Michael Lugiano, Cael Ropietski and Nick Werner have shown that they can beat each other on any given day on the golf course.
On this day, however, — the first of two days of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Individual Golf Championships – while all three were beating par, none could gain the edge on the other.
As a result, the players who battle for top honors in the Wyoming Valley Conference, but also spend countless hours working on their games together, reached the halfway point of the state championship in a three-way tie for third place.
Lugiano and Ropietski, teammates on Lake-Lehman’s state team contender, and Werner, the District 2 champion from Wyoming Seminary, all shot 1-under-par, 71 Monday on the Penn State Blue Course.
That score leaves them two strokes out of the lead and poised to chase after the title in Tuesday’s final 18 holes of the 36-hole event.
Lugiano led for part of the first round, but Union City’s Josh James ended the day with the lead at 3-under, 69. That was one stroke in front of Devon Prep’s Nick Ciocca.
All three WVC contenders have shown they can go low.
Lugiano shot a 67 at Fox Hill Country Club to win the preseason Tom Tryba Memorial Tournament.
The 2021 District 2 title landed Lugiano a berth at last year’s state tournament, held at the time at Heritage Hills Golf Resort near York, but he passed that up for the Grand Final of the Sir Nick Faldo/Hurricane Series where he won the 14-15 Boys Division of the nationally televised event.
Lugiano was ready for his entry in this year’s tournament. He shot 33 on the front and was at 3-undfer through 10 holes.
While the rest of the talented field of District 2 golfers struggled with the conditions at Elkview Country Club in this year’s championship, it was Werner who stood as the only player to break par, shooting a 70. He also showed his capabilities last year when, as a freshman, he placed sixth in the state.
Werner got off to a steady start Monday with 10 pars and a birdie in the first 11 holes. He twice had bogeys to slip back to par, but finished with a birdie on 18.
Ropietski won this year’s Wyoming Valley Conference qualifier for districts by three strokes when he shot 67 at Fox Hill. He got to 2-under with birdies at 10 and 14, two of his four on the day.
Tuesday morning’s tee times have been pushed back to 9:30 because of frost.
Werner and Lugiano will play with the two leaders in the final boys foursome at 11. Cael Ropietski goes off ahead of them at 10:50, right behind his older brother Eli and Lackawanna Trail’s Gavin June, who are in the 10:40 a.m. foursome after also playing themselves into the medal hunt Monday.
June, who took Lugiano’s spot in last year’s state tournament, is 10th after shooting 74. He started on 10 and played his first five in 1-under before recovering from a rough stretch to play his last six in 2-under.
Eli Ropietski posted a 75 and is tied for 11th.
Lake-Lehman’s team strength showed when Charlie Weidner added a 79 for a 24th-place tie in the 72-player field.
The Black Knights will team up Wednesday to go after the Class 2A boys title in a separate 18-hole event.
Crestwood will also play for a team title in Class 3A Wednesday.
The Comets have two players in the individual tournament, which is being conducted on the White Course.
Derek Johnson shot 75 and is tied for 21st. He was 1-under through 7 and, after losing ground, finished with a birdie to lead four District 2 entries in Class 3A.
District 2 champion Kevin Wortmann from Wallenpaupack shot 78 and is tied for 36th.
Owen Blazick, Crestwood’s other entry, and L.V. Pegula from Valley View are part of a tie for 60th after shooting 82s.
MORE PIAA TOURNAMENT COVERAGE
Class 3A scores: PIAA Class 3A girls golf scores – NEPA Sports Nation.
Class 2A scores: PIAA Class 2A girls golf scores – NEPA Sports Nation.
Girls story: GIRLS RECAP: Powell rallies – NEPA Sports Nation.
