Brian Norwitz, McDaniel
ABBOTTSTOWN, Pa. - In 23 years of Centennial Conference men's golf, the team championship has been decided by a single stroke on two occasions - 1997 and 2000. The 2017 championship is shaping up as one that could equal those memorable finishes.
Franklin & Marshall is the three-time defending champion and has won four events this season with the Centennial's lowest team stroke average at 303.94. McDaniel, who has seven Conference titles to its credit but has not won since 2013, is on a two-event win streak and has a 306.65 average. Muhlenberg has two tourney titles this season and has a 308.53 average. So to say this is anyone's championship would be accurate.
The chase for individual honors could be even tighter. Four of the top five finishers are back looking to repeat as All-Centennial selections. McDaniel senior Brian Norwitz (Germantown, Md.) captured the gold medal a year ago at The Bridges, winning a five-man playoff with a birdie on the third extra hole. He fired a 54-hole score of 227, equaled by Franklin & Marshall junior Steve Colodny (Westport, Conn.) and senior Dan Furman, Gettysburg freshman Danny Harcourt (Fanwood, N.J.) and Swarthmore rookie Vamsi Damerla (Arcadia, Calif.).
Harcourt has won three events this season and has posted the year's best average at 74.24. F&M senior Brad Lankler (Westfield, N.J.) is also under 75 at 74.79. Muhlenberg sophomore Ian Simon (Owings Mills, Md.), Colodny and Gettysburg soph Dane Sethre-Hofstad (Moorhead, Minn.) are 3-4-5 with 75.43, 75.44 and 75.92 averages, respectively.
The 54-hole event begins Friday at the par-72 layout at The Bridges GC. Tee times are 11:30 a.m. each day.