Will the law of averages ever catch up with Churchill’s varsity golf program? Golfers are prone to streaks, and even the PGA Tour’s top golfers have off days. As a team in Maryland’s state championships, however, Churchill golf hasn’t had an off day in more than eight years.
Last October, Churchill won its fifth consecutive state golf championship. No two state titles were the same. The Bulldogs won the state tournament in a single-day, 18-hole format (2002, 2003 and 2005) and over 36 holes in two days (2004 and 2006). Churchill took the title in dream conditions (2004) and in 40-mph winds (2006, setting a state record despite the conditions). The Bulldogs dominated beginning-to-end in a two-day tournament (2006), and they rallied back from fourth place (2004).
“I know that three or four of our players didn’t have their best performances, but we won,” said Churchill ‘04 graduate Frank Alafoginis after the 2003 states. “Imagine if we all played our best.”
That’s part of what keeps Bulldog golfers inspired year after year — the challenge of accomplishing something their predecessors haven’t done.
“Every year there seems to be something they’ve done. … They’ve [always] outdone themselves,” said Arnold Tarzy, who has coached the Bulldogs since 2003.
Mike Dichov, who coached the Bulldogs through the 2002 season, was in awe of the talent on his varsity squad. “Here I am witnessing it every day in practice and matches,” Dichov said.
CHURCHILL’S RUN OF state titles began in October 2002, after two years in which the Bulldogs finished as runners-up at states. Dulaney edged Churchill by two strokes in ’00; the Bulldogs had two double-bogeys on the last two holes. McDonough prevailed by a half-dozen strokes in ’01.
In a relocated and reformatted ‘02 state tournament, the Bulldogs finally prevailed. The sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C. area canceled nearly all varsity sports through the month of October. The state golf championship, originally scheduled as a two-day, 36-hole tournament at the University of Maryland, was changed to a one-day, 18-hole tournament at Clustered Spires Golf Course in Frederick. Maryland’s top golfers teed off four days after police arrested John Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammad for the sniper shootings on Oct. 24.
“It was really cold, and it rained for the first two or three holes,” said Churchill ‘04 graduate Adam Krainson. “The ball wasn’t flying as far.”
In addition to the weather conditions, golfers waited a long time between holes. Few of the Bulldogs felt that they shot their best, but team consistency won the day. Only nine strokes separated the score of Alafoginis (71) from those of teammates Federico Lopez and Krainson (80).
“That was a six-hour round,” Dichov said. It was worth the wait, though. “My feeling was that it was overdue. I thought we had the talent and finally did it. [We] could have had three in a row with a little bit of luck.”
THE SUNDAY BEFORE Churchill won its fifth straight state title last October, all of Churchill’s players went to the University of Maryland course to practice. Through 30-mph winds and wind-chill temperatures in the 30s, the Bulldogs focused on perfecting their game for a tournament they had every right to feel was in the bag. “They were out there banging balls and working on their putting until dark,” Tarzy said.
Karl Lindblad, Churchill class of ‘07, said that he and his teammates take nothing for granted. “We were the only team practicing out there Sunday night,” Lindblad said. “All of us work really hard. It’s not like it just falls in our hands. … Our success is deserved.”
Tarzy said that this is the attitude each of the last four Bulldog squads have demonstrated. “I have never had a team that felt as though we were entitled to win it,” Tarzy said.
Last fall, Churchill sent an unprecedented nine golfers to states. In addition to the four-man team of Lindblad, Connor Wielgus, Billy Peel and Joey Goldstein, Churchill’s Quinn Hunsinger qualified as an individual, as did four girls — Cynthia Iselin, Alex Brown, Teryn Hann and Lindsey Gould.
“IT MIGHT BE the most successful sports program in the history of the state,” Tarzy said.
It’s up there. As of this writing, Churchill has the longest active streak of state championships among Maryland’s boys varsity programs. Dunbar, a boys basketball powerhouse, is in the state 1A basketball semifinals, and could win its fifth straight state championship with a pair of wins this weekend.
For historical company, Churchill golf is one of 20 Maryland varsity teams — boys or girls — to win 10 or more total state championships. Seneca Valley football, with 12 state championships between 1976 and 2002, is the one that is most likely familiar to locals. Bulldog golf is also one of 16 Maryland varsity programs — boys or girls — that has ever won more than five consecutive state championships.
The story isn’t over, either. Tarzy won’t make any guarantees about a sixth straight team title, but he won’t rule it out, either. “I can’t say going into ’07 that we will win it again,” Tarzy said. “If they work hard and in the summer, we can win it.”