Behind a 1-under-par 35 by junior Freddy Hartmann, Episcopal Academy swept the field in the Germantown Academy Invitational, the third of the six invitationals that comprise the Inter-Ac League’s regular season, Tuesday at Bluestone Country Club.
Malvern Prep, behind individual medalist Colby Komancheck, a junior who carded a sparkling 2-under 34 at Bluestone, finished three shots behind the Churchmen in second place to retain the top spot in the Inter-Ac standings through three invitationals.
Hartmann led the way as Episcopal put together a 2-over 282, three shots better than Malvern Prep’s 5-over 285.
Episcopal and Malvern Prep had finished in a tie at the top in the Penn Charter Invitational at Huntingdon Valley Country Club, the opener on the Inter-Ac schedule. The Friars edged two-time defending champion Haverford School in last week’s Episcopal Academy Invitational at Merion Golf Club’s West Course with EA finishing in third place.
Malvern Prep’s runnerup finish Tuesday left the Friars atop the Inter-Ac standings with a 13-1-1 mark. Episcopal’s 5-0 sweep of the field at Bluestone tightened the race as the Churchmen are right behind Malvern Prep in second place with a 12-2-1 record.
Haverford School was just two shots behind Malvern Prep in third place with a 187 total Tuesday at Bluestone. That left the Fords in third place with a 10-5 mark. Haverford School has way too much talent to be counted out as it bids for a third straight Inter-Ac crown.
Backing up Hartmann was his talented classmate, Liam Crowley, and senior co-captain Will Krietsch, each of whom matched par on the outgoing nine at Bluestone with a 36.
Carson Jakuc, also a junior, tallied a 2-over 37 for the Churchmen and EA’s depth was on display as Team Hampel, George, a freshman, and Arthur, a junior, and junior Connor Smolenski each posted a 38, any one of which could be the final counter.
Malvern Prep was led by the talented Komancheck, who made birdies at the first, second, fourth and eighth holes in touring Bluestone’s front side in 2-under.
Komancheck, who earned a trip to the Boys Junior PGA Championship at Purdue’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. in the summer, is leading the individual points race through the first three Inter-Ac invitationals.
Komancheck’s closest pursuer in that individual points race is his teammate, Davis Conaway, one of the Friars’ senior captains. Conaway backed up Komancheck Tuesday at Bluestone as he made birdies at the first and fourth holes on his way to a 1-under 35.
Conaway captured the title in the Bert Linton Invitational, the Inter-Ac’s individual championship, as a freshman in 2022 and he and Komancheck have both been top-five finishers in each of the last two playings of the Bert Linton.
Backing up Komancheck and Conaway for the Friars was junior Ayden Gallen, who recorded a 2-over 38.
Malvern Prep’s final two counters were two of the three 3-over 39s registered by Thomas Ploszay, another of the Friars’ senior captains, Noah Brand, also a senior, and junior Timmy Burns.
Rounding out the Malvern Prep lineup were Pat Duda, another of the Friars’ senior captains who carded a 40, and junior Michael DiDomenico, who had a 41.
Haverford School was led by the trio of seniors Sean Curran and William Forman and junior Quinn Gallagher, each of whom matched par with a 36.
Curran, who will join the program at Penn next summer, swept the Inter-Ac’s individual points race during the regular season, the Bert Linton title at Whitemarsh Valley Country Club and the individual title in the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) Championship at Radley Run Country Club a year ago.
Senior Nicky Nemo backed up the Fords’ top three as he carded a solid 2-over 38.
Nemo reached the final of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Junior Boys’ Championship at Merion’s West Course in June before falling to Curran, his Haverford School teammate and Merion clubmate.
Liam McFadden, also a senior, was the final counter for Haverford School with a 41.
Host Germantown Academy took third place at Bluestone with a 202 total. Springside Chestnut Hill Academy picked up its first win of the season by edging Penn Charter by a shot to take fifth place. The Blue Devils finished with a 212 total and the Quakers registered a 213.
Germantown Academy and Penn Charter were tied for fourth place following Tuesday’s third invitational, each owning a 4-11 record. Springside Chestnut Hill was in sixth place with a 1-14 mark.
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