While Radnor was claiming the District One team title
Tuesday at Turtle Creek Golf Club, Malvern Prep was keeping the pedal to the
metal in the Inter-Ac League race at Merion Golf Club’s West Course.
Radnor and Malvern then met Wednesday in a heavyweight
showdown at St. Davids. More on that later.
We had a little blurb in Wednesday’s Daily Times about Round
4 of the Inter-Ac mini-tournaments Tuesday, but I got my hands on some returns
from a couple of other precincts since then.
Malvern Prep sophomore Matthew Davis apparently got tired of
being upstaged by his fellow Aronimink Golf Club member, freshman John Updike,
and fired a 3-under 32 at the West to lead the way for the Friars. As those of
us who played the West many times on caddie day are aware, it’s not a hard
course (if you hit it straight, which I never have really mastered), but it can
bite you if you’re not careful.
Malvern Prep needed that strong showing by Davis. Its 223
total bested Haverford School by just four shots. The Fords probably weren’t going
to catch the Friars, but Haverford School would probably like to prevent
Malvern Prep from matching the perfect 30-0 run the Fords made through the
Inter-Ac mini-tournaments in 2012.
Freshman Matt Civitella
backed up Davis with a 1-over 36 and Updike slipped to a 37 as Gary Duda
continues to get outstanding production from his youngsters. Senior Marty
McGuckin matched Updike’s 37 and senior Mike
Miller added a 39 with Springfield resident Jimmy Murray’s 42 the final
counter.
Haverford School senior All-Delco Max Siegfried continued
his rock-solid play with an even-par 35 as the Fords posted a 227 total. Sam
Walker added a 36, Max Brooks had a 38, Jack McKnight had a 39 and Thomas
Gravina and David Hurly posted 40s.
Penn Charter finished third with a 231 total behind an
even-par 35 by David DiStefano. Reigning Inter-Ac champion Brian Isztwan
continued his solid play for the Quakers with a 1-over 36.
The writeup that made the Wednesday Daily Times mentioned
that Episcopal Academy finished fourth at 234 behind 38s from Ashton Dunn,
Michael Zeng, Matt Marino and senior co-captain Cole Testaiuti. Jon Nolan Perry
added a 39 and Cole Kemmerer added a 43.
Malvern Prep sits at a perfect 20-0 through four mini-tournaments
and Haverford School solidified its hold on second place a little at 14-5-1.
Episcopal is third at 12-7-1.
An alert reader of the blog (and trust me, I’m thrilled
people are reading this stuff) pointed out that I had the order of the top
three in the individual standings incorrect through three mini-tournaments.
Updike was actually leading after his spectacular 33 at Gulph Mills with
Isztwan second and Siegfried third.
Well, Siegfried turned that around with his solid showing at
Merion West and, through four mini-tournaments, he holds narrow lead over
Isztwan and Updike. Seigfried’s mark is 176-8-4, Isztwan sits at 174-9-5 and
Updike is 173-12-3. By claiming overall medalist honors at Merion West, Davis
sneaked into the picture a little in fourth at 160-22-6.
And thanks to Malvern Prep’s Duda for staying up to date on
the individual and team standings.
Which brings us to that little two-team tussle between newly
minted District One Class AAA champion Radnor and likely Inter-Ac League
champion Malvern Prep Wednesday.
With Brynn Walker, tuning up for defense of her Class AAA East
Regional title next week at Golden Oaks Golf Club, shooting a 34 on her home
course at St. Davids, the Raiders beat the Friars, 186-194.
Two of Radnor’s talented freshmen, David Colleran and Jake
Calamaro, went 37 and 38, respectively. Junior Michael Sydnes bounced back from
missing a trip to regionals by a single shot at Turtle Creek to match Calamaro’s
38 and Conor Rinehart had a 39.
The victory improved Radnor’s dual-match record to 15-0-1,
the tie coming against Haverford School in mid-September.
Malvern Prep’s freshman phenoms didn’t play badly either as
Civitella led the Friars with a 36 and Updike had a 39. Davis had a 38,
McGuckin carded a 40 and Murray had a 41.
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