EXETER — All season long, Lake-Lehman has been one of the best Wyoming Valley Conference golf teams with just one loss and a Class 2A Division 4 championship.

If there were any arguments, the Black Knights put them to rest on Monday at the WVC Pre-District Tournament at Fox Hill Country Club as senior Adam Motovidlak shot the low score in Class 2A, and three of his teammates joined him as qualifiers for the District 2 Tournament.

Motovidlak, who almost qualified for the state tournament last year and was medalist in all 10 of Lehman’s matches this season, shot an 80 to reach districts for the third time and finished five strokes ahead of his closest competitor, Wyoming Seminary’s Noah Munley, Holy Redeemer’s Kenny Wallace and MMI’s George Palermo.

“Being his father and his coach I couldn’t be more proud of him than I am today,” Lake-Lehman coach Tom Motovidlak said. “I’m very proud of all the boys. We took five and four made it. They had good course management and played good golf.”

Related Video

Lake-Lehman, which will face Wyoming Seminary in the WVC Team Playoffs next week for the right to represent the conference in the D2 Team Championship match, qualified the second-most of any 2A team for the individual district event, which will be held on Oct. 12. The Blue Knights advanced five golfers to districts led by Munley’s score of 85.

The lowest round of the day by any golfer belongs to Coughlin’s Ryan Keyes, who carded 77 and was four strokes better than his closest competitor in the Class 3A tournament, teammates Colin Krokus and Tyler Kurilla, and Crestwood’s John Hawley all carded 81.

“I was keeping it consistent throughout the round, a couple bogeys here and there, but the pars helped me out,” Keyes said. “I’m just gonna try to repeat my round at districts and it should be good enough to get me to regionals.”

With four district qualifiers and the three lowest scores in Class 3A, the Crusaders appear to be be hitting their stride at the right time. Targeted as the team to beat in the preseason, Coughlin faces rival Crestwood next week in the team playoffs. Billy Mills also reached districts for the team, while the Comets had three golfers advance to the next individual postseason tournament. Joining Hawley is John McGroarty (83) and Shane Angle (84).

“We have a lot of great players, a lot of guys who could score behind us, Tyler, Colin, Billy, Josh (Gartley), they’re all great players,” Keyes said. “We played great today as a team. We played some of our best rounds here. So hopefully we can do that again (at the team event).”

Joining Coughlin with four district qualifiers is Hazleton Area, which got qualifying scores from Frank Seratch (82), Geran Triano (85), Jordan Pick (86) and Josh Provost, who scored 87 before beating out three other players on the first playoff hole to advance.

Dallas’ Alexis Wyandt would have qualified for the District 2 Class 3A boys tournament had she been playing in that one. Her score of 86 was the lowest in the girls 3A tourney firing a 40 on the front nine and a 46 on the back for her second straight appearance at districts. Last year, she qualified for states taking third at districts.

“I struggled on the back a little bit, but definitely my putting really helped me,” Wyandt said. “I feel more comfortable (this year) because when you go to regionals it’s a lot of pressure so it makes you more comfortable with the experience.

“That’s a kind of a good feeling to know that although I’m playing against the girls I would have qualified for the boys (tournament).”

The only girl to post a lower score than Wyandt’s was Wyoming Area’s Madeline Wharton, who shot 81 to claim the 2A title. Wharton, who claimed the gold medal at districts last season, carded 43 on the front nine and a 38 on the final nine holes.

Notes: The WVC Team Tournament, which was originally slated for Wednesday at Fox Hill, has been moved to Monday, Oct. 5 at the same site due to the threat of inclement weather. There were some conflicting reports on the date for the District 2 Tournament; the event will be on Oct. 12 at Elmhurst Country Club. …The girls District 2 Team Championship match between Tunkhannock and North Pocono has been moved to Thursday at Scranton Municipal Golf Club at 9 a.m. in a rematch of last year’s district title event won by the Tigers.

Wyoming Valley Conference Pre-District Tournament

Boys Class 3A District Qualifiers

1. Ryan Keyes, Coughlin`39-38-77

2. Colin Krokos, Coughlin`38-43-81

3. Tyler Kurilla, Coughlin`38-43-81

4. John Hawley, Crestwood`43-38-81

5. Frank Seratch, Hazleton Area`40-42-82

6. Anthony Shaver, Wyoming Area`43-39-82

7. John McGroarty, Crestwood`40-43-83

8. Brett Soltysiak, Tunkhannock`40-44-84

9. Shane Angle, Crestwood`45-39-84

10. Colin Bowanko, Dallas`45-39-84

11. Nik Athmann, Wyoming Area`41-44-85

12. Dave McCue, Wyoming Valley West`41-44-85

13. Ryan Wrubel, Wyoming Area`42-43-85

14. Geran Triano, Hazleton Area`45-40-85

15. Jordan Pick, Hazleton Area`42-44-86

16. Billy Mills, Coughlin`43-43-86

17. Ryan Hogan, Wyoming Valley West`45-41-86

*18. Josh Provost, Hazleton Area`44-43-87

Boys Class 2A District Qualifiers

1. Adam Motovidlak, Lake-Lehman`36-44-80

2. Noah Munley, Wyoming Seminary`41-44-85

3. Kenny Wallace, Holy Redeemer`43-42-85

4. George Palermo, MMI`43-42-85

5. Hubert Bournival, Wyoming Seminary`42-44-86

6. Dan Rogers, Wyoming Seminary`41-46-87

7. Bobby Wilson, Wyoming Seminary`43-44-87

8. Connor Maloney, Holy Redeemer`43-45-88

9. Tyler Scharff, Lake-Lehman`43-46-89

10. Mike Sikora, Lake-Lehman`44-45-89

11. Josh Tranell, Lake-Lehman`42-48-90

12. Eric Degenhart, MMI`43-48-91

13. Lee Falzone, Meyers`44-47-91

14. Derek Answini, Holy Redeemer`45-46-91

15. Liam Gilroy, Wyoming Seminary`42-50-92

16. Briton Ball, Nanticoke`46-46-92

Girls Class 2A District Qualifiers

1. Madeline Wharton, Wyoming Area`43-38-81

2. Shelby Monk, Hanover Area`49-47-96

Girls Class 3A District Qualifiers

1. Alexis Wyandt, Dallas`40-46-86

2. Allie Craig, Pittston Area`41-50-91

*advanced on playoff

Shane Angle of Crestwood hits out of the rough during the WVC Pre-District Tournament on Monday at Fox Hill Country Club. Angle qualified for the District 2 Class 3A Tournament by carding 84.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092915HSgolf1.jpg.optimal.jpgShane Angle of Crestwood hits out of the rough during the WVC Pre-District Tournament on Monday at Fox Hill Country Club. Angle qualified for the District 2 Class 3A Tournament by carding 84. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader

Coughlin’s Ryan Keyes sets his ball and looks at his shot during play on Monday in the WVC Pre-District Tournament at Fox Hill Country Club. Keyes won the 3A portion of the event by firing 77.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_TTL092915HSgolf2.jpg.optimal.jpgCoughlin’s Ryan Keyes sets his ball and looks at his shot during play on Monday in the WVC Pre-District Tournament at Fox Hill Country Club. Keyes won the 3A portion of the event by firing 77. Aimee Dilger|Times Leader
Motovidlak, Keyes, Wyandt, Wharton lead district qualifiers

By Dave Rosengrant

drosengrant@timesleader.com

 

Reach Dave Rosengrant at 570-991-6398 or on Twitter @tldrosengrant