Huntingdon Valley, Overbrook, Philadelphia Cricket and Merion are on the verge of advancing to the GAP Team Matches Playoff.

GTM: Four remain unbeaten following Week Two victories

  Four of region’s most established clubs continue to showcase their pedigrees in the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s most revered tradition. Huntingdon Valley Country Club, Overbrook Golf Club, Philadelphia Cricket Club and Merion Golf Club picked up key victories in Week Two of the GAP Team Matches to remain undefeated. Now, each is poised to reach the Playoff.

  In Week Two, Mother Nature replaced relentless rain with plenty of sunshine. Huntingdon Valley Country Club sits atop Section Two after a commanding 43-11 victory over Blue Bell Country Club. Its home soldiers posted 26.5 points.

  Team depth is a staple of Huntingdon Valley’s success.

  “This year, we’re fortunate in that we may have the top player in the whole city or state with [reigning William Hyndman, III Player of the Year] Andrew Mason, but I’d say depth is more important than having all of the top players,” Gregor said.

  Huntingdon Valley holds a record-32 GAP Team Matches titles. It is two wins away from adding a 33rd to the collection. Next up is a clash with defending champion Little Mill Country Club, which fell to Llanerch Country Club, 29.5-24.5, in Week Two.

  “Little Mill will be a difficult opponent. Everyone’s going to have to play well to beat them,” Gregor said.

  Like Huntingdon Valley, Overbrook is well-positioned to advance to the Playoff. It defeated Laurel Creek Country Club, 33-21, to improve to 2-0.

  “We’re a lot better in the sunshine than we are in the rain,” Oscar Mestre, Overbrook’s captain, joked. “At our ages, with the arthritis in our hands, that gets to you. We’ve honestly played pretty well both weeks, but it was a lot more pleasant in Week Two.”   Sunny skies aside, Overbrook has relied healthy blend of the old and new this year. Younger players such as Sean Fahey and James Kania, Jr. complement experienced minds such as Christopher Lange and Raymond Thompson.

  “The vibe is that we’d obviously like to maximize our opportunities,” Mestre said. “Because many of us are a little long in the tooth, you get to certain ages where you don’t know how many more shots you have at these things. It’s nice to have an infusion of homegrown, young talent which has really bolstered the back end of our lineup. We have a nice mix of grizzled veterans and young blood. The younger guys re-energize the older guys.”

  Although it’s captured two straight Philadelphia Team Championships, Overbrook has struggled to find Team Matches success in recent years. It hasn’t reached the Playoff in more than a decade. To erase that drought, Overbrook must first overcome a Tavistock Country Club team looking to rebound from a 33-21 loss to Commonwealth National Golf Club.

  “We control our own destiny. If we play well, then everything else falls into place,” Mestre said. “We’ve battled with Tavistock in both the Team Matches and the Team Championship. We know their players and how good they are. We don’t expect that we will be handed the match or win just by showing up. We expect a knock-down, drag-out fight.”

  Philadelphia Cricket is on the verge of securing its first Playoff appearance since 2007. It defeated Moselem Springs Golf Club, 38.5-15.5 in Week Two.

  “I was proud of our guys. They all played very well,” Robert Savarese, Jr., Philadelphia Cricket’s captain, said. “We have a great group of guys. All of them are incredibly hungry to play. As a matter of fact, they’re jumping out of their skin to play.”

  Philadelphia Cricket earned a substantial 24 points at home in the victory. Team rookies such as John Brennan, Ryan Gelrod and Jack Wallace have been “very instrumental” to the club’s success thus far.

  “Going into this year, I loved our team without any of those additional players,” Savarese said. “I thought we were good before, and we’re stronger now. We went into the season with an open mind. A lot of guys played in March and April to get their games sharp, and I think you’re seeing the results of that now.”

  Although it’s one of the Association’s founding member clubs, Philadelphia Cricket has never won the GAP Team Matches. That fact has served as motivation this year.

  “It’s on the front of our minds,” Savarese said. “I remind the guys of that frequently. It will change. I can’t be any clearer than that. I’m telling you it’s going to change. If not this year, very soon.”

  To inch closer toward changing its history, Philadelphia Cricket must hurdle Fox Hill Country Club (1-1) in Week Three.

  “Because Fox Hill was in the Final last year, I’ve got to consider ourselves the underdog this weekend, but I love the group I have playing,” Savarese said. “It’s the strongest group we’ve had so far collectively. I’m real excited about this weekend.”

  In Section 4, Merion Golf Club knocked off fellow unbeatens Mercer Oak Golf Course, 35-19. Michael McDermott, Merion’s captain, pointed to team depth as a factor in the win.

  “I thought what made our team strong was guys 3-12. We’re really well-balanced,” he said. “Going into Mercer Oaks, they obviously have a couple of the best players in Philadelphia. If we were able to play them even at the top, I felt the rest of the lineup would be able to hold on and we’d be able to use our depth to our advantage.”

  Merion did just that. McDermott halved his match against reigning Middle-Amateur Champion Glenn Smeraglio. On the road, James Donnelly halved his match against Justin Van Hyning, who played in Mercer Oaks’ No. 1 slot. Merion grabbed a plentiful 20.5 points at Mercer Oaks.

  Entering Week Three, Merion holds a 15.5-point edge over Hartefeld National (1-1).

  “We know our position right now,” McDermott said. “Every team in the division is a tough team. You don’t want to look past anyone. We hope that our depth will produce another victory, and if so, well look forward to three years in a row in the Final.”