A strong Georgetown Prep team, led by freshman Denny McCarthy, dominated the Interstate Athletic Conference golf championship on April 29. Prep won its third straight tournament title by 25 strokes over runner up Landon. Episcopal was a close third, and city rival St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes finished fifth. Shenandoah Valley Golf Club in Front Royal hosted the one-round championship.
Young golfers figured prominently in individual play, with three freshmen and two sophomores placing in the top seven. McCarthy shot a 1-under 70 to win by three. Prep sophomore and 2007 Maryland junior golfer of the year, Wes Strang, finished tied for third. Two Landon freshmen, Teddy Tollin and Ralph Blasey, finished fifth and tied for sixth, respectively. Episcopal’s Adam Stowe, a sophomore, shot 76 and tied for sixth.
“The team was a little disappointed,” said Episcopal coach Whit Morgan afterward. “Had they matched the scores they shot last week in a practice round, they would have finished second. Considering the cold weather and the tournament pressure, I’m proud of their effort.”
In addition to Stowe, Episcopal senior Upton Stover finished in the top eleven.
Junior Joe Curley paced the St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes team, shooting 78 and finishing tied for eleventh.
<b>IN THE FIRST ROUND</b> of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference golf tournament, blustery conditions drove up scores on April 29 at Springfield Golf & Country Club. Despite the weather, form held as the league’s top three teams — DeMatha, Gonzaga, and Paul VI — played like it. DeMatha leads the team standings, eight strokes ahead of Gonzaga and eighteen clear of Paul VI. Bishop Ireton is in seventh place after the first day of the 36-hole championship.
The teams will play the second round on May 6 at Springfield.
DeMatha sophomore Jerrell Parrish led all players with a 4-over 75, one shot better than his freshman teammate, Ben Warnquist. DeMatha, Gonzaga, and Paul VI all have four players each in the top 18 spots of the individual standings. Freshman Brandon Luxenburg led Fairfax’s Paul VI with a 78 and is tied for fourth. Ireton senior Phil Goldblatt shot 82 and is in 17th place.