SPRECKELSVILLE — The Maui Interscholastic League golf seasons are split into two distinct portions — team and individual — and the defending boys team champions from Seabury Hall are making the most of the first half.

The Spartans claimed a close win over Maui Preparatory Academy for the second time in four days, 171-180 on Saturday at Maui Country Club.

Seabury Hall (2-0) is the only undefeated team left in the MIL — Kamehameha Maui and King Kekaulike are both in the race for the title at 3-1 — after Saturday’s victory combined with a four-stroke win over Na Pueo on Wednesday. Maui Prep fell to 1-2.

Seabury Hall sophomore Pierce Dowd wasn’t happy with his 40 on Wednesday at the Kapalua Bay Course, a fact that drove him to a 1-over-par 37 on Saturday.

He played in the second foursome on Saturday, which is usually reserved for players lower on the team scoring list, but he was three strokes clear of anyone else in the match.

“I didn’t play that well on Wednesday, so I felt like I had to kind of make it up and help my team out today,” Dowd said. “It definitely feels good, I will be driving home happy. I think it was big for the team today because we had a few higher scores.”

Dowd was joined in the scoring column by Daniel Judge, who shot 43; Hudson Jackson, who shot 44; and Max Flammer, who had a 47. Finn Hogan had a 52, which was dropped.

Seabury Hall coach Jake Grodzinsky takes his players’ request into consideration when making his assignments.

“I asked to play with Max and so he put out with Max second,” Dowd said.

Dowd got off to a solid start when he sank a 30-foot putt for par on No. 1. He birdied Nos. 3 and 6, while bogeying 2, 4, and 8.

The 12-match team race comes before the individual tournament, but carries more significance than just the right to become the league’s best team. The school that wins the boys team title immediately claims the first five spots that the MIL gets to the state tournament — that number has not been announced yet for this season, but last year it was 16.

“States is a lot of fun, it’s a great experience with the team,” Dowd said. “It takes a lot of pressure off to win MILs and secure your spot.”

Grodzinsky guided the Spartans to their first MIL boys team title in eight years last season. He knows just how vital each match is in the seven-team standings and said that Dowd was the key on Saturday.

Maui Prep was playing without Caleb Chumley, who had a team-best 35 on Wednesday and led Na Pueo again with a 42 in a win over Lahainaluna on Friday.

“(Dowd) was the difference maker today, for sure, especially with them playing without Caleb Chumley — (Chumley) played really well in the first match,” Grodzinsky said. “We needed that today from Dowd and he came through. … All these matches are big. Maui Prep is pretty tough.”

Despite being swept by the Spartans, Na Pueo are just 1 1/2 games behind the leaders in the standings. Hudson Holland led MPA Saturday with a 41, Griffin Gibson shot 44, Dylan Falk had a 45, while Jimmy Falk and Jakob Nussbaum each shot 50.

“It’s definitely one of those years where multiple teams are in contention this year,” MPA coach Chris Armanini said. “It could go either way and the scores are really close. Lost by nine strokes, which isn’t that much, more or less two shots per kid. The other day, we lost by four, that’s one shot per kid. So, it’s really, really close out here this year.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

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Also Saturday

King Kekaulike 201, Baldwin 213

Maui High 176, Kamehameha Maui 179

Individual scores–King Kekaulike: Trevor Onaga 41, Kapono Mossman 52, Alohi Dela Cruz 52, Patxi Laborde 56, Ian Mantupar 70 (non-scoring alternate); Baldwin: Aaron Nakamura 50, Brendan Endo 51, Nainoa Pagaduan 53, Glenn Agorilla 59, Dillon Tom 63 (dropped); Maui High: Marlon Bottorff 42, Asher Aspili 43, Kenny Hamada 45, Kaleb Makimoto 46, Noah Manuel 55 (dropped), Quincey Augustine 54 (non-scoring alternate), Kai DeShincoe 56 (non-scoring alternate), Kaesen Ibera 61 (non-scoring alternate), Reagan Casio 64 (non-scoring alternate); Kamehameha Maui: Jordan Mitsumura 40, Kody Cambra 45, Dane Abarra 46, Puniawa Vedder 48, Marcus Ayau 49 (dropped).

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MIL STANDINGS

BOYS

W L T Pct.

Seabury Hall 2 0 0 1.000

Kamehameha Maui 3 1 0 .750

King Kekaulike 3 1 0 .750

Maui High 2 2 0 .500

Maui Prep 1 2 0 .333

Lahainaluna 0 1 0 .000

Baldwin 0 4 0 .000

Saturday’s Results

Maui High 176, Kamehameha Maui 179

Seabury Hall 171, Maui Prep 180

King Kekaulike 201, Baldwin 213

Wednesday’s Matches

Kamehameha Maui vs. Maui Prep at Kapalua Bay, 3:30 p.m.

Seabury Hall vs. Lahainaluna at Kaanapali Golf Courses, 3:30 p.m.

Maui High vs. Baldwin at Kahili Golf Course, 3:30 p.m.