The Norwin Knights Boys Golf Team drove into another season with seniors stepping up to lead the team along with two sophomores. The Knights finished the season at 6-6 overall and 5-5 in section play, an improvement from last year’s 4-7 overall record.
Following last season, Norwin Golf lost varsity contributors Alex Thomas, Aaron Varrati, Logan Clark, and Alex Graham (Graham placed 26th individually in the final round of the WPIAL 3A Boys’ Individual Championship). The Knights Team is a fluid 8 man roster. However, the Knights have high hopes this season, having the team led, by Dom Cerilli(12), Preston Stoner(12), Jeffery Lenart(12), Landon Stoner(10), Riley Schaffer(10), Gage Mamie(12), Danny Stovall(12), and Jake Osterburg(12). Also in and out of the varsity roster are Nick Puskar(12) and Anthony Knouse(10) along with several others.
High school golf matches are scored uniquely. To score each match, each team brings 8 golfers to count as their varsity roster. The starting lineups consist of 6 golfers per team, meaning that golfers-7 and 8’s scores don’t count toward the team score. Each team has every two golfers face off at a time, having the 1st and 2nd face off against the other teams 1st and 2nd, then the 3rd and 4th face off against the other teams 3rd and 4th, etc. Out of the 6 starters competing each team can selects its top 5 scores, which are then added up, and compared to the other teams’ total. The team with the lower amount of strokes or score is then declared the winner.
The Knights started the season against Greensburg Salem at Hannastown Country Club in a scrimmage on Aug. 8, winning in a blowout 209-251. Following Salem, Norwin, unfortunately, lost to Fox Chapel, 197-186. The Knights battled at Kittanning Country Club against Armstrong on Aug. 14 and took the win 203-209 and beat Armstrong again on Sep. 3 winning 192-223. The Knights defeated Penn Trafford on Aug. 15 194-211, however, lost to Kiski Area 221-199 on Aug. 22. Norwin Golf defeated Hempfield on Aug. 28 183-204.
Norwin then beat Hempfield on August 28 183-204, although they lost to Greater Latrobe on Aug. 30, 223-202. Following this loss Norwin then beat Penn Trafford once again on Sep. 5 winning in an overtime shootout, from a 213-213 tie. Norwin Boys Golf on Sep. 10 lost to Indiana 212-206, along with a loss of 201-196 to Kiski Area on Sep. 11. Although Norwin fortunately won the final match of the season, destroying Hempfield, 214-196.
Following the regular season, Norwin Boys Golf then competed at the Individual Westmoreland County Golf Championship on Sep. 13th.
Four Norwin Golfers advanced out of Section play to the WPIAL Championship at South Pointe Golf on Thursday, Sept. 24. Three seniors Preston Stoner, Dominic Cerilli, and Jeffery Lenart, as well as sophomore Landon Stoner.
The 2024 WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ & Girls’ Golf Championships started on Sep. 16th. Each respective section has a set target score for strokes for their own WPIAL qualifying tournament. In order to advance to the WPIAL Individual Championships those individuals must get their target score or lower. The qualifying score for Norwin (3A) was 81. At this competition Norwin Golfers Preston Stoner, Dominic Cerilli, Landon Stoner, and Jeffery Lenart all qualified by shooting 74, 77, 79, and 80 respectively. The first round of the WPIAL Individual Championship began on Sep. 24. at Southpointe Golf Club unfortunately none of the Knights qualified to advance.
“None of us played a good round and it was a really really tough course, however it was a blast and we all had a blast together,” said senior Jeffrey Lenart.
