Heading in to the season-opening tri-match with Northampton and Easton at Riverview Country Club, the Emmaus golf team saw it as a must win situation against the Konkret Kids. To help the team to victory, senior Carlos Fullerton knew that his game needed to be on par.

Luckily for the Green Hornets, it turned out to be actually seven strokes under par.

Fullerton tore up the tricky course that includes 76 bunkers and five ponds scattered throughout 18 holes. Fullerton carded a 65, which tied the school record and course record from the blue tees on the par-72 track.

Fullerton knew that shooting this well was great, but doing it against Northampton made it even sweeter.

"There was great timing," said Fullerton. "It probably couldn't have come at a better time. It depends on the teams we are playing. We tend to play up to our competition. We play better against the tougher opponents.

"The one player for Northampton, Tyler Smith, he and I were playing off each other. We were exchanging one great shot after another. Playing against great players helps motivate you."

The number two golfer on head coach Mike Mihalik's team had a tremendous front nine. At the turn he carded a six-under-par 30. The first nine holes also included what Fullerton said was his defining moment in the match.

On hole number seven, which dog legs left and has a green surrounded by bunkers, Fullerton hit a four iron for his approach shot to within 15 feet of the hole and drained the putt, just one of his seven total birdies on the round. He also had one eagle and two bogeys.

Fullerton's 65 was also his personal record for his career. His previous best at Riverview was a one-over-par 73, which he shot last summer. His previous best overall round was a 69. He shot that number two different occasions at two different courses, one at Southmoore and the other at Shepherd Hills.

Fullerton led the Hornets to a sweep of their tri-match as they took victories over both Northampton and Easton on August 20.

Emmaus beat Northampton by a score of 372-382 and the Green Hornets stung the Red Rovers as Easton scored a 417. Aiding in those two victories were senior Grant Schumaker with his one-under, 71, and Mike Lessel with a four-over 76.

The Hornets beat Easton again in another tri-match later that week with Freedom in the mix this time at Riverview CC and Emmaus boarded the bus with another two wins to take their season total to four after two matches. This has Fullerton excited for the rest of his senior season.

"I have confidence in all the golfers we have," he said. "I believe that if I don't shoot as low as I can that we can still come out on top in close matches because of them. Our top five golfers are all capable of breaking 80 and posting low scores."

Mihalik saw Fullerton's 65 in person.

"I think it is special," he said last week. "It is special for two reasons.

"One, because it was his best round of golf ever. And number two because he did it in our biggest match to date, which shows he can step it up in tough situations. That makes it very special to me."

Mihalik later admitted that he could see any of his three top golfers, Schumaker, Fullerton or Lessel go low.

"You don't ever expect your number two golfer to go seven under," he said. "It is just rarely an obtainable goal in a round of golf. You just don't expect it because it is a once a year thing to shoot your career best."

Fullerton wasn't the only Green Hornet posting record breaking rounds as junior Kelsey Patterson shot her career best at Riverview on August 27 with a 74. Patterson has been improving every day and Mihalik has taken notice.

"She truly has gotten very good," he said. "She has played very well in our two matches. She has got the game and she is showing how good she can be and she is helping out the team. I think there are a lot of good things from her to come. I truly believe we will be seeing a lot from her and [freshman] Sam Fritzinger throughout this season."

With their 4-0 record as of September 2, Emmaus is on the top of the Lehigh Valley Conference. Parkland, Nazareth and Allentown Central Catholic are 5-1, 2-2 and 6-2 records respectively and they will tee it up with all three of them within their 10-day stretch of four consecutive home matches that begins on Sept. 9 and ends on Sept. 19.