STATE COLLEGE — In a rain-shortened match Sept. 17 at the Nittany Country Club, Bellefonte was able to out-pace Mifflin County, winning four of six individual matchups on the front nine. Joey Bruni, Keith Hamilton, Gavin and Gunner Fravel all picked up victories.
Bruni and Hamilton’s victories were especially impressive, staying even with their opponents until they came to a 4-4 tie on the ninth hole. On the ninth, both golfers came through clutch and propelled the team to the win.
‘Had they not won those, we would not have actually gone to victory,’ Bellefonte coach Kevin Harman said. ‘(It’s) neat to see the boys under those kind of pressure conditions come up and pull through.’
The rest of the competition was forced into cancellation by the course conditions. Bellefonte’s next meet will be Thursday, Sept. 20, when the team will again face Mountain League opposition. In the first two Mountain League matchups, the Red Raiders have come in sixth.
‘We’ve had significant growth,’ Harman said. ‘We’re really young, don’t have much competitive experience, but they’re getting into the groove and starting to feel what that experience is, and the scores are coming down.’
The Raiders’ point totals have dropped throughout each competition, perhaps paving the path for something significant down the line.
‘We’re excited in the trend and the direction that it’s going,’ Harman said. ‘It’s been good to see the team come together and see significant improvement. We’re not quite there at the top yet, but we’re headed in that direction.’
PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA
The girls’ team once again stood on top of the Mountain League on Sept. 12, putting up a team score of 158, twelve strokes ahead of second-place Clearfield.
Halle Herrington dominated the individual field, with her 41 score besting Clearfield’s Christina McGinnis by 10 strokes. Herrington has owned the top score in both 2018 Mountain League meets.
Herrington’s teammates also played key roles, with Katie Lingle and Lindsey Bordas pitching in top 10 individual performances. Lingle placed third with a 56, while Bordas came in sixth with a 61.
STATE COLLEGE
Coming up Sunday, Sept. 23, the squad will take part in the Hershey Invitational at Hershey Country Club East. The next day, a second helping of the Dauphin Highland Course will be had, with the team playing in the Mid Penn championships.
PENNS VALLEY
Penns Valley’s girls’ squad fell behind during Sept. 12’s second meet of the season, falling into fourth, 15 strokes behind Bellefonte. This is following the first meet of the season Aug. 29, also a fourth-place finish by the squad.
Team leader Lydia Boeckel was able to carry her weight, putting up a 60, which was good enough for fifth on the individual leader board. Boeckel is now tied with Clearfield’s Kate Barnes for sixth in the girls’ all-star points standings.
BALD EAGLE AREA
The Eagles are in preparation for the Thursday, Sept. 20, Mountain League competition.
