Getting a typically balanced effort, The Haverford School closed in on its first Inter-Ac League title since 2019 by sweeping the Germantown Academy Invitational Tuesday at Bluestone Country Club.
With junior Gregor Weissenberger and sophomore Sean Curran leading the way, each carding a 1-over-par 37, the Fords put together a 192 total that gave them a two-shot margin over reigning Inter-Ac champion Malvern Prep and a 5-0 mark in the fifth of the six invitationals that make up the regular season.
The sweep gives Haverford School a 22-2-1 mark heading to the final invitational, which the Fords will host Tuesday at French Creek Golf Club.
Malvern Prep, the runnerup at Bluestone with a 194 total, and Episcopal Academy, which was five shots behind the Friars in third place in the GA Invitational with a 199 total, are Haverford School’s closest pursuers in the standings.
Malvern Prep’s 4-1 day left the Friars in second place with an 18-6-1 record with the Churchmen right on their heels with an 18-7 mark. Malvern Prep and EA would need to sweep the final invitational at French Creek and Haverford School would have to finish well back for it to be overtaken, an unlikely outcome for a very consistent bunch of Fords.
Backing up Weissenberger and Curran were juniors Harrison Brown and J.P. Hoban, each posting a 3-over 39. The Fords could take their pick for their final counter as senior Alex Nemo, younger brother Nicky Nemo, a sophomore, and sophomore Liam McFadden all checked in with a 4-over 40.
Malvern Prep was led by its talented freshman, Colby Komancheck as he recorded a 1-under 35, finishing up his round with a birdie at the ninth hole.
Junior Michael Henry had bookend birdies in his round at the first and ninth holes as he backed up Komancheck for the Friars with a 1-over 37.
Sophomore Davis Conaway, the reigning Bert Linton Inter-Ac League individual champion, added a 4-over 40 for Malvern Prep and juniors Eamon Cochran and Mac Traynor rounded out the counters for the Friars as each tallied a 41.
Episcopal Academy was led by senior tri-captain Hunter Stetson as he was the individual medalist for the day with a sparkling 3-under 33. It was at Bluestone two falls ago where Stetson, as a sophomore, captured the title in the Bert Linton Inter-Ac individual championship.
It was the third time in the first five Inter-Ac invitationals that Stetson has been the individual medalist as he put a stranglehold on the regular-season points race. Stetson, with a remarkable 34.8 scoring average, has piled up 453 points.
Malvern Prep’s Henry is Stetson’s closest pursuer with 404 points. Henry’s teammate Conaway and Haverford School’s Brown are tied for third in the individual standings as each has 393 points.
Stetson got on a roll over the summer, highlighted by a run to the round of 16 in the U.S. Junior Amateur at the Daniel Island Club’s Ralston Creek Course in Charleston, S.C.
Stetson has carried that momentum into the Inter-Ac season. He will be the favorite to win a second Bert Linton title when the championship is contested at Aronimink Golf Club, Stetson’s home course, Oct. 24th.
Penn Charter finished in fourth place at Bluestone with a 201 total. Host Germantown Academy was six shots behind the Quakers in fifth place with a 207 total and Springside Chestnut Hill Academy was just a sot behind the Patriots in sixth with a 208 total.
GA remained in fourth place in the overall league standings with a 10-15 record, Penn Charter is fifth with a 6-19 mark and Springside Chestnut Hill is sixth with an 0-25 slate.
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