231-240 loss to Steinert.
Kierner also competed in a girls invitational tournament on Monday. Against most of the top players in the state, Kierner placed 17th in the Red Devil Invitational. Kierner shot a 90 over 18 holes.
"Danielle was really competitive in that one," Pasternick said. "Placing 17th in that one is really good."
For the most part, Kierner will play against the boys. She will compete in the Mercer County and state tournament as part of the Hightstown team. She also will compete in the Mercer girls tournament as an individual (she was third in the event last year). If she gets enough qualifying rounds, Kierner could also make the girls states as an individual.
"She needs five matches at seven or less over par to make the states," Pasternick noted. "She has a shot at it. Her scores are dropping."
Hightstown will be after its first win when it hosts Robbinsville on Tuesday and Ewing on Wednesday.
