Carber Eyes Next Level as Golf Team Wins Championship

Andrew Carber isn’t your average golfer.

In speaking with him, you quickly understand that he plays to win in any sport he partakes in. Golf, baseball, basketball, a foot race-- maybe even cricket, if he played cricket. But what fuels the Upper Dublin junior to succeed?

“My team,” said Carber. “Obviously, individual achievements are great, but this team means a lot more than any of those.”

Carber, standing 6 foot, 7 inches tall at seventeen years of age, has had a SOL Championship in his sights from the first time he stepped foot onto the LuLu Country Club course. Tuesday night, that vision became a reality, when Upper Dublin avoided a three-way tie and won the SOL American League Championship by edging Plymouth-Whitemarsh, 201-211.

 “Last year we missed a big opportunity,” proclaimed Carber. “This year we made up some progress on the lost chance we had last year. This means so much to us. We’ve always been the underdog and the fact we have it all in our hands means everything.”

Besides securing a league title, Carber has even more on the line after a stellar performance at the SOL singles tournament. Golfers from all three of the conference’s divisions gathered at Indian Valley Golf Club, vying for a chance to move up to the next level. Carber didn’t disappoint.

The Cardinal captain shot a 38 on the front nine, while pushing a 40 on the back to total a 78 for the tournament. Andrew’s performance earned him second among American Conference golfers and locked him into a tie for fifth place overall. The tie is no matter though, as he qualified for the PIAA District tournament later this month.

“Every tourney, I go out I try to win. A top three finish would be good to show college coaches, but I’ll take a trip to districts,” Carber said laughing. “I shoot to win. I know there is really good competition out there but I can rise up. I know that I’m a competitor.”

As confident as he is in his star golfer, head coach David Koch knows that his potential is uncapped.

“The kid is a natural born leader,” explained Koch. “He sets the pace for our team, so as he goes, we all go.”

Koch praises the entire team just as much as Carber does. In fact, it was difficult to get them to talk about anything but the team.

“We have a solid line-up and they come through for us at the best times,” Carber said. “Between Joe Bebey, Tom O’Brien and our lone female golfer, Sarah Easton, we have the golfers to go the distance.”

The supporting cast helps Carber push himself to the next level.  And for Carber, that means getting some top-tier golf programs to take notice. The junior says that schools such as UPenn and Stanford have previously expressed interest for baseball, but just recently he’s been garnering attention for his work on the links. Wake Forest is latest on the list of schools watching Andrew.

When asked about what sport he really wanted to pursue at the higher level, Carber paused and thought for a minute.

“I haven’t really thought about it at all actually. I’m really enjoying my time with golf right now though, so maybe that.”

With an average drive of 285-yards, things look like they come easy for Carber, but his skills are the result of a lifetime of practice. Carber says his passion for the game began while he was in the second grade, while going to the local chip n’ putt with his father.

“I’m the first one on the range and the last one off,” he said. “All I want to do is win.”

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