Paupack's Pagano and Honesdale's LeClere receive Cricket Hill Golf scholarships

HONESDALE — Two of the area’s top student-athletes have been honored by a local amateur athletic organization for their accomplishments on the high school links.

Maya Pagano of Wallenpaupack Area and Honesdale’s Lake LeClere each received a $500 scholarship check on behalf of the Cricket Hill Men’s Golf League.

Pagano recently closed out a stellar varsity career by being named to the Lackawanna League Girls Golf All-Stars. LeClere turned in a solid season as well, helping lead the Hornets to a playoff berth.

Both are genuinely grateful for the support Lynn Simons and his fellow Cricket Hill Men’s League members continue to show high school linksters.

“The generosity I have received from the league is greatly appreciated,” Maya said. “With their support, the financial burden of college is lessened and I will be able to continue to participate in exciting things.”

LeClere concurs.

“I would love to greatly thank the Cricket Hill Men’s League for their generous donation of this scholarship to further my education,” Lake said.

Buckhorn links standout

From the moment she arrived on the scene, Pagano was fiercely determined to carve out a spot on the Paupack golf roster.

“I can distinctly remember signing up to golf and Coach Simons telling me that there was unfortunately no girls team,” she said. “I would have to be good enough to play with the boys.

“That was my biggest motivator and goal, and luckily I was able to meet the goal and succeed.”

The daughter of Brian and Michele Pagano, Maya worked tirelessly to earn a place on the boys varsity squad. Fortunately, she already possessed several key traits that proved crucial to her quest.

“Maya is extremely intelligent,” said Coach Simons. “She’s also a hard worker and very coachable. Maya earned the respect of her teammates right away.”

Pagano played predominantly on the JV team her first two years, but then was called up to the varsity as a junior. Last fall, she finally cracked the starting line-up and quickly began making key contributions.

Over the course of her senior season, Pagano posted a nine-hole scoring average of just under 44. She went 8-7-1 in league action and earned a spot on the Second Team All-Stars.

“Maya was really the team’s unsung hero,” Coach Simons said. “She has a strong personality and a great attitude. Maya was a very steady golfer who kept the ball in play and really excelled at course management.”

Among Pagano’s season highlights were a second place finish among the girls at the Wayne County Commissioners Cup and a fifth place finish at the District 2 qualifier. She also powered her way to a third place showing in a field of 60 at the Mid Valley Classic.

Pagano enjoyed competing against both boys and girls during her high school career, while also appreciating the challenges the situation posed.

“Playing with the boys was interesting to say the least,” Maya said with a laugh. “It’s a completely different experience.

“The boys are extremely competitive and have a very intense mindset, so to succeed you need to develop a similar mindset. It made me work harder and take everything much more seriously. Nevertheless, the boys on the team are truly like my brothers.”

In addition to her success on the links, Pagano is a well-rounded young lady who also excelled academically at Paupack.

A fixture on the Honor Roll and member of the National Honor Society, she served on the Student Council and as a Student Ambassador. Pagano participated in the Science Olympiad, Future Business Leaders of America, Chamber Choir and Regional Choir.

Her future plans include attending Penn State University as a student in the prestigious Schreyer Honors College. There, she’ll pursue studies in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry.

“I would love to go into clinical research,” Maya said. “My dream is to find cures and treatment options for diseases. Discovering a cure for breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease is the true goal.”

Pagano thoroughly enjoyed her high school career and would like to extend her heartfelt gratitude to all those who’ve been there for her through the years.

“My family is my biggest supporter,” Maya said. “Without their love, dedication, and positivity, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

“Also, Coach Simons and Coach Kopich have become such mentors to me and have always been positive influences. I will always be extremely thankful that I’ve been able to have been on such a great team.”

Hard work pays off

LeClere has been a member of the Honesdale golf team for four years, earning a letter in his senior season.

According to Head Coach Mike Miller, LeClere, played a key role in maintaining team chemistry. He worked hard on the sport, improving every aspect of his game throughout his career.

“Lake has always been a happy-go-lucky kid,” the veteran skipper said. “He’s the kind of teammate everyone likes playing with. Lake enjoys golfing and has lots of fun doing it.”

LeClere excelled in JV matches as a senior, but wasn’t able to crack the starting line-up. Nevertheless, he earned high marks from his mentor.

“Lake accepted his role and made everyone around him enjoy playing,” Coach Miller said. “The Honesdale golf team was better because Lake was part of it.”

LeClere participated in many different activities during his high school years. In addition to golf, he threw discus, javelin and shot for the track & field team.

LeClere also has a passion for the performing arts. He was an enthusiastic member of the HHS Center Stage Club, focusing on the technical aspects of productions, especially lights and sound.

Lake is the son of Aaron and Trish LeClere, Beach Lake. His future plans include attending Luzerne County Community College to study pre-engineering. After that, he’s hoping to move on to Penn State-Erie in pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

While LeClere enjoyed his time at HHS, he’s also excited for a new chapter. In the end, he’ll look back fondly on his experience as a Hornet linkster.

“My favorite part about playing on the golf team was not only learning about the sport, but also the social aspect of the team,” Lake said. “It’s a tight knit group and I have made many friendships from being on this team.”

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Two local linksters awarded golf scholarships by Cricket Hill league