by Nick Archacki, staff writer
As the golf season comes to a close for the Panthers, the reigning six-time Region 4 champions have proven to be the top team once again as they roared in with a season record of 4-1, competing against AAA teams in tournaments throughout the year, and placing in the top 10 each time.
The Panthers have a stacked lineup with many talented golfers and four District 10 individual qualifiers including seniors Ryan Peters and Michael Costello, along with junior Will Phelan and sophomore Nick Archacki. Other team members include juniors Brode Berger and Jonathan Merritt, sophomores Andy Hasychak and Carson Jones, and freshman Ava Jones rounding out this year’s team.
After 20 years of coaching the team, Coach Brian Hanley still enjoys coaching the golfers. “I have good and hard working kids who never give up. I like to see the golfers grow up throughout the years with their maturity and golfing skills.”
Many of the golfers have similar thoughts on how it feels to be a part of a two-time state qualifying golf team. “It’s been awesome. I have had so much fun with the team and I am pretty sad that my high school career is almost over,” said senior Ryan Peters, one of best golfers in the history of our school. Junior Brode Berger said, “It feels great knowing I get to be a part of this team.”
The District 10 Team and Individual Championships will be held Oct. 6-7 at the Country Club of Meadville. The event starts with the District 10 Individual Championships on Oct. 6. Then, the District 10 Team Championships will be on Oct. 7. If the team wins there, they will advance to compete at Treasure Lake Golf Resort Silver Course in DuBois for the Western Regional Team Championships on Oct.12.
If the individual golfers advance to the Western Individual Region Championships from the District 10 Individual Championships, they will compete at Tom’s Run Golf Course at Chestnut Ridge Golf Resort in Blairsville on Oct. 16. Then, if the team and the individual golfers advance to the state finals, the individual golfers will compete from Oct. 23-24 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York for the PIAA Individual Championships while the team state championship will be held October 25. “We have a chance, but we are definitely not the favorites for the state title,” said senior Ryan Peters.
