A Washington team, loaded with players who have had outstanding seasons, put their talents on display in the fourth annual Baltimore-Washington Junior team match at Caves Valley Golf Club, August 23. The result was a 10-2 victory that squared the series at 2-2 on a cool, rainy afternoon.

Starting on the 10th tee, Washington swept that nine for an early 4-0 lead, but Baltimore battled back in the first match to win the second (front) nine and the match for a 2-1 win in the four-ball Nassau scoring format. Washington would go on to sweep the three remaining pairings.

Three-down through No. 17 (the eighth hole of the match), in the opening match, Peter Knade, from Easton, birdied No. 9 and partner Teagan Stephenson, from Frederick, birdied the par-3 fourth and two subsequent winning pars got the home side its two points against Justin Feldman, Rockville, and Nick Mejia, from Woodstock. It was the only match to go to the last hole, as Stephenson, runner-up in the MSGA Junior Amateur, birdied No. 7 for 1 up, and the two teams halved the last two holes.

Davis Lamb, from Potomac, who earlier in the summer was a Washington Metropolitan Amateur semi-finalist and won the Bob Riley Junior event, had two birdies on each nine, partner Andrew Barth, Middle Atlantic Junior and Gorin Junior winner, had three overall, and opponents Chris Navarro, from Davidsonville, and Liam Powderly, from Baltimore, did not win a hole in the second match. This was the third successive appearance in the event for Navarro, who last month qualified for the U.S. Amateur when he shared the low score with Matt Bassler at Woodholme CC. He is the reigning Maryland Independent Athletic Association champion.

Lee Detmer, 17, a St. Alban’s senior who already has won two Chevy Chase club championships, and clubmate Morgan Egloff, 17, a Landon School senior, took an early 3-up lead, but Bob Mulreany, the Baltimore County champion from Dulaney High School, and Will Koris rallied to win Nos. 17-18 to turn only 1-down. From there, the Washington pair won four of the first five holes on the front to close out the third match.

In the final match, Evan Katz, from Washington, birdied No. 16 and Mike Blasey, from Potomac, parred No. 18 for a 2-up margin at the turn, then the leaders took command, as Seth Miller-Ben Morris did not win a hole on the second nine. Blasey, the MSGA Junior titlist, birdied the second and Katz was credited with a double-eagle 2 at the 494-yard third when both Baltimore players found the water hazard and conceded the hole.

The event was sponsored and conducted by the Maryland State Golf Association. MSGA vice-presidents Brian Fitzgerald, of the Chevy Chase Club, and Sandy Martin, from Green Spring Valley Hunt Club, captained their respective teams. Seven of the Maryland players in last month’s Mid-Atlantic Junior Invitation at Turf Valley CC were in the Baltimore-Washington field, with Blasey, Detmer, Egloff, Katz, and Lamb from Washington, and Knade and Stephenson from Baltimore.

The results:

Justin Feldman, Lakewood CC & Nick Mejia, Waverly Woods (W) lost to Peter Knade, Talbot CC & Teagan Stephenson, Holly Hills CC, 1-2.

Davis Lamb, Congressional CC & Andrew Barth, Bethesda CC (W) def. Chris Navarro, Crofton CC & Liam Powderly, Baltimore CC, 3-0.

Lee Detmer, Chevy Chase Club & Morgan Egloff, Chevy Chase Club (W) def. Bob Mulreany, Towson Golf & CC & Will Koris, Hayfields CC, 3-0.

Mike Blasey, Columbia CC & Evan Katz, Bethesda CC (W) def. Seth Miller, Hayfields CC & Bob Morris, Hayfields CC, 3-0.

-Reported by John Stewart from Caves Valley Golf Club