While it surely can be said that many teams have put in work heading into the start of the fall sports season, the Wilson golf team seems to have put in overtime.
For the three-time defending BCIAA team champions, golf is a year-round process that involves a plethora of individual tournaments that help prepare the Bulldogs for consistent dominance at the county level. Having not lost a Berks League match since falling to Conrad Weiser on Sept. 8, 2017, the extra time on the course has created a dynasty at Wilson.
“Golf is a game that you need to get your reps in for sure,” Bulldogs coach Pat Howard said. “Especially in the summertime, they play with their friends, they play with their family, and the more you’re playing, the more your scores are gonna drop. So it’s great to see them out there playing all the time and just to have the love for the game.
“They’re not just dusting the clubs off at the start, but they’re out there getting better every single day, which is awesome.”
Certainly not dusting off her clubs at the start, Wilson senior Kayla Maletto, a Creighton commit and reigning Berks female Player of the Year, has played some high-profile rounds over the summer. Maletto and sophomore teammate Kyla Quimby qualified for the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship at Trump National Doral Resort in Miami.
“Both of them are so dedicated the game; they play all summer,” Howard said. “They’re always working to get themselves better. They’re two players that you’d love to have on your team because they’re out here every day to make themselves better, and they’re just two amazing kids.”
Several golfers who later become professionals have played in the tournament over the years, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Scottie Scheffler, John Daly, Amy Alcott, Lexi Thompson and Jennifer Rosales.
Representatives from 20 countries participated in 13-14 and 15-18-year-old divisions in the tournament in July. Quimby finished 34th in the 13-14 division.
“It was a really cool experience because I got to meet people from all over,” Quimby said. “It was also cool to see everyone come together because no one knew each other and in four days there were friend groups everywhere. I met girls from Venezuela, Mexico. Barbados, Colombia, people from all over. I never experienced anything like that.
“I met a girl from Mexico, and she said that she doesn’t have a lot of people to play with down there. And then a girl from Colombia, she talked about having less opportunities. Like in America, it’s easier to go places with a sport because it’s so popular, but it’s tough for them because there’s no opportunities anywhere.”
Due to heavy rain and lightning, Maletto’s division was not able to complete the tournament. However, the experience was illuminating for Maletto and Quimby as a new understanding from an international perspective added to their shared appreciation of the opportunities golfers have in America.
“I played that event last year and I played pretty well; it’s one of my favorite events just because of where it is and how it’s run,” Maletto said. “A lot of my new friends that I met there are international, and it made me feel very lucky to be committed to Creighton because they’re all fighting to go to college in America.
“It just gives me a perspective, like, I’ve worked hard and now I am where I am so I don’t have to stress out too hard about the recruitment process. I met people from Chile and a lot of other countries and they’re all fighting for the same thing, and that’s to go to college in America. So it really made me feel grateful and made me appreciate the work that I put in.”
Maletto, whose sophomore season ended before the postseason due to a hand injury, goes into her final high school year as a three-time All-Berks pick, two-time county female Player of the Year, two-time BCIAA individual champion and the defending District 3 Class 3A champ.
The newfound perspectives and offseason practices are already paying dividends.
She shot a course-record 8-under 64 from the forward tees at Golden Oaks last weekend. Though heavy downpours and slow-playing conditions tested her, Maletto persisted to beat the mark of 4-under 68 set by Joann Heller.
“I birdied the first three holes because I have been working on my wedges to prepare for the high school season, so my wedges are pretty dialed in and that’s exactly what I need since the courses are short,” Maletto said. “That’s basically what helped me; I was either able to get on in two or (make an) up-and-down for birdie. It was a really slow round because of how busy they were that day, and after nine holes I was 6-under and was like, ‘Aww this is taking forever.’
“And then Kevin Quimby (Kyla’s dad) was playing with us and said, ‘Nope, you’re finishing this round.’ The slow play wasn’t ideal, so the back nine was just pars and an eagle, then the last two holes it started downpouring, but I said, ‘I made it this far, I’m not stopping now.’ While everyone around us went inside, I managed to par out.”
In a season-opening quad meet against Fleetwood, Oley Valley and Wyomissing at Golden Oaks on Tuesday, the Bulldogs shot 311 and won all three matches. Maletto shot a team-low 74 and Quimby an 81. Wilson senior Gavin Siravo shot a 79 and has also done his fair share of practicing during the offseason.
Siravo, an all-division selection, said he is ready to take on a heightened role as one of the team’s senior leaders.
“I’ve been preparing through tournaments in different tours: AJGA (American Junior Golf Association), Hurricane (Junior Golf Tour) Buckeye (Junior Golf Tour), just playing in all different types of tournaments and getting course experience,” Siravo said. “There’s nothing like playing in a tournament, playing with all that pressure, so I think that’s big and will definitely help us with our season.”
“I feel like the past three years I’ve been following the leaders or the seniors on the team and now it’s my turn. I’m excited to be a senior because now I get to lead.
“It’s a little bit of pressure, but I think it’s no pressure I haven’t felt before and I’m excited for that pressure.
The extra practice will be aided by a heightened sense of team chemistry, according to the Bulldogs. Coupled with depth from all classes, a packed roster with plenty of up-and-coming players to watch breeds the competition that fuels a greater drive for success.
“We help each other out; we challenge ourselves in practice,” Quimby said. “We have competitions and we challenge each other. So when we have competition between each other, I think it helps build up into the tournaments.”
“Everyone gets along, there’s no drama, everyone is helping each other get better,” Maletto said. “At the same time, everyone is friendly and pushes each other in the right direction. So I think that the chemistry that we have makes a big difference because I know a lot of teams don’t have the same bonding that Wilson does. I’m excited to be a leader of the pack this year and keep a good mentality.”
Sophomores Gabriel Spohn, Chase Mitstifer and Briggs Witmyer, and juniors Colton Buckley and Carter Brensinger add to the depth, according to Howard.
“We do have a lot of talented people, we got some good young players coming up,” Howard said. “It hurts to lose the three great seniors (Evan Jozwiak, Nate Neiswender, Kyle Rittersbach) that we had last year because they were phenomenal players, but I know it’s kind of like a next-man-up mentality. So we’ll be in good shape, but I guess the biggest thing is these kids are just great.
“Really besides being good golfers, they’re all great individuals, so they’re fun to coach. What sets us apart is the fact that there is so much depth; we have a lot of players that can post some good scores this season.”
With the talent and depth to continue the success it has become accustomed to, Wilson is aware that nothing is given and that it must earn everything if it is to stay ahead of the pack in Berks.
“I’m not going to expect anything, I want to earn it,” said Maletto, who finished 11th in the state in Class 3A last season. “I’ve been practicing with a lot of my teammates and they are in very good shape. There’s a lot of great players out here now and it’s going to be tough to get another county title, but what I’ve seen from the varsity team we are in good shape.
“For my individual goals I want to make a run at districts again, I want to work hard and bring home the county title and also enjoy my senior year.
“I’m not really setting any expectations because having a good mindset is really what I want for the entire team, including myself.”
