Honesdale makes local sports history with its first-ever league affiliated girls golf team

HONESDALE — Dozens of fans gathered at Honesdale Golf Club this week to witness a bit of local sports history unfold.

For the first time ever, the Wayne Highlands School District is fielding a PIAA sanctioned and Lackawanna League affiliated girls varsity golf team.

This Lady Hornet squad made its regular season debut last Thursday with a stellar performance against Dunmore. Teeing it up for the Red & Black were: Kayla Benson, Courtney Crum, Rebecca Dadig, Delaney Rowe, Olyvea Burke and Julie Saylor.

The local lasses needed just 157 strokes over the course of nine holes against the Lady Bucks at HGC. That was good for a whopping 59-shot victory.

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Honesdale followed that up with another big win, this one over perennial powerhouse Scranton Prep. It’s an impressive start that has Head Coach Gene Hopkins excited for the future of the program.

“This is definitely a little bit of school history we’re seeing here,” he said. “I’m very proud of our girls. They’ve been working really hard and improving every day. It’s fun to watch them growing, learning the sport and coming together as a team.”

Next up on the schedule is a showdown with Abington Heights. That match is slated for a 3:45 p.m. start Monday at HGC.

Lady Hornets sizzle at Simons Cup

On the heels of a successful Lackawanna League debut, Honesdale stepped onto the big stage for the first time on Monday.

The Lady Hornets competed at the 2023 Bob Simons Classic. This year’s edition of the event took place at HGC, attracting a dozen teams and nearly 70 golfers.

The tournament honors legendary Wallenpaupack Area skipper Bob Simons who’s entering his 54th season and is the all-time winningest golf coach in state history.

“I’m always honored to be part of this tournament,” Coach Simons said. “When they first told me three years ago that it was going to be named after me, I was surprised and humbled.

“As you know, I’ve been doing this for a long time and it’s great to see how far girls golf has come. I’ve coached quite a few girls over the years and they just keep getting better and more polished.”

North Pocono powered its way to the team title at Monday’s tourney. Led by overall individual champion Gwen Powell, the Trojans finished first in the team standings with a stroke total of 267.

Scranton Prep earned runner-up honors at 303. Honesdale placed third at 319, one shot better than Abington (320).

“They’re going to be our measuring stick,” Coach Hopkins said of the Comets. “We’re kind of in uncharted waters here, so I think finishing ahead of Abington is a pretty good sign for our girls.”

Kayla Benson led the Red & Black attack at the Simons Cup. Honesdale’s senior star carded a round of 83, good for second place in the overall individual standings.

Benson is coming off a sensational junior season that ended with a berth in the PIAA state tournament. According to Coach Hopkins, a return trip to Hershey is well within reach for Benson.

“Kayla is a very strong golfer,” Coach Hopkins said. “She’s really long off the tee and she’s improved all the other aspects of her game so much. I’m definitely excited to see what she can do in her senior season.”

Bob Simons concurs.

“Kayla really drives the ball a long way,” the Hall of Famer said. “Her short game has improved a lot too. I think that Kayla is going to be a real force at districts this year.”

Team depth is key

One of Honesdale’s obvious strengths in its debut season is roster depth.

Coach Hopkins has the luxury of sending out six quality golfers for each match in which the four best scores are recorded.

On Monday, Benson carded her team’s low round (83), followed by juniors Delaney Rowe (109), Rebecca Dadig (127) and freshman Julie Saylor (141).

“Delaney is another kid who hits the ball a long way,” Coach Hopkins said. “And Rebecca is working very hard on her game and has made a quantum leap since last year.

“We’ve kind of thrown Julie to the wolves a little bit as a freshman, but she’s handling herself really well and is headed in the right direction.”

Courtney Crum had to miss this year’s Simons Cup, but she joins Benson as a legitimate threat to make some serious noise in the post season.

“Courtney is a smart kid who really manages the course well,” Coach Hopkins said. “She is always in the fairway and plays within herself.”

Olyvea Burke was also unavailable for Monday’s tournament. However, the junior is expected to be a key contributor this fall.

“I have to say that Olyvea has one of the prettiest golf swings you’ll ever see,” Coach Hopkins said. “She has great tempo and is really progressing well.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Honesdale girls golfers card runner-up finish at Bob Simons Classic