BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
There is plenty of turnover from last year’s Wyalusing golf team to this one, but coach Chad Romanowski feels this group has plenty of potential.
“It’s exciting to see a lot of new faces on the team,” Romanowski said. “A lot of new guys to the game of golf, so I’m excited to help teach them and grow the game a little bit in that aspect.”
They return a few key golfers from last year, beginning with district qualifiers Myles Kershner and Lucas Girven.
“I’m really excited because last season I went where I wanted to go,” Kershner said. “This year I’m hoping to go to states, because last year I was very, very close.”
Kershner qualified for the second day of competition at the District IV Championships as a sophomore, with this year he’ll be going from an underclassman to an upperclassman.
“I feel pretty good about it,” remarked Kershner. “I got a lot of experience last year with everything that the seniors taught me, and it was good playing with them because they taught me a lot of course management, and what to do in different situations. I’m hoping to teach the (younger kids), too.”
Girven was a district qualifier but didn’t make the cut for the second day last year.
“I’m pretty nervous, I’m not going to lie,” Girven said about coming into his senior season. “I want to do better than what I did last year, but I haven’t been out to play much this summer, so I really h ave to focus during practice this year so I can beat my scores from last year.”
Girven has added some distance to his clubs this year, giving him hope that he can turn that into lower scores.
“Sometimes it can do good, and sometimes it won’t do good,” he said. “I really have to control how far and how hard I can actually hit it.”
Girven averaged 92 a year ago for Wyalusing while Kershner put up a 93.74 average during the regular season.
Romanowski is looking at both of them, along with Marshall Huston and newcomer Cole Patrick. The one golfer he feels might have a break out season is Noah Kilmer.
“He’ll be a big one to step up,” said Romanowski. “He stepped up a little bit at the end of last year. From day one last year I said I want to see better scores from day one to the last day of practice, and he was definitely one that stuck out with better scores, and just progressing as the year went on, and he’s progressed already this year.”
Kilmer has played nearly 30 rounds this summer as he’s gotten ready to make that jump.
“I picked up all the fundamentals, getting practice on the greens and stuff beforehand, and getting used to the course before I play,” Kilmer said.
The group is hoping to get the team back to District IV Team play where they tied for seventh as a team.
“I have a good feeling with the team,” said Girven. “We have a lot of fresh kids coming up that have put a lot of time in practice.”
Working on the short game has been a focus on the Green and Gold so far this year, along with keeping the ball in play.
“I worked on my swing, and being able to control the golf ball a lot more,” said Kershner. “If you can’t control it you’re going to be everywhere.”
As for the NTL, Romanowski knows they have their work cut out for them with returning district champions Athens, along with NP-Mansfield and Towanda, both of whom finished in the top three at districts.
Despite their team’s youth Romanowski feels his team can be consistent this year, and if they can the sky is the limit.
“There were some matches last year where we had big numbers, and there’s matches where, if we had this all year, we’d be in a better spot,” he said. “If we could just keep submitting low scores, lower scores than we did last year, I think it’ll all shake itself out. And if this year needs to be more of a learning year to progress into next year to be able to compete more with the younger guys that we have this year, I’m OK with that.”
Speaking of learning, they have a girls’ team this year. After seeing the success their rivals Towanda had a year ago the Rams are looking forward to being the second female NTL squad.
“It’s definitely exciting to see that there are girls entering the sport,” Romanowski sad. “I know right now it’s us and Towanda that have official girls’ teams, and Athens had some girls last year.”
Romanowski credits Canton’s Izzy Schoonover for part of the new found interest in the sport.
I know last year Izzy was a big, big contributor to the NTL,” he said. “Hopefully this year some of our girls can make some noise.”
With 26 golfers between both teams the program is certainly growing, considering it was restarted just six years ago.
“I think it’s great,” Kilmer said. “It’s a great turnout for the team. I think it’ll be great for the next coming years, and having all the young people, and youth talent in this group.”
ROSTER (Grade)
Aidan Neiley - 10
Myles Kershner - 11
Noah Kilmer - 10
Owen Brown - 11
Cal Pickett - 10
Cameron Cole - 9
Sullivan McCracken - 9
Isaiah Matson - 9
Izaiah Newell - 9
Mea Johnson - 11
Lucas Girven - 12
Michael Fawcett - 12
Riley O’Connor - 9
Carlee Zawicki - 9
Marshall Huston - 10
Dante Insalaco - 9
Noah Moss - 9
Ayden Price - 9
Cole Patrick - 12
Landon Sysock - 12
Jon Baker - 11
Dionna Newell - 11
Phoenix Meng - 12
Mitchell Gesford - 9
Blake Ferris - 9
SCHEDULE
Aug. 8 at Happy Valley International, 11:30 a.m.
Aug. 11 at Towanda Golf Course, 10 a.m.
Aug. 14 at CV, 9 a.m.
Aug. 18 at Tyoga Country Club, 10 a.m.
Aug. 25 at Corey Creek (9 holes), 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 27 at Tomasso’s (9 holes), 4:30 p.m.
Sep. 3 vs CV (9 holes - Towanda CC), 4:30 p.m.
Sep. 8 vs Wellsboro (9 holes - Towanda CC), 4:30 p.m.
Sep. 15 vs Towanda (9 holes - Towanda CC), 4:30 p.m.
Sep. 18 at Corey Creek, 9 a.m.
