D’Ariano helps power Rustin past Oxford at Penn Oaks
By Neil Geoghegan
ngeoghegan@21st-centurymedia.com
@NeilMGeoghegan on Twitter
THORNBURY >> It’s pretty easy spot Ryan D’Ariano on the golf course. He’s the slender teenager, always wearing long pants, and playing even-par or better golf for West Chester Rustin.
On Tuesday the senior carded an even-par 35 to lead the Golden Knights to a 197-222 Ches-Mont triumph over visiting Oxford at Penn Oaks Golf Club. Host Rustin improves to 4-1 overall and in the league, with the lone loss a five-stroke setback at perennial power Unionville at Kennett Square G&CC.
“For Oxford to beat us here, we’d have to play pretty poorly and they’d have to play very well, but stranger things have happened,” said Rustin head coach Joe Paris. “I just try to get our players to stay in the moment and try not to get too far ahead of themselves.”
The individual medalist by three strokes, D’Ariano was actually two-over through four holes but then birdied the par-five fourth thanks to an approach shot to within a foot, and then added a 15-foot putt for birdie at the next hole.
“I know how to play this course since it’s been my home course since I was seven,” said D’Ariano, a resident of Westtown Township. “I knew there were some birdie holes out here.”
His nemesis is the 428-yard eighth hole, and he bogeyed there, but came back big-time at the finishing hole – a 345-yarder – by driving the green and two-putting for a late birdie.
“I wanted to make birdie but I never expected to drive the green,” he said.
“As he is rounding out his high school career, Ryan is becoming very, very solid,” Paris added. “He is playing such good golf, so for Ryan to be over-par is now unusual — especially here at his home course.”
D’Ariano started hitting golf balls with plastic clubs at the age of three and has been playing tournament golf since he was six.
“I don’t remember ever not playing golf,” he said.
“And right now I am playing the most consistent golf of my life.”
The Hornets (1-7) had four of their five scores at 43-or-under, but did have to count a 51. Branden Humphrey’s 42 led the way, with brothers Johnny and Drew Fields, and Scott Franjesh, notching 43s.
“I think we are seeing good improvement from this team,” said Oxford assistant coach Jerry Day.
“Our kids aren’t used to these greens, as undulating as they are, but it looks like they adjusted while they were out there.”
In addition to D’Ariano, Rustin got a 38 from Trevor Talericco and a 42 from sophomore Sophia DeSantis, in her first varsity match of the season. Freshman Sam Feeney chipped in with a 40.
“Sophia’s score was a nice surprise,” Paris said. “This team is super competitive, and right now the hardest thing for me is finding the right eight players because we are so deep.
“It was a very nice score. She knows there are a lot of players in front of her, but she is starting to play some good golf.”
It was Rustin’s second win this season against Oxford, but the Knights say that they never head into a match taking anything for granted.
“I doesn’t matter who we play, we just want to go out and play our best rounds and win meets,” said senior Eric Miller, who shot a 42.
“You can’t lay-off because if we all did that, (Oxford) could beat us,” D’Ariano added. “Golf is like that.
“My mom always says that your opponent is actually the golf course.”
An All-Ches-Mont and All-Area pick a year ago, D’Ariano may be the only player on hot summer days competing in long pants, but he has an explanation.
“I always wear long pants and I’ve done that for a while now,” he said. “The weather doesn’t affect me and I think it looks better – more professional. I also wear a brace on my right knee, so I wear pants so nobody asks me about what happened to my knee.”
West Chester Rustin 197, Oxford 222
Par-35 at Penn Oaks GC
Oxford: Humphrey 42, J. Fields 43, D. Fields 43, Franjesh 43, Nowland 51.
WC Rustin: D’Ariano 35, Talericco 38, Feeney 40, DeSantis 42, Miller 42.
