HONESDALE — It’s been an eventful season for local high school golf fans.
Honesdale opened the 2024 Lackawanna League campaign with lopsided losses to perennial powers Abington Heights and Scranton Prep.
However, the young Hornets found their groove after that, stringing together three straight wins and finishing the regular season with a solid 6-6 record. That was good enough for fourth place in the Division I standings and a playoff spot.
Led by seasoned veterans Lucas Stephens and Reed Howell, the Red & Black will face North Pocono in the Class AAA semifinals.
“I’m very proud of this team,” said head coach Gene Hopkins. “These are great kids who have caught the golf bug. They’re having fun and working hard.”
The playoffs begin Wednesday on the road at Elmhurst Country Club starting at 3:30 p.m.
District Qualifications
Any discussion of this year’s Honesdale varsity golf team must start with its leaders on the course.
Stephens, a senior who has been with the program for four years now, is the Hornets’ team captain this fall.
“I’m happy with how things have gone so far,” he said. “We’ve had a few tough games, but I’ve definitely seen a lot of improvement throughout the season.”
Stephens competed in the pre-district qualifier, which was held last Monday at Elkview Country Club, where he shot an 18-hole total of 84, earning him a spot in this year’s Class AAA District 2 tournament on Sept. 30.
“Right now, my driver and long irons are my strengths,” Stephens said. “The areas I really need to spend more time on are putting and my short game.”
The key to his game came on Elkview’s eighth hole, a long and tricky par 5. After struggling a bit on the first few holes, Stephens hit a big drive, then found the green with his second shot.
From there, he calmly two-putted for birdie and capitalized on his newfound momentum.
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“That birdie really motivated me,” said Stephens, who began his golf career with his father at age 5. “I just had a couple of bad holes, but that got me through it.”
Howell also took advantage of an early birdie to shoot an 87 and earn a spot in the district tournament.
He started his round on the second hole at Elkview and immediately felt the chills. However, his day took a positive turn when he used a 54-degree wedge to put his approach within a few feet of the flag on number four.
“It really helped calm me down and gave me some confidence,” said Howell, whose love of golf dates back to his days at Honesdale and Cricket Hill with his grandfather. “The key for me in pre-district was to stay consistent and not put up big numbers.”
Championship Race
Hopkins is eager to see what his top two golfers can do against top-level competition in districts.
Stephens leads the team with an average of 42 strokes per game. He also has the most birdies on his team. Howell is a sophomore who regularly shoots in the 40s and sometimes dips into the 30s.
“Lucas is a complete player,” Hopkins said. “He always keeps his cool during games. Reed is very consistent. He’s a hard worker with a lot of potential and a bright future.”
Hopkins also expects a stellar performance from the team as a whole in the Class AAA playoffs. The Hornets and Trojans have split their series this season, but he believes his team is peaking at the perfect time.
“I’m really excited for this group to get out there and make some noise in the playoffs,” Hopkins said. “I really think this team is talented enough to make it to the Finals.”
This article was originally published on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale golf team qualifies for Lackawanna League playoffs
