Kristian Pugliese and Mario Belza led Wyoming Area into a successful start of the golf season.
Playing in perhaps the first state high school sporting event of the new academic year – the Warriors and visiting Wyoming Valley West teed off at 7 a.m. Thursday, the first legal playing date in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, at Fox Hill Country Club – Pugliese and Belza set the pace for a 157-166 victory.
Going off the first tee in the first group of the first match, Pugliese and Belza did their job in the number-one and -two spots in the lineup. Pugliese shot 2-over-par, 37 and Belza added a 38 as the only players in the Wyoming Valley Conference match to break 40.
The rest of the Warriors put together steady rounds as the teams played in on-and-off rain, making it a chore to keep their clubs dry.
Aiden August shot a 40. Joseph Onda added a 42 in the WVC format where the top four out of six players make up the team score.
Mitchell Rusinchak and Robbie Yatsko were there if needed. They added a 43 and 44.
Wyoming Valley West was led by Kaden Dittus and Chris McNew, who each shot 40.
The week that was just completed was the first for practice and matches in golf and was the week that football teams use for heat acclimatization.
The match was the only contest in the first week of the season at Wyoming Area. Pittston Area does not begin competition until Monday.
Full football practices, as well as the first practices for all other fall PIAA sports, also begin Monday.