Boys golf: Colin Lockwood plays hero as Hersey wins back-to-back MSL tournament titles
Hersey junior Colin Lockwood saved his best golf for last.
After playing even-par golf through his first 14 holes at the Mid-Suburban League tournament, Lockwood ripped off two birdies in his final four holes to muscle himself into a three-way-tie at 70 atop the leaderboard with Barrington’s Niyam Upadhyay and Prospect’s Luca Stathakis.
Lockwood would stay hot in the playoff hole, where he stuck his approach shot to within two feet from 108 yards out and tapped in for yet another birdie to secure the individual crown.
And though he didn’t know it at the time, those two late birdies made all the difference in the team competition. When the dust settled at Chevy Chase Country Club, Hersey had secured its second consecutive MSL tournament title by just two strokes, beating second-place Prospect 290-292.
“It was a great job by the team,” said Lockwood as he walked victorious off the 10th green. “Just hanging in there, not everyone had their best stuff, but we came away with the win.”
Hersey coach Dan Caporusso was quick to point out that Lockwood couldn’t even swing a golf club until a few weeks before tryouts due to a broken finger he suffered in the spring.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Lockwood chimed in after the match, flanked by his coach, teammates and the MSL conference trophy. “I had time to work on my putting.”
It was a true team effort from Hersey behind Lockwood. Huskies No. 6 seed Sahvan Patel finished the day as one of Hersey’s four counting golfers, helping his team overcome an off day from its No. 1 seed, all-conference senior Henry Esposito, with a par-heavy 74. MSL golfer of the year Julian Bugara (71) and Davis Lockwood (75), Colin’s brother, rounded out Hersey’s top four.
Patel, who didn’t start for Hersey as a junior during its conference championship run in 2025, moved into all-conference position himself with his strong showing Thursday.
“[Patel] has put in the work, he’s coachable, he’s willing to take advice,” said Caporusso. “You’re going to have rises and falls, and he’s accepted that. He just absolutely came to play today, and I’m unbelievably proud of our most improved player.”
Prospect’s narrow second-place finish was headlined by Stathakis (70), Ryan Murray (73), Connor Freudenberger (74) and Luke Ginsberg (75). All six Knights finished under 80, with Madden Cummo and Max Taylor carding a 75 and 77, respectively.
“I’m super proud of the guys, and I’m looking forward to hosting regionals next week,” said Prospect assistant athletic director Ashton Brown, who filled in as the Knights head coach Thursday. “I know it’s a good friendly rivalry back and forth each week with Hersey, and I know our boys are hoping to get on the opposite end next week.”
Conant stormed to a surprising third-place finish at 296 after finishing conference play 1-9. Sophomore Patrick Kittivat paved the way for the Cougars with a 71, and he nearly joined Lockwood, Upadhyay and Stathakis in the playoff as a birdie attempt from the bunker on his final hole missed left by no more than six inches.
Conant coach Scott Cieplik said that Kittivat had struggled in the week leading up to the MSL tournament, scoring 10-over on nine holes just a few days before his 1-under performance Thursday.
Leo Enomoto (74), Devin Heyse (74) and Jack Sunderlin (77) also scored for the Cougars.
“It was a struggle this year with us, and I think our guys understood that it’s not how you start the season, but how you finish,” continued Cieplik. “We worked really hard to get where we are today, and I just couldn’t be prouder of the performance from our top four.”
Barrington’s Upadhyay helped his Broncos to a fourth-place finish. The sophomore phenom drew one of the largest crowd-pops of the day on Chevy Chase’s 18th when he secured his spot in the playoff with a downhill, 15-footer for par.
Upadhyay said he knew the stakes of that putt before he hit it, as all competitors have access to a live leaderboard thanks to the app they use to submit their scores.
“I hit it a little firm,” said Upadhyay. “I was definitely not leaving it short.”
Charlie Blomquist (75), Sam Schauenberg (77) and Mac Hrankowsky (78) rounded out Barrington’s top four.