As the summer blazes on and activities resume, most focus their time on staying indoors and relaxing, but the Bulldogs golf team spends their time doing the complete opposite. The golf team uses its time striking golf balls through the rolling hills of Deer Trails Golf Course, where the team plays its home matches.
Seven members make up the varsity golf team, ready to tee off every week. Making up the varsity team are: Logan Ashbaugh (12), Jonathan Davis (10), Bryson Deal (12), Richard Horgos (12), Nicholas Metzger (11), Logan Meyer (10) and Anthony Tusick (10). These seven are not the only ones who enjoy this game, though. The district introduced a junior varsity team last year due to the team’s increasing size. Nine golfers make up the junior varsity team, mostly sophomores and freshmen.
Mr. James Culler serves as head coach of the team. The 2025 season will be his fourth season in his role. He stepped up to the role after former Head Coach Mr. Thomas Hickey retired at the end of the 2021-2022 season. Mr. Dante DeNome also helps out with the team as Assistant Coach. DeNome joined the team alongside Culler before the 2023-2024 season.
The team opened its season on Aug. 14, where they matched up against Beaver Falls and Rochester. They met the Tigers and Rams at Fox Run Golf Course for a 9:00 a.m. start. After the coaches tallied up their scores from the team’s scorecards, the Bulldogs earned a moment of celebration, beating the Rams with a tally of 233-256. Although they managed to beat Rochester, they narrowly fell to the Tigers by a score of 229-233.
The team continued their season on Aug. 19 with their first home match, where they met Beaver. The two teed off for an 8:00 a.m. start. The Bulldogs fought hard against Beaver, even learning from their own mistakes, as well as Beaver’s. Although they tried their hardest, the Bulldogs fell to the Bobcats by a score of 192-230.
Even after the loss, the team kept their heads up and looked forward to their next match, which was scheduled for Aug. 21. The team traveled to Ponderosa Golf Course in Frankfort Springs, PA, to face South Side at 3:00 p.m. The Bulldogs put a strong effort forward but were defeated by the Rams 220-270.
The Bulldogs would be back against South Side, this time at Deer Trails Golf Course. They would face the Rams alongside Rochester and Central Valley, this time for a 2:30 p.m. start. Again, the Bulldogs fought hard for every point out of 241. Out of the four teams attending, Freedom would place third, beating out Rochester once again, 241-278. South Side narrowly beat the Warriors out by 2 points, 219-221.
The team would be back in action the next day, where they would face the New Brighton Lions on the road at the Beaver Valley Golf Course. They would earn their third win of the season against the Lions, playing 248 strokes to New Brighton’s 252. With that, the team earned a couple of days off, resuming on Sep. 2.
The next match, the Bulldogs would return to Deer Trails, but not for a home match. The team returned to the grounds to face Central Valley, who hosted the match, as well as Lincoln Park. The Bulldogs put up a tight match overall, only losing to the Warriors by 14 strokes, 206-220. The team beat Lincoln Park by a wider margin than they lost to Central Valley, 220-248. Since their break in action, the team has looked on the up. Results have significantly improved in comparison to their opponents. The team has also been rather consistent, maintaining scores in the 220-240 range.
“It is just all about staying consistent in golf,” Metzger said. “You can have your good days, but if you have your bad days, you lose matches and it kind of evens out. You just have to keep working if you’re winning or not, keep working regardless.”
The golf team returned to the greens at Deer Trails the very next day to take on Beaver Falls, Central Valley and Lincoln Park. The team fought hard, earning a 235-stroke match. Though the team put up little competition against Central Valley, 202-235, they fought well against Beaver Falls and Lincoln Park, 233-235 and 235-248, respectively.