Tiana Lee '25
Sep 29, 2023
On September 23, Mercersburg Academy’s boys golf team competed in the annual Centennial Cup against The Kiski School. Despite the heavy rain, the team fought with tenacity to defeat the Cougars in a final score of 303-333. “It was very cold and very rainy,” said Ryan Kothari ’25.
The team has made a decent start to the season with notable ups and downs. The team is seating a larger roster than last year’s with the arrival of five new players. Head coach Doug Smith is pleased to have a larger team. “We got lucky with some of our recruits this year,” he said.
Because so many golfers practiced consistently during preseason, the team is well-prepared to show off their talents in upcoming matches. “Overall, our team improved a lot from last year, and it’s all because we put so much work in over the summer,” said Jason Jones ’24.
To prepare for the competition, the golfers have focused on “developing strategy, getting into cohesive units together, and practicing with an indoor simulator,” said Smith. The diligence and grit of the athletes paid off with a victory over the Cougars. The team nearly broke the 18-hole school record.
The players who finished in the top three, Argyle Downes ’24, Isaiah Marseille ’24, and Jason Jones ’24, have performed impressively so far this season. “We started off well and dominated in our first match with promising scores from most of the team. Our top players on the team are unmatched by other schools either that we play or even in the country,” said Marseille, a postgraduate player. According to Jones, “Argyle only gets better and better by the year. Kothari has been a key role player to our squad with his consistent scores.”
But the team is not reliant only on the top players. The whole team is making progress as it is stacked with players who have the potential to shine. Marseille noted, “Tommy is starting to stand out. He always has great technique. Brodie Collins [‘24] has a lot of power. Once he manages to have consistency, he’ll be doing great things for us.” Jones elaborated, “You can expect Miles New [‘27] to be a key player in the next spring season.”
Looking ahead optimistically, the golfers expect this season’s team to be one of the best that the school has had. “They [the team] all are extremely close to each other and I’m sure that they have a great time playing golf no matter where or when,” said Get Poolvoraluk ’25.
The team entered the season determined to dominate their matches. Downes noted the team’s objectives: “Our goals are to win the state and MAPL titles.” Marseille added, “It fits perfectly for us because you play your top four players and only the best three scores count. We’re keeping our eyes on that.”