The J.P. Stevens girls golf team has had a remarkable season with a record of 8-1, including a 7-1 record in the Red Division. These numbers place them in first place in the Division and top ten in the state. The team also won a tight GMC championship and finished third in the North Jersey Group A Championship. Led by their captains, Senior Prisha Amin and Junior Ishani Vakil, the Hawks have had huge success in their games against various teams including the likes of Sayreville, Old Bridge, South and East Brunswick, and Wardlaw-Hartridge.
The J.P. Stevens golf team is filled to the brim with impressive talent: Junior Pooja Jade, who attends Edison Magnet, freshman Alexa Choi, junior captain Ishani Vakil, and sophomore Riya Lakhihal. Pooja Jade has been named an Honorable Mention for the Red Division and the Greater Middlesex County for the last two years in a row. In addition, she was named the J.P. Stevens MVP for the past two years. Both Pooja and Alexa were invited to the individual state championships this year, with Pooja placing 32nd and Alexa placing 54th.
The Hawks won an incredibly close Greater Middlesex County Championship this year after winning for the first time in seven years, having defeated East Brunswick in a final tiebreaker, with the fifth highest scorer being taken into account. The score between the Hawks and East Brunswick was tied at 345, but thanks to Senior Captain Prisha Amin’s 107 compared to East Brunswick’s 117, the Hawks won the championship. Junior Pooja Jade also tied for second overall place in the County after being outperformed by just one stroke.
This year, the Hawks took part in new tournaments such as the Red Devil Invitational, Mountain Ridge Invitational, and Lady Bombers Tee-Off Classic, helping to create a deeper bond between the players. Sophomore Riya Lakhihal feels as though “The team is winning a lot more this year because of playing more tournaments throughout the season, and we are more connected.”
Both seniors, Captain Prisha Amin and Meghana Arun, have shown the utmost commitment to their team as they have been on the team since their freshman year. All their hard work has paid off, as they get to cap off their JPS career with a GMC championship. Their coach, Michael Siter, is proud of the seniors and other players’ accomplishments this season, especially in the GMCs. “The most impressive part of the season was winning the GMC tournament. The last time we won the GMC tournament was in 2018,” said Coach Siter.
This season for the girls golf team at J.P. Stevens has been one of the most impressive in recent years, and they still have much to look forward to next year with a talented group of returning players. The Hawks have much to look forward to next season.
