Bruce Zhang ’28
Oct 27, 2026
Last weekend, the Storm boys varsity golf team competed in the annual Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PAISAA) tournament at Radley Run Country Club in West Chester PA. The team finished sixth overall with a team score of 326, concluding the fall season.
Co-captain Stewart Allan ’27 acknowledged that the team had hoped for a stronger finish. “This score was about as high as we wanted to go,” Allan said, adding that the result was “not really where we wanted to be.” However, Allan also recognized the difficulty of the Radley Run course.
Coach Doug Smith described the performance as “very competent,” explaining that the team’s overall level of play has improved, even though it has yet to reach its full potential.
Throughout the season, Mercersburg has demonstrated greater depth across its roster. Smith highlighted Nicholas Zhou ’29, whose strong performances in multiple matches earned him the team’s lowest scoring average and the top position on its ladder.
Smith also praised captains Allan and Miles New ’27 for their contributions. Although neither captain played his best golf in every match, both led the team in scoring at different points throughout the season and continued “fighting admirably” through difficult rounds.
About the sport, Allan said, “Golf is a mirror of life. It teaches you that even when it’s going bad and the result isn’t what you were looking for, you still have to learn to work through it.”
The captains also emphasized the team culture. New described the group as more “close-knit” than in previous years. Beyond competing for low scores, New hopes to represent Mercersburg Academy’s core values of hard work, fair play, and clean life.
Although the PAISAA tournament marked the end of the fall season, Smith emphasized that the team still has opportunities to improve when competition resumes in the spring.
“Although we did not reach our goals this fall, my expectations have still grown because of the talent I see on the team,” Smith said. “This is a great group of kids. More is to come.”
Both captains hope to use the winter offseason to improve their performances, with the ultimate goal of winning the MAPL tournament in the spring.
Allan summarized his final goals more simply: “I just want to hit more damn greens.”