The most difficult opponents for players on the 2000 and ’01 Berlin boys golf teams were usually themselves. “This is no disrespect to any teams, but if you did well in our practices, you were confident the player you met in a match wasn’t going to beat you,” said Eric Pentore, a member of those Division II state championship teams.

The foundation of their achievements was established and improved in practices and rounds at Timberlin Golf Club. “Eighteen, 27, 36, whatever number of holes every day; the competition made us a stronger team, which meant everything to us,” said Chris Orlich, a co-captain with Pentore in 2001.

Timberlin GC was the site of the Redcoats’ 2000 championship. The No. 1 seed was Hand-Madison, which featured Brett Stegmaier, who later would play on the PGA Tour. He was medalist at 3-under-par 69. Though no Berlin player finished in the top six individually, it still triumphed at 320 — one stroke lower than New Canaan. Berlin’s leading scorers were Jeremy Kowalski (78), Jay Pulaski (79), Orlich (81) and James Moran (82).

Berlin’s nine-hole, season, stroke differentials were: Orlich 4.78, Kowalski 5.08, Moran 5.25, Jeff Busnarda 6.41, Pulaski 6.78 and Pentore 7.42. Orlich was CHSCA All-State and All-Courant.

The Redcoats won another Northwest Conference title in 2001 and broke their nine-hole team record with a 5-over 145 against St. Paul at Chippanee GC in Bristol. The low scorers were Kowalski (1-under 34), Moran (36), Pentore (37), Orlich (38) and Busnarda (38). The team capped its season with the state title at Chippanee GC. Its 302 – the lowest in Division II since East Catholic’s 301 in 1976- came from Pentore’s 73, Orlich’s 74, Busnarda’s 76 and Moran’s 79.

Jim Bryers, coach from 1992-2007, said the team’s talented depth was displayed in the season’s nine-hole stroke differentials, with only 2.42 strokes separating the top seven players: Pentore 4.21, Orlich 4.58, Pulaski 4.58, Moran 4.94, Busnarda 4.96, Kowalski 5.05 and Justin Perun 6.63. Pentore and Orlich were CHSCA All­State and All-Courant.

Berlin was 46-12-3 overall in matches in 2000-01. “Growing up, we had a great junior program,” Kowalski said. “We’d play private clubs and towns and in a few national junior events. They made us better, so in high school we always had good players, who loved to compete.”