Baker leads the way as Haverford School nails down Inter-Ac League crown

   The Haverford School claimed the Inter-Ac League title for the first time since 2014, finishing off a really solid fall of golf with a three-shot victory in the final mini-tournament of the regular season, the Episcopal Academy Invitational Monday at Merion Golf Club’s West Course.

   Charlie Baker carded a 1-under-par 34 on the front nine at the West to lead the Fords to a 227 team total and their fourth victory in the series of six mini-tournaments that make up the Inter-Ac’s regular  season.

   The 5-0 sweep enabled the Fords to finish with a 27-3-0 record, but the result of Monday’s battle at Merion West showed how difficult attaining that mark was.

   Defending champion Episcopal Academy and Penn Charter, each of which owned a mini-tournament victory this fall, finished tied for second at 230, just three shots behind the Fords. It was another shot back to Malvern Prep in fourth at 231. Germantown Academy was fifth at 260 and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy was sixth at 264.

   Episcopal finished second in the final standings at 22-7-1, Penn Charter was third at 18-11-1, Malvern Prep was fourth at 16-14-0, Germantown Academy was fifth at 6-24-0 and Springside Chestnut Hill was sixth at 0-30-0.

   Tyler Roland backed up Baker for the Fords with a 1-over 36, David Hurly added a 3-over 38, Sam Walker had a 4-over 39 and Cal Buonocore and Mac Costin rounded out the counters as each posted a 40. Haverford School’s depth was evident in the Fords having the luxury of tossing a pair of 41s by Peter Garno and A.J. Aivazoglou, two pretty good players.

   Malvern Prep was led by senior captain Matt Davis, who posted a 1-over 36. Davis will join James Wilkes’ Villanova program next summer.

   The Friars’ junior vice captain, Andrew Curran, added a 2-over 37, fellow juniors Kevin Hagan and John Updike each posted a 39 and senior Mike Hennigan and junior Matt Civitella each carded a 40. And those six scores get you fourth place. Tough, tough league.

   I haven’t seen the numbers, but I’m hearing that the winner of the Inter-Ac’s individual points standings is Penn Charter senior Brian Isztwan, which would make him the first repeat winner and only two-time winner since the Inter-Ac adopted the mini-tournament format for its regular season. I’m pretty sure the Inter-Ac went to the mini-tournament format when golf switched seasons from the the spring to the fall in the fall of 2011.

   Isztwan was recently named to the American Junior Golf Association’s Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America team. To be eligible, a player must have a top-10 finish in an AJGA open or invitational event. The academic qualifications come from a combination of standardized test scores, GAA, school leadership and community service.

   Former Haverford School standout Scott Jaster, who completed his collegiate golf career at Dartmouth last spring, received the same honor in his senior year with the Fords.

   Isztawn is one of 12 boys and 13 girls who make up the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America team. All the members of the team will be honored at the Rolex Junior All-America Awards Banquet Nov. 19 at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

   Isztwan also earns a spot in the field for the AJGA’s Rolex Tournament of Champions being held that weekend at the PGA National Resort and Spa’s Champion and Fazio Courses.

   Isztwan will close out his Inter-Ac career Thursday on his home course at Huntingdon Valley Country Club in the Bert Linton Invitational Tournament. He will try to duplicate his feat of three years ago when, as a freshman coach's pick, he won the league’s individual championship in dreadful weather at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Militia Hill Course.

   He will certainly have a little home-course advantage at Huntingdon Valley, a William Flynn gem. Isztwan completely mastered his home course in the middle round of the AJGA Philadelphia Junior in July on his way to a runnerup finish. Isztwan didn’t make a bogey and had four birdies in a brilliant 4-under 66. Huntingdon Valley played 6,896 yards for the Philadelphia Junior.

   I hesitate to call Isztwan the favorite just because there are so many good players in the Inter-Ac.

   Davis will head a Malvern Prep contingent in the Bert Linton that includes all of the Friars’ counters Monday at Merion West. Updike, the 2016 Pennsylvania Junior Boys’ champion, Curran, Hagan, Civitella and Hennigan round out the group.

   I might just have to head over to Huntingdon Valley and do a little live-blogging on the Bert Linton.