May 3, 2007 Issue                                       

©2007 The Chestnut Hill Local

CHA golf takes two from Episcopal
by TOM UTESCHER

Early last week the Chestnut Hill Academy golf team swept its home-and-away matches with Episcopal, and for the victorious Blue Devils the second half of the season series was a lot more challenging than the first.

On CHA’s par-36 home course at Sunnybrook Golf Club, the locals breezed by the visiting Churchmen on Monday, 237-259. Tuesday’s rematch, set amid the rougher landscape of Merion’s West Course (par-35) came down to the last foursome to finish the nine-hole circuit. Fortunately for Chestnut Hill, junior Penn Steel came in with a 40, and freshman Ed McCrossen’s round of 42 included a birdie on the final (ninth) hole that let the Devils slip past EA, 237-238.

CHA’s record rose to 3-0 in the Inter-Ac League and 7-0 overall, while for EA the reckoning came to 1-2, 3-3.

Several days of warm dry weather, an unusual occurrence this spring, resulted in hard greens at Sunnybrook on Monday, and both teams had to adjust after a few weeks of playing their short game on spongy surfaces.

With just two of the four foursomes back in the clubhouse, the Blue Devils already enjoyed a significant advantage. Despite a bout of back pain, Mike Soowal led the first quartet with a round of 37 that included a birdie on the eighth hole. His partner, Eric Dziengelski, fired a 45 that would later be scratched from the team scoring, while Episcopal would have to include Ross Testaiuti’s 46 as well as Ross Godick’s 41 in its team tally.

The Churchmen didn’t get any help out of the second foursome; rounds by Mark Nakahara (50) and James Park would both be scratched. CHA, meanwhile, picked up a 41 from Steve Wetherill and a 43 from Greg Kiss.

In the third group, Rob Robertson of Chestnut Hill and Hunter Hanson of Episcopal each carded a 41, but there was a sizeable gap between the other two scores in this quartet, a 38 turned in by the Devils’ Chip Culp, and a 47 for Tom Tighe of the visitors.

In what turned out to be EA’s best pairing, Carter Cox gave the Churchmen a 41 and Matt Haraburda a 43 in the final foursome, but while Steel’s 44 left him just out of the team scoring for CHA, McCrossen tied for best round of the day. Matching Soowal’s 37, he showed commendable consistency, parring eight consecutive holes before encountering a bogie on the ninth.