Victory at historic Oakmont Country Club boosts confidence for Burrell golfers

By: William Whalen
Monday, September 6, 2021 | 10:14 PM

The Burrell boys golf team dropped anchor at Oakmont Country Club last week. Having lost three starters from last season and playing one of the top golf courses in the world, the Bucs arrived with more questions than answers going into their Section 1-2A match against rival Riverview.

“It was hard starting the season at Oakmont because the kids are going have a higher scores there because it was at Oakmont,” said Burrell coach Joe Virone, who is in his 16th season. “It was a hard way to start the season because it was away and at Oakmont.”

Burrell (2-0, 2-0) pulled out a tight win over the Raiders, 279-281. In one early-season match, the Bucs found out who they are as a team.

“It was an amazing course and big win over Riverview,” junior Reece Kennedy said. “It was great. Everybody put it together, did what we needed to do, and we pulled through for the win.

“I think we came off that course thinking that we can actually do something, and we can really golf. Everybody gained more confidence after that, I guarantee it. That was my first time (playing Oakmont).”

The uplifting win was just one step toward the Bucs’ goal. After missing the WPIAL Class 2A postseason in 2019, the 2020 Bucs went undefeated in Section 1-2A and returned to the playoffs. The goal this season is to go undefeated and advance one step further in the postseason.

Having to replenish talent because of graduation sometimes can be a nightmare for coaches, but Virone knew who he had coming back and the potential of some of his younger players.

“I knew we had enough kids coming back, and some kids that were starting to improve towards the end of the year and playing over the summer,” Virone said. “I’ve been doing this a long time. If you’re lucky enough to have three, or maybe four, of your starters back and get some of the kids who were playing (in the) seven or eight (spots) and if they kept playing over the summer we should have a pretty good team.”

Burrell had a strong turnout this season with 12 golfers. Leading the pack are senior Austin Schueler, who has trimmed four shots off his average since last season, and juniors Reece and Jaxon Logut.

Rounding out the top-six players are first-year junior Sam Abraham and junior Emily Wojtczak. Rotating through the sixth spot in the lineup are juniors Zack McKnight and Cam Seidel and freshman Logan Griffith.

“If my six (spot) can shoot in the low-to-mid 60s we’ll be OK,” Virone said. “Sometimes it’s been hard to fill that position. It just kind of rotates.”

One thing Virone has done different this season is to stagger his top three players throughout the lineup instead of stacking them in the 1-3 spots. It was a suggestion that came from assistant coach George Hubbard and seems to have worked like a charm.

“I put them in the one, three and five spots, so they can kind of help the younger ones,” Virone said. “I try and put them with the kids that are newer. All three of those kids have been really good with that role. All three of these boys could be my No. 1.”

William Whalen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Burrell