by Derek Toney
Led by MIAA golf champ Patrick Hohman, Baltimore won the fifth annual Baltimore/Washington Senior Challenge Tuesday afternoon at Towson Golf and Country Club in Phoenix. Loyola Blakefield’s Dave Nastalski, Tim Prey of St. Paul’s School and Saints Peter & Paul’s John Mlynarski were also victorious for the Charm City area squad.
Hohman won his match, 2-1, over Chris Miller from St. John’s (D.C.). A week ago, Hohman held off another Miller, Brad Miller from Gilman School, to win the MIAA crown at Old South in a three-hole playoff. Hohman, who eagled the final hole in regulation, didn’t know he was tied.
“I’m kind of lucked into it,” said Hohman. “I thought he won because, incredibly, he [Miller] made a 15-footer for birdie. He made a fist pump, and then they told me we were tied.”
Miller, who competed in the U.S. Junior Amateur last summer, scrambled out of trouble to record pars on the first two playoff holes, while Hohman was positioned for birdie on both greens, only to miss makeable putts on both occasions. On the third hole, however, Miller was unable to recover from his aggressive approach on the third playoff hole and posted a bogie, while Hohman remained steady to the end, posting a third straight par to win the title.
After finishing 10th last spring, Hohman is Boys’ Latin’s first MIAA individual champion. Lakers’ coach Mason Champion said Hohman was “barely breaking a 100” as a freshman back in 2005.
“He’s got firm intentions and gravel in his guts,” said Champion. “At Boys’ Latin, we put the focus on effort rather than achievement. Over the course of the last four years, he’s done his best and tried his hardest and it shows on and off the golf course.”
Hohman, headed to Division III powerhouse Methodist University in the fall, said teammate Ben Whitman helped make him a better performer. Whitman, only a sophomore, placed 10th at the MIAA finals.
“We were very competitive every day in practice,” said Hohman, who will compete at the Maryland State Amateur Championships next week at Woodholme. “He’s trying to beat me, I’m trying to beat him. Doing that everyday for three months, you’re going to get better.”
5th annual Baltimore/Washington Senior Challenge
at Towson Golf and Country Club
Baltimore 12.5, Washington 11.5
Patrick Hohman, Boys’ Latin def. Chris Miller, St. John’s (D.C.), 2-1
Dave Nastalski, Loyola Blakefield def. Joey Rice, DeMatha, 2-1
Ryan McCarthy, Gonzaga (D.C.) def. Dan Makalick, Mount St. Joseph, 2.5-0.5
Justin Nogay, Georgetown Prep def. Brad Miller, Gilman School, 2-1
Tim Prey, St. Paul’s School def. Jim Vollmer, Georgetown Prep, 2.5-0.5
John Mlynarski, Saints Peter & Paul def. Ryan Moran, Good Counsel, 3-0
Ersin Laven, Landon School def. Nick Marsalick, Archbishop Spalding, 2.5-0.5
Ken Jee, St. Albans (D.C.) def. Mike Tavic, Calvert Hall College, 2-1
Processing your request, Please wait....
