Wyoming Area returns the bulk of a winning lineup as it prepares to open Wyoming Valley Conference golf play Thursday.
The Warriors will be involved in one of the first three fall high school sporting events in District 2 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association when they play at MMI Prep Thursday, the first legal playing date in the PIAA.
Wyoming Area returns its top three players and six of its top seven from a year ago.
“With only losing one senior, we have a solid starting lineup,” Warriors coach Gordon Williams said.
Cole Coolbaugh is back after being in the only Warrior to make it through the WVC qualifier to the District 2 Class 2A boys tournament last season.
Chase Yochem had qualified for the District 2 tournament in 2017 when Wyoming Area competed in Class 3A.
“I’m expecting Cole and Chase to play very well,” Williams said. “They both have played in districts and should make it to regionals this year.
“They are both very good baseball players and I’m lucky then can do golf since baseball is year-round.”
Williams is hopeful both got in enough golf time during baseball to be sharp for the fall high school season.
Mike Orleski joined them among the top three scorers at times last season.
Those three and Joe Chiampi are all seniors with experience.
Juniors Matt Sorick and J.T. Gober also return.
The team has a total of 20 players signed up, giving Williams a start toward replacing the experienced lineup in future years.
Four players – senior Melanie Lombardo, junior Danielle Meade and sophomores Brennan Keefer and Abby Hoyt – will be available for girls tournament play.
Wyoming Area was 6-5 and second to Holy Redeemer in Division 3 last season when the WVC used four divisions.
Meyers and GAR, both division members a year ago, have merged with Coughlin into Wilkes-Barre Area, which will play in Division 1.
The old Divisions 3 and 4 will be combined in a new three-division setup.
Wyoming Area will continue to play home-and-home matches with Holy Redeemer and its 12-match conference schedule will now include two matches each against former Division 4 members Hanover Area, Berwick, MMI, Lake-Lehman and Wyoming Seminary instead of one each.
