Park’s 39 helps Wissahickon beat Upper Dublin

WHITPAIN >> Call it pre-Labor Day Weekend Blues.

But for whatever reason, the golf played by both host Wissahickon and Upper Dublin Wednesday at Bluestone Country Club was, pardon the pun, below par.

The Trojans emerged with a 216-229 victory, but both the Trojans and Cardinals were not doing handsprings after the match.

“I don’t think either team played their best,” said Trojans head coach Kevin Brady, “but we played well enough to get our first win of the season.”

Upper Dublin head coach Steve Pickford agreed with the assessment.

“We thought it would be a close match,” Pickford said. “But our kids just didn’t have a good day.”

Indeed, only one golfer broke 40 (Wissahickon’s inimitable Cristea Park shot 39).

But on the whole, neither side had much to shout about.

“We all played badly today,” said Trojans Eshen Jituri. “but we’re happy with the win.

“We’re going to come out and practice tomorrow, and we’re going to get better as the season goes on.”

The goal for both teams, of course, is to win the Suburban One League American Conference title, although both sides agreed that goal is not a lock for anyone this season.

“The league is open for anyone to take,” Brady said. “Hopefully, our best golf is still to come.”

The Cardinals were led by Jared Matz’s 44 over nine holes, while both Jason Swartz and Grant Molloy authored 45s.

Wissahickon got a 44 from Jituri and a 45 from Pranay Kumar, but on the whole neither side was ready to request PGA cards.

“The good news is, the Suburban One League looks to be open for anyone to take this year,” Brady said. “Hopefully, our best golf is still to come.”

“We had a close match with Wissahickon the last time we played them,” Pickford said. “Some people would look at today and say, ‘That’s golf.’”

“Right now it’s 100 percent practice,” Jituri said. “I know I’m going to be working on my putting this weekend.”

Wissahickon 216, Upper Dublin 229
Cristea Park (W) 39; Eshen Jituri (W) 44; Jared Matz (UD) 44; Pranay Kumar (W) 45; Grant Malloy (UD) 45; Jason Swartz (UD) 45; Dan Fantini (W) 46; Cary Romig (UD) 46; Jackson Tappen (W) 46; Garrett Broglin (UD) 49.