Haverford School's depth earned it an Inter-Ac title

   As was noted in the Wednesday print edition of the Daily Times, Haverford School clinched the Inter-Ac League golf championship Tuesday with a six-shot advantage over Malvern Prep in the final mini-tournament hosted by Episcopal Academy at Merion Golf Club’s West Course.

   The Fords saw their run of three straight Inter-Ac titles snapped by Malvern Prep a year ago. Although they lacked an individual star like graduated Cole Berman, who was twice the Daily Times Player of the Year, the Fords’ balance and depth is what carried them to the title this year.

   Otis Baker led the way Tuesday with a 36 at the West (a favorite course of any former Merion looper like myself who got to play there on caddy day Mondays), Jay Losty and Jack Henderson posted 37s, junior Max Siegfried, who emerged as Haverford School’s top player this fall, had a 39, as did Jack McAleese, who was incredibly clutch this fall, and the Fords could take their pick from one of the 40s posted by Matt Grubb and Peter Garnos to round out their 228 total.

   Ryan Bowman, who finished sixth in the overall individual standings, had a 43. But whenever any of Haverford School’s players had a tough day, one of his teammates was always there to pick him up. The 36 McAleese put up when Malvern Prep hosted at Waynesborough Country Club might have been the single round that decided the league title.

   Those final individual regular-season rankings tell the story of Haverford School’s championship. Siegfried finished second behind top-ranked JB Bradbeer of Penn Charter (and a Merion member), Baker was fifth, Bowman sixth, Henderson seventh, Grubb eighth, Losty 13^th, Garnos 16^th and McAleese, despite not teeing it up in the first mini-tournament of the fall, was 19^th. That’s eight players among the top 20 in the most competitive league in the state.

   The top 18 in the individual rankings are automatic qualifiers for the Bert Linton Inter-Ac League Tournament Wednesday at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Militia Hill course.

   Heading the Episcopal contingent will be Joe Chambers, who finished third in the individual rankings. The Malvern Prep group will be led by Brendan Bacskai, who was fourth in the rankings.

   Haverford School’s final record in the mini-tournaments was 27-2-1 with Malvern Prep the runnerup at 25-4-1 in what was a very tight race all fall.

   Haverford School’s victory Tuesday also made it a moot point that Malvern Prep’s Nick Miller was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard in the next-to-last  mini-tournament,  costing the Friars a victory over Haverford School as the teams ended in a tie that day. The mistake by Miller, who was one of Malvern Prep’s top players all season, did not cost the Friars the title.

Tough day for DiLisio

   The big story – besides, of course, the victory by Radnor junior All-Delco Brynn Walker – at Tuesday’s PIAA East Regional at Golden Oaks Golf Club was the failure of reigning PIAA Class AAA champion Isabella DiLisio to qualify for a return trip to Heritage Hills Golf Resort to defend her title.

   The Mount St. Joseph senior had a couple of bad holes and shot 83 to miss the qualifying cutoff by two shots. The East Regional is the last step to the state tournament, it’s a one-day event and there is no margin for error.

   But DiLisio’s bad day Tuesday takes nothing away from a brilliant scholastic career. She burst on the scene by claiming the District One crown as a sophomore. Her 25-foot putt for eagle on the 18^th hole at Heritage Hills last fall to snatch the state title away from Council Rock North’s Erica Herr, the reigning two-time state champion, was one of the single most dramatic moments I can recall in more than a decade of covering the state tournament at Heritage Hills.

   And while DiLisio’s career as an individual high school golfer may be over, there is a little matter of the Mount chasing a second straight PIAA Class AAA team title Wednesday. Don’t be surprised if DiLisio goes low in her final scholastic event.

   Despite DiLisio’s stumble at Golden Oaks, District One golfers, led by Walker’s winning total of 2-under 70, dominated as usual.

   Pennsbury’s Jackie Rogowicz, coming off her second straight District One title, finished second at 72, Council Rock North’s Madelein Herr and Owen J. Roberts’ Maddie Sager finished in a tie for third at 73, Villa Maria’s Cara Basso, who won a state title in Class AA two years ago, was sixth at 75, Unionville’s Kate Evanko was seventh at 77 and Coatesville’s Sammie Staudt earned a third trip to the state tournament by finishing eighth with a 78.

   By the way, veteran Penn State coach Denise St. Pierre has hit the District One jackpot. Rogowicz, a two-time state runnerup, and Basso will join the Nittany Lions next fall and Herr, a junior, has made a verbal commitment to join the program in two years. That is some serious talent joining a Penn State program that has been on the rise the last couple of years.

Updike, Colleran look good at Heidelberg

   The Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour stopped for the first time at Heidelberg Country Club Saturday and John Updike of Wayne and D.J. Colleran of Radnor had strong showings.

   Updike finished third in the 13-to-15 division with an 84 and Colleran was two shots back of him in a tie for fourth with an 86. Chase Miller used his local knowledge as a member at Heidelberg to take top honors in the division with a 77 over the 6,282-yard, par-70 layout.

   Also in the division, Andrew Curran of Media finished 14^th with a 101.

   Michael Wolf of Drexel Hill finished eighth in the 16-to-18 division with a 94. Campbell Wolf of Enola took division honors with a 78.

   Olivia Traynor of Villanova finished second in the 13-to-15 division with a 100. Rachel Brahler of Pottsville made her Philly Junior Tour debut a winning one with a 98.

   Among the nine-holers, Roy Anderson of Chadds Ford finished fifth with a 47 and Andrew Damico of Havertown finished sixth with a 58. Alex Mulrooney of Wilmington, Del. won the division with a 44.