Paxton Diana '26
May 10, 2024
Last Wednesday, the Blue Storm boys varsity golf team traveled to Blair Academy to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League championship. The team finished third with a score of 225.
The team has participated in the MAPL championship for the past three years. The tournament has a unique format, which includes alternate shots, followed by the best ball. Regarding the team’s preparation, head coach Doug Smith said, “For two straight days, the boys went out and tried the format. We plotted who would tee off on which hole at the golf course and strategized for the front nine.”
In addition to strategizing, the boys were hard at work practicing. Argyle Downes ’24 said, “Over the past years, the alternate shot portion of the championships has always been a challenge for us to overcome, but practicing as much as possible in preparation helps a good bit.”
At the tournament, some players played extremely well. Smith commented on the exceptional performances: “Isaiah Marseille [’24] and Cameron Gierasch [’26] tied the MAPL championships record.”
Each year, the golf team undergoes a significant change, with many new faces coming in. “The team's dynamic on a culture level is strong, everyone gets along,” said Smith. “It’s interesting; we are going through a transition where we have the top end of our team [that] is very experienced, and the bottom end, [which] is not so experienced; so, there is a little bit of a gap. There is work to be done to bridge the two and [to get] the new players up to speed.”
Despite the new players, the boys foster a strong team dynamic. “We all rely on each other in and out of practice. We have a nice combination of younger guys along with the older guys, and we come together to form our unique team,” explained Jason Jones ’24.
Similarly, Ryan Kothari ’25 added, “I am able to ask all of them [my teammates] for help or tips; I know I will get an answer that will make a positive impact on my game. I am happy to be on a team with great and supportive teammates.”
Although the MAPL championships are behind them, the team still has some work to achieve. “A good goal would be to try [to] incorporate some of our younger guys in more competitive matches in hopes that next year they would be prepared to compete when it is their time,” explained Downes.
The team has one final match this weekend on Saturday at Brookside Country Club against the Hill School.