Northgate/Avonworth have unique arrangement for golf
Todd Goble hopes the unique experience that is Northgate/Avonworth High golf will yield some dividends down the road, if not this year.
The unique nature of the team is that it requires athletes from two bitter rivals -- Northgate and neighboring Avonworth High -- in several sports to work together for a common goal.
"This is my 15th year coaching the golf team," said Goble, who teaches physical education at Northgate and also coaches the Flames' baseball team. "As long as I've been here, we've had cooperative programs in golf, wrestling, track and field and swimming."
Eleven of the 12 players on the varsity golf team are from Avonworth, including the squad's top seven. Not a single senior is on the team. The team plays its home matches at Shannopin Country Club in Ben Avon Heights, which is about halfway between the campuses of the two high schools.
The squad's top players are junior Ryan Sheffler, who has a nine-hole average of 42.2, junior Patrick Nestler (45.4), junior Dylan Duerring (49.4), freshman Jay Knabel (49.5), junior Ace Carrera (49.6) and junior Cody Crawford (50.0).
The team won just five of 12 matches last year. This year, Northgate/ Avonworth is 3-3. Two seasons ago, the team won just one match.
"They took their lumps when they were freshmen, got better when they were sophomores and are even better as juniors," he said of the team's top players. "We're playing against other schools, but we're also in competition with each other. Ryan and Patrick have the best averages, but we've had a lot of shifting in the 3-6 spots."
Goble said the team has to rely on the team concept to be successful as the team does not have one dominant golfer.
"We're in the same boat we were in last year," he said. "We have kids who potentially could be a dominating golfer, but we're just not there yet."
Since golf is not a girls team sport at Northgate/ Avonworth, there is a possibility that a girl could come out for the team, and it has happened in the past.
"We don't have any girls on this year's team, but we did have won four or five years ago," he said. "I've heard there is an eighth-grader at Avonworth who might come out for the team next year."
Should that happen, Goble said the prospective player would have to go through the same tryout process as the boys. If she makes the team, she'd have to tee off from the same tees the boys use during dual matches.
"But in the girls WPIAL individual tournament, she would tee off from the girls tees," he said.
For now, though, Goble is focused on this year's team, and he's encouraged with what he sees.
"We haven't played our best golf yet," he said. "And I do think we're ready to challenge the top teams in our section."
The unique nature of the team is that it requires athletes from two bitter rivals -- Northgate and neighboring Avonworth High -- in several sports to work together for a common goal.
"This is my 15th year coaching the golf team," said Goble, who teaches physical education at Northgate and also coaches the Flames' baseball team. "As long as I've been here, we've had cooperative programs in golf, wrestling, track and field and swimming."
Eleven of the 12 players on the varsity golf team are from Avonworth, including the squad's top seven. Not a single senior is on the team. The team plays its home matches at Shannopin Country Club in Ben Avon Heights, which is about halfway between the campuses of the two high schools.
The squad's top players are junior Ryan Sheffler, who has a nine-hole average of 42.2, junior Patrick Nestler (45.4), junior Dylan Duerring (49.4), freshman Jay Knabel (49.5), junior Ace Carrera (49.6) and junior Cody Crawford (50.0).
The team won just five of 12 matches last year. This year, Northgate/ Avonworth is 3-3. Two seasons ago, the team won just one match.
"They took their lumps when they were freshmen, got better when they were sophomores and are even better as juniors," he said of the team's top players. "We're playing against other schools, but we're also in competition with each other. Ryan and Patrick have the best averages, but we've had a lot of shifting in the 3-6 spots."
Goble said the team has to rely on the team concept to be successful as the team does not have one dominant golfer.
"We're in the same boat we were in last year," he said. "We have kids who potentially could be a dominating golfer, but we're just not there yet."
Since golf is not a girls team sport at Northgate/ Avonworth, there is a possibility that a girl could come out for the team, and it has happened in the past.
"We don't have any girls on this year's team, but we did have won four or five years ago," he said. "I've heard there is an eighth-grader at Avonworth who might come out for the team next year."
Should that happen, Goble said the prospective player would have to go through the same tryout process as the boys. If she makes the team, she'd have to tee off from the same tees the boys use during dual matches.
"But in the girls WPIAL individual tournament, she would tee off from the girls tees," he said.
For now, though, Goble is focused on this year's team, and he's encouraged with what he sees.
"We haven't played our best golf yet," he said. "And I do think we're ready to challenge the top teams in our section."
golf