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In 2015, there were only a handful of female golfers in the Wyoming Valley Conference, including just one full team. This past season, the numbers began to soar, nearly tripling in total participation and with two full girls teams not only competing but reaching the District 2 Team Tournament.
One person who had a hand in the growth of girls in the sport in the conference is Jessica McClellan. The senior from MMI Prep had one of the best seasons ever by a girl from the league this year, and for that she was selected as Times Leader Golfer of the Year.
“To kinda be a part of a generation that brought girls golf back to the conference is a big deal,” McClellan said. “Now there’s more girls teams with Hazleton, North Pocono, Tunkhannock and more. I definitely think there’s more interest in it now.
“I think more people are realizing that golf is a sport for girls. I think it’s the hardest sport to master because it’s a mix of physical and mental, and now a lot of people want to take it to the next level and play in high school.”
McClellan was also idolized by Hanover Area freshman Kyleen McCance, who also turned in a fantastic season by qualifying for the state tournament. McClellan and McCance not only became friends throughout the season but played seven rounds together, including the final day of the PIAA Championships.
But when McClellan found out that McCance was looking up to her, she was in awe.
“The first time I met her mom on the range, she was talking to me and said, ‘My daughter idolizes you.’ It was kinda weird because I didn’t think anyone follows high school golf or knows me from the newspapers,” McClellan said. “So I thought it was kinda weird, but it’s a really good thing because you want the next generation of high school golfers to be even better.”
On the course, McClellan excelled for three years on the links becoming one of the top female golfers — perhaps the best in history — in the WVC.
She was a three-time District 2 qualifier, a three-time East Regional qualifier, and a two-time participant in the state tournament. She claimed her first district title this season after consecutive runner-up finishes in the past. When she started the postseason every year since her sophomore season, it began with a win in the Pre-district Tournament, where she was a three-time winner.
This season McClellan became the first regional champion for the conference since Brandon Matthews, who is currently playing professionally.
Of the five WVC golfers participating in the PIAA Championships this year, the only one to finish higher in the standings than McClellan was McCance.
McClellan also became the first girl in the history of MMI Prep to qualify for the state tournament, was the first two-time state qualifier for the school and just the second student-athlete ever to reach the PIAA Championships.
“She’s just an awesome kid. She’s so mature that she’s not like any other high school senior that I’ve ever been around,” MMI coach Ryan Jastremsky said. “She loves the game and has such a passion for the game of golf. She understands the work required to be good at it. And having the maturity has carried her to where she got to this year.”
McClellan will attend Penn State after graduation and major in Professional Golf Management with a focus of getting a Class A PGA Membership at the same time. She hopes to walk-on the golf team and make the squad like many other women have done in the past.
She will also continue to play on the amateur scene nationally like the International Junior Golf Tour Faldo Series U.S. Grand Final that she played in two weeks ago in Montverde, Fla.
Coach of the Year: Jane Kilduff, Dallas
The Mountaineers had a down year in 2017 after a very successful run the year before. But they rebounded in a big way this season, going undefeated in the regular season with a mark of 10-0 in the Class 3A Division 1. Kilduff then led the team to the WVC Team Playoffs title with a victory over Hazleton Area. From there, Dallas defeated Abington Heights to claim the District 2 Class 3A crown before knocking off East Juniata in the Eastern Subregional to advance to the PIAA Championships.
She also helped lead freshman Logan Paczewski to a title in the Tryba Preseason Tournament, the WVC Pre-district Tournament and to a berth in the PIAA Championships.
Golfer of the Year: Jessica McClellan, MMI Prep
The senior Times Leader Golfer of the Year claimed the East Regional championship to qualify for the PIAA Championships for the second straight season. She also claimed a District 2 Class 2A title and the Pre-district championship. She ended her career as a three-time Pre-district champion and a three-time regional qualifier.
Logan Paczewski, Dallas
A freshman, he shot the lowest score of the day by a WVC golfer at regionals to tie for 12th to become the first golfer from Dallas to reach the state tournament since Justin Jumper in 1996. Paczewski also claimed the Pre-district and the Tryba titles, while finishing second at districts.
Bobby Lugiano, Lake-Lehman
A junior, he qualified for the state tournament by tying for 13th at the regional event to become the first state qualifier for the school since 2000. That performance came after he claimed his first district title. Prior to the districts, he won his second straight WVC Pre-district championship. He started the season at the Tryba with a top-five finish.
Jeremy Callahan, Wyoming Seminary
The junior tied for fifth at the East Regional Tournament to advance to the PIAA Championships for the first time and being the first for the Blue Knights since 2004. He reached the regional tournament after tying for second at the District 2 Tournament with a score of 77 and placed fourth at Pre-districts.
Kyleen McCance, Hanover Area
She had quite a freshman campaign qualifying for the state tournament after placing fourth at regionals. She also placed second at the Class 2A Pre-district tournament and the District 2 Tournament. She became the first state qualifier for the Hawkeyes since 2004. In her first high school tournament, the Preseason Tryba Tournament, she ended with a top 20 finish and carded the lowest score of any female at that event.
Derek Answini, Holy Redeemer
A regional-qualifying senior in Class 2A, Answini started his senior season at the Tryba with a score of 73 to take fourth, and was the lowest score for Class 2A golfers. He was also instrumental in helping the Royals claim the division title with an unbeaten regular season mark of 11-0.
Bobby Wilson, Wyoming Seminary
A two-time regional qualifier, the senior helped the Blue Knights reach the conference’s team playoffs by claiming the Class 2A Division 4 title. He tied for fourth at the Pre-district tournament to advance to regionals.
Evie Williams, Crestwood
A two-time District 2 Class 3A champion and the senior did it in a big way by improving her score from one year to the next by eight strokes. She was also a two-time East Regional qualifier.
Grace Babinchak, Hazleton Area
The junior placed second at the District 2 Class 3A Tournament just one stroke off the lead as she qualified for the East Regional Tournament. She also took second at the Pre-district Tournament finishing four shots behind the leader.
