JEFF MOELLER
Four years ago, Pennridge head coach Steve Yurchak had a raw group of freshman who would need to grow along the way.
Fortunately for Yurchak, they did.
Now, the senior group is ready to stake their claim for the league and beyond.
“Our seniors took their lumps then and they were the doormats,” said Yurchak. “They took their lumps. These guys have worked really hard over the past three years, and they are ready to make some noise.”
Brendan Bauer, who just missed going to states last year, is the Rams No. 1 player, and he should play near par golf. Fellow senior Blake Stewart is expected to be right there with Bauer.
Connor Frisch, Ashley Ea and Jack Lenox all should fall among 3- to 5-over par. Sophomore Jeff Seiler is a promising newcomer in the mix.
The Rams had a recent impressive win over Quakertown (196-236) with Bauer (36), Stewart (36), and Frisch (39) netting solid rounds.
While Pennridge is rising as a contender, Quakertown is building toward the stage.
New head coach Steve Oltman will look to seniors Brady Gallagher and Seth Lowande to set the pace. Sophomore Ty Wilkin, who shot a 43 against Pennridge, should be a steady contributor.
“We’re a young team and we’re rebuilding,” said Oltman, who is the director of golf operations at Turtle Creek Golf Club. “We have two seniors and two juniors among our 10 golfers.
“The kids are working hard, and they are really good kids. I think they will come around as the season goes on.”
New Hope-Solebury has launched its initial season in the Suburban One League after a successful long run in the Bicentennial Athletic League (BAL).
Last season, the Lions won the BAL 2A championship and the District One 2A title. They opened this season against William Tennent Wednesday.
Seniors Liam Griffith, Kyle Sullivan, Evan Menz, Patrick Reidy and sophomore Nate Wiseman all qualified for the BAL individuals last year, and Sullivan, Wiseman, and Griffith reached districts. Menz moved on to earn a spot in the regionals.
Head coach Mike Menz anticipates his team will be back in the hunt.
“I look forward to another successful team season and individual successes as well,” said Menz. “We have an excellent nucleus of four experienced seniors and one highly skilled and promising sophomore, Nate Wiseman.
“Additionally, we are welcoming several new members to the team, and I feel that they will also post competitive scores throughout the season while continuing to grow as players. The team hopes to build off our past successes and we look forward to competing within the Suburban One League this season.”
