Lions Sports Update (5/6)

GOLF
After two intense weeks of qualifying rounds and practice prep, the varsity golf team drove to the Golf Club of Houston on April 29th for the two-day SPC tournament. Duff McKay teed off first and set the tone with a par on the first hole, which Sam Merryman subsequently birdied. The Lions proceeded to string together several consistent holes, largely thanks to very efficient putting and a steadying leadership presence from Luke Lemons. Rafe O’Rear parred nearly every hole on the front, and Brooks Main repeated the feat on the back. James Hoak’s three birdies countered a few mistakes due to water and other hazards being a threat on nearly every swing. With the Lions virtually tied with a familiar foe, Kinkaid, heading into the diabolical 18th hole at the end of round one, the team faltered badly, adding five strokes above par to their score as a group. That stroke total would be the margin necessary to overcome heading into day 2, with St. Mark’s sitting at 305 and Kinkaid at 300. Following a practice session later that afternoon, the Lions got some good food and rest and returned with a determined spirit the next morning. Rafe O’Rear had another solid start to his day, and James Hoak overcame a rough stretch early on to play under par during his final 9 holes. Sam Merryman scattered five bogeys and finished both rounds with 77s, good enough for a top-ten All-SPC finish. Hoak’s 78 on day one and 76 on day 2 were also worthy of All-SPC honors. Unlike the day one stumbling down the stretch, the Marksmen displayed endurance and mental toughness to finish strong. Despite patches of rain and extreme winds, the team improved on their day one total with a second-round score of 303.

As they forged a slim lead, the pressure became palpable. But rather than a meltdown on hole 18, the Marksmen, one by one, stepped up to the tee and calmly found the fairway. As James Hoak, playing #5 in the anchor spot, put his approach onto the green and finished the par, the scoreboard reflected a dream come true: St. Mark’s had won SPC for the first time since 2011! Incredible! The two-day total of 608 was five strokes better than runner-up Kinkaid and many more ahead of any other SPC opponent in either the 3A or 4A divisions. However, there was still some fierce drama that needed to be resolved. St. Mark’s Duff McKay had company atop the overall individual leaderboard. Similar to the 2024 SPC tournament in which McKay fell one stroke shy of taking home the individual championship title, the Indiana signee’s stellar play brought out the best in a competitive field.

As the dust settled, McKay and the number one golfer from Kinkaid were both 5-under par, warranting a sudden death playoff hole. In a sport where most competitors are typically left to themselves and perhaps a smattering of observers, dozens of interested teammates/fans/coaches followed closely as both players strove to overcome nerves on each swing. McKay was the first to endure significant pressure, needing to sink a putt from about 8 feet for a chance to save par and force a second playoff hole. He calmly did just that! On the green for hole #2, McKay once again had to roll in a putt from several feet away to halve the hole, and he embraced the moment with another courageous par. But adversity would strike again on #3, where McKay’s drive found a bunker while his opponent’s first shot split the fairway. The pin was in the front of a green that narrowed down between a sizeable sand trap on the right and water on the left. McKay’s swing was pure, but his line was conservatively away from the water, landing him into the greenside bunker.

The young man from Kinkaid miscalculated the wind and left his shot short and left, almost costing him the tournament, but longer rough near the water prevented the ball from rolling into the hazard. The ensuing shot from Kinkaid was masterful, as the ball settled a few feet above the cup, meaning McKay would likely need a similarly brilliant shot to give himself a chance. With water beyond the hole from McKay’s angle and short, sloping green between the bunker and the hole, McKay’s room for error was miniscule. However, his touch was perfect, as he landed the ball just beyond the trap and watched it roll down to three feet from the cup. Amazing! His counterpart, facing his first pressure putt of the playoff, missed his line ever so slightly, and McKay capitalized by draining the winner. What a way for the season to end!

BASEBALL
The St. Mark’s Varsity baseball team entered SPC play on Thursday as the #6 seed in the 4A playoff bracket, matching up in the first round of games with #3 seed Episcopal of Houston. The Lions batters threatened early after a pitch hit Jake DeBoever, and Jack Frary and Jackson Ostella both walked. Unfortunately, two infield pop-ups (one resulting in a double play) stranded all three runners, allowing EHS to escape unscathed. Jackson Williams doubled down the LF line an inning later, and John Stephen Hohmann’s sharp single scored Williams from second base. However, St. Mark’s pitchers could not contain the impressive Knights offense, giving up 11 runs in five complete innings in the loss. The Lions squared off on Friday with #7 seed St. Stephen’s. After falling behind 1-3, Lucas Petrikas (7 IP, 5H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 Ks) settled down and was dominant in his last four innings of work. The Lion’s defense responded as Jackson Ostella and William Everitt turned multiple double plays. Deven Piterzak and John Stephen Hohmann collected three hits each, while Jake DeBoever added two more in a solid 9-3 victory for St. Mark’s. After multiple lightning delays and rain suspended the Friday night contest vs. #4 seed Greenhill, the Lions played their final game of the season on Saturday morning. The Hornets took advantage of multiple miscues by the defense, staking Greenhill with an eight-run lead by the third inning. Dylan Barnes, Spenser New, and Jackson Ostella then combined to shut out Greenhill in the last four innings, while Jack Frary led the offense with three hits and two RBIs. Jake DeBoever, Peter Rubi, and John Stephen Hohmann also added hits in the 3-8 loss.

