Morris Knolls adds to trophy case at NJAC girls golf tournament

ANDOVER TOWNSHIP — After Morris Knolls defended its Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament title, senior Kendyl Croft was thinking back on her high school golf career. The Golden Eagles have only had an official girls team for three years. But they've won multiple tournaments, including the NJAC and Morris County Tournament each twice.

Wearing matching light pink polos with a green-and-gold embroidered MK patch, Croft and juniors Olivia Gaglione and Brielle Malone all medaled en route to Morris Knolls' victory on May 19 at Farmstead Golf and Country Club.

"I'm sad, but it's also the best I've ever done in any tournament," said Croft, a three-year captain who will attend High Point University in the fall. "It was nice to start (the program) up, but even better when we did well. Our team came together and we're all good friends."

Girls had to be in the top 60 in the NJAC to qualify for the tournament, with three scores counting for each team. If a program had a fourth, she could also play but her score only counted as an individual.

The NJAC girls tournament will expand to 18 holes next spring, just like the boys.

More: Morris County Tournament golf decided in one-hole playoff

Already the MCT champion, Gaglione sank a 45-foot birdie putt on her first hole (Valleyview No. 5) and built from there to a 3-under 32. She was the overall medalist, followed by Croft at even par and Parsippany Hills freshman Sonya Viswanath.

Viswanath was grateful for the opportunity to play with other girls for a change. The only Vikings girl, she played at both the boys and girls MCT as well as boys sectionals.

"Starting with double par, it went well after that. I didn't let it all go bad," said Viswanath, whose older brother Rohit was Parsippany Hills' only qualifier for the NJAC Tournament on May 20 at Flanders Valley. "It's fun, because I can have a conversation with these people and we can relate. With the boys, it's just awkward because I'm the only girl."

Team scores

Morris Knolls 113 (Olivia Gaglione 32, Brielle Malone 42, Kendyl Croft 38, Annie Costache 49); Morristown Beard 144 (Quinn Jeffrey 42, Olivia Minoia 43, Rebecca Schwartz 59, Maria Rothschild 47); Chatham 145 (Chloe Souza 44, Annabel Faust 51, Sydney Leung 50, Michelle Moran 52); Pope John 147 (Chloe Kachmar 48, Hannah Perrone 51, Cecilia Day 48, Sam Petecca 55); Montville 150 (Samaya Lohani 49, C.C. Fariello 46, Sarah Alexander 55, Ellen Lusk 52); Madison 151 (Elizabeth Green 46, Lily Fee 46, Caroline Wilson 59, Annika Robbins 52); West Morris 152 (Madi Reed 46, Lauren Lambert 52, Ashlyn Savage 54, Darcy Sorensen 54); Mendham 153 (Chelsea Pappas 49, Raleigh Ball 48, Mia Muolino 56, Kaylee Randolph 55); Morris Tech 158 (Zoe Murphy 55, Priya Gandhi 49, Purvi Patel 54); Morristown 158 (Maggie Stork 50, Lydia Olivo 51, Harper Stuek 57, Alexis Mathiasmeier 55); Villa Walsh 164 (Bridget Drew 55, Ava Sansano 54, Kiera Vowells 55); Pequannock 167 (Harlow King 51, Remi Scillia 59, Julia Barnard 57, Kaitlyn O'Brien 54).

Sonya Viswanath (Parsippany Hills) 41

Haley Morodan (Newton) 42

Phoebe Szekula (Jefferson) 55

Madison Dellafave (Parsippany) 55

Park Regional (Jolie Casale 47, Ava Clarke 47)

Randolph (Marleigh Gaydos 50, Shayna Heller 51)

Mountain Lakes (Allie Sanclimenti 51, Joanna Levy 52)

Wallkill Valley (Lily Guether 55, Chloe Geuther 49)

Vernon (Audrey Steinbach 55, Uriah Sacdalan 51)

Individual medalists

Olivia Gaglione (Morris Knolls) 32; Kendyl Croft (Morris Knolls) 38; Sonya Viswanath (Parsippany Hills) 41; Quinn Jeffrey (Morristown Beard) 42; Haley Morodan (Newton) 42; Brielle Malone (Morris Knolls) 43; Olivia Minoia (Morristown Beard) 43; Chloe Souza (Chatham) 44; C.J. Fariello (Montville) 46; Madi Reed (West Morris) 46; Lily Fee (Madison) 46; Elizabeth Green (Madison) 46.

This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Morris Knolls adds to trophy case NJAC girls golf tournament