<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2qtSoW_0lo4nRb100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2qtSoW_0lo4nRb100" width="1280" height="720" ></figure>When Middletown South junior Dan Cassidy got on the bus Tuesday morning, on the way to play in the 2023 Sayreville Bombers Classic at The Meadows, he told Head Coach Rod Murchie that he was going to win the tournament.It took a little longer than he thought, but that message came true.Cassidy thought he had won the tournament after 18 holes, but Piscataway’s Javier Vazquez pulled even late, and forced a sudden-death playoff on the 10th hole. Cassidy then went out and won the tournament on that first playoff hole, to hoist the individual title after he shot a one-over-par 71. Vazquez finished second, while Cassidy’s teammate Richie Reck picked up third place on a match of cards with a two-over 72.Middletown South finished as team runner-up for the second year in a row, carding a 231 and falling by a single stroke to team champion Tenafly, which shot a 230: Jayden Ko led Tenafly with a six-over 76.“We got a lot better this year,” Cassidy said. “I know Richie did, and I got a lot better in the offseason, so I felt like we had a good chance coming in. I was hitting the ball pretty well out there today, but a lot of putts weren’t dropping for me. I was catching a lot of lips, so I had to stay patient the whole time.“If I made a few more putts–I had a couple of three-putts in the first four holes–I could have definitely posted a good score out there today. I played pretty well today, though: like I said, the ball striking was very good. If I can knock down some putts, I will be in a much better spot this year going forward.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=36Ncbw_0lo4nRb100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=36Ncbw_0lo4nRb100" width="1280" height="853" ></figure>Vazquez, who is a sophomore, has been shooting well so far in 2023. But he was maybe a little surprised that he was there at the end: he will, though, use this as an early boost to his campaign.“I felt pretty good coming into this,” Vazquez said. “I felt like I was in contention for something. I have been putting in some good work. I think this is a huge confidence booster. I didn’t know if I would be in contention, but I have definitely playing well coming in. I surprised myself, but I know now that I can do it.”While Reck finished with the bronze medal, he knew he left some shots on the course, which bodes well for him and his team in the near future.“The course doesn’t really set up for my game very well, but I kind of just get into it,” Reck said. “It did set up well for a couple of our guys, like Dan, and he took advantage of it. It is good to put up a decent number. I didn’t play my best out there: I got a couple bad bounces and stuff like that. But that stuff all evens out in time, and we are looking forward to the rest of the season.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3eBlse_0lo4nRb100" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3eBlse_0lo4nRb100" width="1280" height="853" ></figure>Liam Brandt finished in fourth with a 72, and helped West Morris Mendham finish tied for second with Middletown South, just one stroke behind Tenafly. He has some big goals for the season, and wants to use this event to add to that confidence.“I goal for today was top three or win, so I am a little off that,” Brandt said. “I want to win the NJAC or the county tournament, and come in top five at the TOC this year. I didn’t hit it too well on the back nine today (Brandt started on the back): I was struggling a lot. I wasn’t scoring, and wasn’t making a lot of putts. “But I kind of had a mental reset, and I put together a good stretch of five or six holes in a row on the front nine. I feel like I fought back pretty hard. I think that to know that I have that little bit of fight, that helps my confidence a lot. It helps me to realize that it doesn’t matter if I get a bogey or a couple early: I know I can get it back later.”The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a <a href="https://amargaofutebol.com/">week</a>. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcb.sailthru.com%2Fs%2F6fj%2FNewsletter_hs_sports&amp;data=04%7C01%7CDLISS%40njadvancemedia.com%7C2cc72293e24548b7397e08d91ee1c7e9%7C1fe6294574e64203848fb9b82929f9d4%7C0%7C0%7C637574777329023324%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=BOLshnho7stFC8KIGdgdBx2RzlAxCw6JYijYMOAahus%3D&amp;reserved=0">click here</a>.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Middletown South’s Dan Cassidy wins Sayreville Bombers Classic in playoff

When Middletown South junior Dan Cassidy got on the bus Tuesday morning, on the way to play in the 2023 Sayreville Bombers Classic at The Meadows, he told Head Coach Rod Murchie that he was going to win the tournament. It took a little longer than he thought, but that...