TENNIS
The varsity tennis team kicked off their SPC Championship campaign with a strong 4–1 victory over Greenhill, facing their local rivals for the second time in just over a week. The match occurred at Awty International School as part of the annual tournament, hosted this year by Houston Christian. Freshman Bryan Li set the tone early, displaying impressive composure and stamina to outlast a determined opponent in a pro set tiebreaker. Junior Nathaniel Hochman delivered one of the day’s grittiest performances, battling through a rolled ankle in the first set to secure a straight-sets win. Juniors Tejas Allada and Kian Foshee earned redemption in doubles play, reversing a recent loss to Greenhill with a composed straight-sets victory—saving a set point in the opener to swing momentum in their favor. It was a complete team performance, marked by energy, focus, and an unwavering competitive edge from start to finish. The Lions next faced #1 seed St. John’s in the semifinal match of the SPC championship. After having rolled his ankle the previous day, it was decided to pair juniors Nathaniel Hochman and Aryaman Lahoti at one doubles and shift Tejas Allada and Kian Foshee to two doubles, with captain Dilan Koganti at two singles and sophomore Ali Khimji at three singles.

Unfortunately, two and three singles lacked the depth and quality to compete, losing in straight sets, and one doubles lost out to a competitive opponent. Allada and Foshee showed remarkable resilience and resolve after splitting the set to win the match in a pro set, with the overall match already being decided. Freshman Bryan Li’s match followed a similar trajectory, eventually securing a victory over his opponent in a tiebreaker after defaulting due to “wet” conditions. Overall, the team performed competitively despite the setbacks, but unfortunately, it was not enough. Having lost their semifinal the previous day, the Lions now faced Kinkaid from Houston in the 3rd place match. After having assessed the condition of Hochman’s ankle, it was decided to go with the same lineup. Sophomore Khimji, unfortunately, was picked off in relatively quick succession, suffering a straight-set loss after having made 22 unforced errors and only 8 outright winners. Juniors Allada and Foshee had a solid performance in dismantling their opponents in a two-set victory, shortly followed by Hochman and Lahoti doing the same. Freshman Bryan Li came unstuck against his opponent, who was too crafty and strategic. Li succumbed to a straight-set loss of 6-2 and 6-1. It was all up to captain Koganti to secure victory, with the overall match drawn at 2-2. After clawing his way back momentarily from one set down, unfortunately, it was a combination of a solid opponent together with 39 unforced errors and only 11 outright winners that cost Koganti the match. Kinkaid secured the victory 3-2, with the Lions finishing the championship 4th overall, as their seeding predicted.

TRACK & FIELD
The 2025 SPC Championship for the Track & Field Team was a microcosm of the 2025 season overall.  The 2-day meet was filled with highs and lows for the Lions.  There were the highs: Mateu Parker and Ace Wilburn finishing in 2nd (All-SPC) and 4th-T, respectively, in the Pole Vault as both vaulted new PRs; Noah Roby running the race of his life in the 1600m with a 3rd place finish (All-SPC), in PR time;  the 4x400 Relay team gutting out a 3rd place finish (All-SPC) with their 2nd best time of the year; Brady Wyatt finishing 5th in the Shot Put with a PR throw; Braden Scott finishing 9th in the Long Jump with a PR Jump (3-times!); Harmon Pope scoring in the 800m, 1600m, and 3200m.  Unfortunately, there were also the lows, as Mateu Parker injured his leg in the Long Jump, which took him out of the rest of the meet. The athletes competed hard but finished just out of the scoring in many events. The conference has gotten better and better each year, and this challenge now requires more commitment and hard work. Coach Turek is hopeful that next year will see a resurgence in quality and commitment from the boys that will be parlayed into a more competitive team in the SPC.

LACROSSE
The varsity lacrosse team earned the #1 seed in the THSLL Class A State Tournament.  With a first-round bye, the Lions took on Strake Jesuit in round 2 on Sunday in Houston.  In a very physical matchup that challenged the depth of the team, the Lions brought home a 5-3 win, highlighted by stout defense, excellent goaltending, and a ball control offense.  Next up is a state semifinal matchup with Memorial HS (Houston) on Saturday at 10:00 am at Highland Park’s Highlander Stadium. Should the Lions advance to the championship game, it will take place Sunday at 2:00 pm and also at Highlander.

CREW
Marksmen rowers competed this last weekend in the final competition of the regular season in the Central Youth Championship in Oklahoma City. The regional event brought together 22 crews from Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Colorado. The event is qualifying for USRowing’s Youth National Championships in Sarasota, Florida. St. Mark’s raced 11 entries in 6 events, with 8 advancing to finals. The team’s sights were set on beating Texas Rowing Center for a second time in the most promising race, the 1V4X. Unfortunately, the boat ‘caught a crab,’ rendering an oar unrowable, and the boat could not complete the race. It was a major disappointment to the boys in the boat as it prevented them from qualifying for Youth Nationals. A petition to compete at Nationals has been filed, and it is just this sort of misadventure that the petition process was designed for. The boat has the speed and proven results to gain a bid with a petition. The 2V4X shined in their race with a 2nd place finish, sandwiched between 1st and 3rd taken by the dominant Texas Rowing Center. The weekend was a resounding success for our Novice rowers. In the Novice 4X, Marksmen medaled with a 2nd and 3rd place finish. In the Novice 2X, the boys came away with a bronze, 3rd place finish.

ALUMNI ATHLETE NEWS
Kit Colson ’21, a member of the Yale Track & Field team, was given the Lee Calhoun Award which is presented annually to the most outstanding member of the sprints and hurdles event group.  His PR of 10.57 in the 100m puts him third all-time at Yale.  

Logan Johnson ’23, s sophomore on the Sewanee golf team, helped his team to the Southern Athletic Association Conference Championship last week. He finished 27th overall in the tournament. Logan also earned his second straight Second Team All-SAA honor with his 74.2 scoring average and three Top-20 finishes during the season. Logan is third from the left in the photo below.