Walker heads All-Central girls first team

   Radnor junior Brynn Walker, who claimed the PIAA Class AAA girls crown in a playoff last week, heads the All-Central League girls first team, selected by the league’s coaches.

   After firing a brilliant 5-under 67 in the Central League Tournament at Turtle Creek Golf Club, Walker struggled to a sixth-place finish in the District One Tournament.

   But the North Carolina commit turned it on when it counted. She captured the title in the East Regional at Golden Oaks Golf Club with a 2-under 70. Then last week in the PIAA Tournament at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort, Walker followed up an opening-round 75 with a 1-under 71 that left her in a tie with Canon-McMillan senior Lauren Waller at 2-over 146. But Walker crushed a drive at Heritage Hill’s par-4 ninth hole, flipped a wedge a foot-and-a-half from the cup and dropped the putt for a birdie that gave her the title.

   Walker follows in the footsteps of Jackie Calamaro, who captured the PIAA title in 2009, as Radnor’s two girls with individual state championships.

   Joining Walker on the girls first team are two of her Radnor teammates, senior Julia Curley and sophomore Gabby Kim, as well as Garnet Valley senior Annika Vandayar and Harriton’s Eva Jodar. Walker and Curley were key contributors to Radnor’s 2012 PIAA Class AAA team championship.

   Penncrest’s Jessica Davis, Marple Newtown’s Devon DelFranco and Springfield’s Yana Illeva earned second-team honors.

   Penncrest senior Griffin Colvin, who qualified for the District One Tournament for a third time this fall, and Garnet Valley senior Mike Stanilka are the only Delco representatives on the All-Central boys first team.

   Unbeaten league champion Conestoga dominates the first team with state qualifier Mike Cook, regional qualifier Andrew Willner, Sam Friedman, Jack Mitchell and Jace Kienzie all on the list. Rounding out the first-team selections are the Harriton pair of Erik Reisner, who won the Central League Tournament for the second straight year, and Will Daly.

   Among the second-team picks are Radnor’s Paul Yun, a three-time district qualifier, and Raider teammates Jack Owens and Michael Syndnes, Marple Newtown’s Joey DelFranco, who made districts for a second time this fall, Garnet Valley’s Tim Reeves and Springfield’s Andrew Todaro.

Among those receiving honorable mention were Radnor’s Jack Staples, Tom Hamilton and Jacob Liberman, Ridley’s Kyle Fiorelli and Greg Meyers, Springfield’s Derrick Baun, Haverford’s Matt Speers, Strath Haven’s Jeff Painter and Upper Darby’s Mike Wolf.

   Strath Haven, which finished 6-5 in the league under Kevin Kochersperger, was the winner of the league’s sportsmanship award. Upper Darby, despite not winning a match, was second in the sportsmanship voting in a close race, and Ridley finished third.

Haverford School dominates All-Inter-Ac first team

   League champion Haverford School placed five players on the All-Inter-Ac League’s first team, chosen by the coaches.

   Max Siegfried, Otis Baker, Ryan Bowman, Matt Grubb and Jack McAleese helped the Fords finish 27-2-1 in the Inter-Ac mini-tournaments to wrest the title away from Malvern Prep in a terrific race between the teams.

   Siegfried, a junior, was the second-leading point-getter in the league during the mini-tournaments and finished in a tie for seventh in difficult conditions at the Bert Linton Inter-Ac League Tournament last week at Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Militia Hill Course. Baker, a senior, was fifth in the season-long points standings and lost in a playoff at the Inter-Ac tourney after tying for first after the regulation 18 holes with Penn Charter freshman Brian Isztwan, each carding 76s on a cold, wet, windy day.

   Episcopal is represented on the first team by freshman Jon Nolan Perry and senior Joe Chambers. Perry was the Churchmen’s top finisher at the Cricket Club, getting a share of fourth with a 78. Chambers was the Churchmen’s top point-getter in the season-long standings, finishing third.

   Malvern Prep is represented on the first team by Brendan Bacskai, who finished fourth on the points list, and Nick Miller, who finished third at the Cricket Club, just a shot out of the playoff with a 77.

Penn Charter’s Isztwan barged on to the first team by winning the tournament. He was joined on the first team by teammate JB Bradbeer, who finished atop the season-long point standings.

   The second team includes two more Haverford School standouts, Jay Losty and Peter Garno, and Episcopal senior Trey Croney. Rounding out the second-team picks are the Malvern  Prep quartet of Mike Lamond, ,Mike Szipszky, Marty McGuckin and Jack Hagan and Germantown Academy’s Jake Niedosik.

Another first for Kan

   Chichester sophomore Caprian Kan continued her strong play on the Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour circuit with a first-place finish in Saturday’s stop at Foxchase Golf Club in Stevens.

   Kan carded a 79 over a Foxchase layout measuring 5,505 yards for the girls to finish atop the 13-to-15 division. June Kim of Wayne posted a 96 to finish fourth.

   Kim’s older sister, Radnor sophomore Gabby, finished third in the 16-to-18 division with an 84. Samantha Yao of Berwyn and Samantha Fritzinger of Zionsville led the way with 80s with Yao taking the title on a match of cards.

   Radnor junior Caitlin Bullock finished eighth with a 104.

   Aronimink Golf Club’s Billy Civitella finished in a tie for sixth in the 13-to-15 division with an 80. Caleb Ryan of Norristown took top honors with an even-par 72 on a Foxchase layout that measures 6,507 for the boys.

   D.J. Colleran of Radnor finished eighth with an 81, Daniel Bullock of Wayne was one of three players tied for 18^th at 94, and Corey Kan of Boothwyn finished 23^rd with a 119.

   Among the nine-holers, Jackson Fields of Glen Mills finished sixth with a 50 and Roy Anderson of Chadds Ford finished seventh with a 52. Joshua Ryan of Norristown took top honors in the division with a 42.