By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com

It was his first time in the starting lineup, on a new team, against arch-rival Whitman and he tied a Churchill single-game scoring record with seven goals.

But Thursday’s 10-3 win over Whitman still wasn’t Michael Mutryn’s best high school game. That, Mutryn said, came in the hockey rink.

“It’s a tough one,” Mutryn said. “I’d say this is definitely in the Top 2.”

Mutryn, a senior midfielder, scored five goals in the third quarter alone and two more in the first half before Churchill stalled for nearly the entire fourth quarter. He tied Churchill’s Tommy Wentz and Alex Middel, who each scored seven goals in a single game in 2002 and 2004, respectively.

“It’s definitely one of the best all-time offensive performance we’ve had at Churchill,” Bulldogs Coach Jeff Fritz said. “He’s such a deadly finisher. He’s by far the best finisher we’ve had here at Churchill in quite a few years.”

Mutryn transferred from Landon this year after taking nine years at the Bethesda private school and national lacrosse powerhouse. He left to “renew his interests, academically and socially.”

He didn’t even play lacrosse last year at Landon, a season in which the Bears won the IAC championships. Then Mutryn lost about 50 pounds during the offseason, which not only gave him a boost on the ice but also on the lacrosse field.

Murtyn’s greatest skill Thursday, however, was putting himself in the right place at the right time. After senior Matt Risk gave Churchill the lead for good just 17 seconds into the game, Murtyn took over – each time celebrating hockey style.

He scored his first goal on an assist from Michael Bensimon, then scored the next on a feed from Jacob Dockser. Murtyn scored his third goal just five seconds after Whitman notched its first off a fast-break faceoff.

Murtyn got a little luck as well. He scored one goal when a pass went untouched into the net and then got another when he swiped a ground ball towards the net and got it to go in like a slap shot.

“Sometimes I go back to my hockey roots,” Mutryn said. “I’ll take them.”

Churchill (5-2) was also led by another hockey standout. Goalie Griffin Farha, who also minded Churchill’s hockey pipes, made a staggering 19 saves while allowing just three goals. He made several one-on-one saves on the crease.

The Bulldogs finally got a win over one of the “W” schools it bases its season on. Churchill had suffered tough losses to Wootton and Walter Johnson already this season.

Whitman (7-2), who got goals from Patrick Slawta, Michael Harding and Jordan Karr, has now lost to Wootton and Churchill.