Updike leads Malvern Prep to team title in PAISAA Championship at White Manor

   It wasn’t as if Malvern Prep played poorly in finishing fourth in the Inter-Ac League this fall. It was more a matter that the three teams that finished ahead of the Friars were just a little better.

   As if to prove the point as to how little separated the Inter-Ac’s top four teams, Malvern Prep claimed a three-shot victory over Inter-Ac champion Haverford School to capture the team title in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association Championship Monday at White Manor Country Club.

   Haverford School, Episcopal Academy and Penn Charter probably had a little more depth than Malvern Prep and the six Inter-Ac invitationals that comprise the regular season count six scores for each team. The PAISAA Championship was teams of four players with three scores counting.

   That enabled Malvern Prep’s top three players, junior John Updike, senior captain Matt Davis and junior vice captain Andrew Curran to shine as they combined for a 234 total over the tough White Manor layout to edge Haverford School, which posted a 237 total.

   Those three finished among the top seven in the Inter-Ac’s individual points standings, which are compiled over the six regular-season mini-tournaments. It is a measure of consistency against top-caliber competition on tough golf courses. Davis finished third, Curran was sixth and Updike was seventh.

   Updike carded a 6-over 77 to lead the way for Malvern Prep at White Manor and finished third in the individual standings in a match of cards. Davis added a 78 and Curran had a 79. The Friars were able to toss the 81 posted by junior Kevin Hagan.

   I don’t have the details yet, but the Golf Association of Philadelphia revealed on Twitter Wednesday night that Davis, who is headed for Villanova next summer, was named its Junior Sportsperson of the Year. The award went to Agnes Irwin senior Meghan Fahey, who plays out of Overbrook Golf Club and Merion Golf Club, last year and also considers a player’s off-course activities.

   I spent a long day on the golf course with Davis, who plays out of Aronimink Golf Club, while caddying for his Inter-Ac rival, Penn Charter’s Brian Isztwan, when the Christman Cup was played at Stonewall’s North Course last summer and they were both nothing but quality young guys.

   Davis will be the subject of a story in an upcoming GAP Magazine story concerning his selection as its Junior Sportsperson of the Year.

   I watched Davis struggle through a 7-over 42 on the back nine, the first nine of his round, at Huntingdon Valley Country Club in the Bert Linton Inter-Ac League Championship last week, but he kept grinding and matched par on the front nine with a 35 to get a share of third with Updike at 77.

   The individual PAISAA title went to Haverford School junior David Hurly, who carded a solid 4-over 75. Hurly’s Haverford School teammate, Peter Garno, who’s much better at lacrosse and he’s a pretty good golfer, was the runnerup with a 76.