The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

Malvern Golf keeps the ball rolling

Malvern+Golf+keeps+the+ball+rolling

The golf team started the year with a 3-0 record, and for a previous story in The Blackfriar Chronicle, Head Coach Gary Duda said the team this year was “one of the best teams on paper Malvern has ever had in terms of talent from top to bottom.” After a great start to the year, Malvern has continued to excel.

This year, both the JV and Varsity golf teams have been playing well. Varsity, led by Head Coach Mr. Duda and captains Jimmy Murray, Nick Miller, and Mike Miller, has won every match besides two. They have a roaring 35-2 overall record, and they’re 25-0 in the Inter-Ac this season.

“This season has been a pleasant surprise for me. Going into the season I did not expect our record to be 25-1″, Duda said on October 13. “Anything can happen in golf, and right now, we are in the driver’s seat.”

They have won four Invitational tournaments; Springside Chestnut Hill’s tournament at Sunnybrook, Haverford’s invitational at Gulph Mills, Episcopal’s tournament at Merion West, and Penn Charter’s tournament at Huntington Valley.

Out of league wins include victories over LaSalle, the Hill School, Kiski Prep, located in Pittsburgh, and former state champions St. Joe’s Prep.

“The month of October has been really good for us,” sophomore Matt Davis said. “We are looking to win the Inter-Ac this year, which I believe that we have a good shot at, because mainly of our depth.”

On Monday, October 19, what Davis said was confirmed. At Plymouth Country Club, where Germantown hosts their invitational, the Friars clinched the Inter-Ac. That day, freshmen Andrew Curran and Matt Civitella posted a 38, three over par, and a 37, two over par, and junior Gavin Sims and senior Marty McGuckin both scored 39, four over par. These 4 scores led the Friars to clinch the Inter-Ac and win their fifth straight invitational.

On October 8th freshman John Updike shot a 33, two under par, in Haverford’s Invitational at Gulph Mills. This was a record setting score for any freshman. John has done this twice now, with the other 33 in a JV match the day before Haverford’s Invitational.

On Tuesday, October 13th, sophomore Matt Davis shot a 32, three under par, at Episcopal’s invitational at Merion West. For the second time, Davis was rewarded as the medalist.

“We’re the number one team in the tri-state area. Guys that I were hoping would play well are playing even better than I thought,” Duda said.

The JV team, coached by Mr. Joe Redican, has won all but three matches. One of their biggest wins this year was against Haverford, an Inter-Ac rival.

This season, Coach Redican’s JV squad has beaten Radnor, Haverford, Germantown, and Bonner, but did take a loss at Episcopal. The JV’s lowest combined score was a 236 at Gulph Mills, an average score of 39, four over par, per player. Malvern’s JV team has twelve players. Eight of these twelve players get to compete against other schools in the area. From these eight players, six scores are counted in each nine hole match.

“Coach Redican is awesome,” freshman Kevin Hagan said. “He gives us mental advice on how to play the game.”

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