(Butler, PA) Eight-time coach of the year Bill Miller walked and talked with his Butler County Community College team during a Thursday afternoon practice at Lake Arthur Golf Club, discussing with new players a program that has been perfect the past two fall seasons.
The Pioneers were 11-0 in fall 2021. And 12-0 in fall 2022.
Never before had BC3’s program been undefeated in consecutive fall seasons. The Pioneers capped those seasons with Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference team and individual championships.
“I think they are all aware that we have had a pretty strong program the past couple of years,” Miller said. “I don’t want them to feel as if the expectation is that we have to be a dominant force, but that we want to go out and be as strong as we can be.
“I think right now they feel like they can meet that challenge.”
“(BC3 golf coach Bill Miller) wants us to focus on the goal in hand. Winning the conference championship again. I would like to help out and get another one.”
BC3 has won eight WPCC team championships since 2013 and six individual titles since 2014.
“(Miller) wants us to focus on the goal in hand,” said Devin Latsko, a Seneca Valley High School graduate and one of four BC3 freshman golfers. “Winning the conference championship again. I would like to help out and get another one.”
“I want to keep that streak going,” added Xander Downing, a Butler High graduate.
Said Cory Voltz, the Pioneers’ lone sophomore: “Just do your best.”
Joining Latsko and Downing as BC3 freshmen are Xavier Farmer, a Butler graduate; and Jonah Kozora, a Mars graduate.
Voltz, a Knoch graduate, was named to the WPCC all-conference squad in fall 2022 based on his regular-season scoring average of 80. His best round was a 2-over 74 at Lake Arthur.
“What I saw last year in Cory is that he has a very steady game,” Miller said. “Very cerebral. He understands the clubs he needs to use, how to play the game – even more so this year because he was around good players last year.”
“Don’t let the bad shots get to you”
The Pioneers’ fall 2022 squad included sophomores Troy Loughry, who became a two-time All-American in golf this spring; Liam Kosior, Jack Mason and Tanner Hohmann. Loughry, Kosior and Mason joined Voltz on the WPCC all-conference squad.
Loughry finished first in the 2022 WPCC championship tournament; Kosior placed third, Mason fourth and Voltz tied for fifth. Loughry won the 2021 WPCC championship tournament; Kosior placed second and Mason third.
Voltz said he learned from his former teammates about “not letting one bad shot ruin the whole round. Don’t let the bad shots get to you because when you do that, it’s in your head and there’s a greater chance of you making more mistakes after that.”
Downing’s best 9-hole round at Butler was a 1-over 37 at Treesdale Golf & Country Club in Gibsonia. He averaged a 40.
“He’s really strong around the greens,” Miller said. “Real sharp in chipping the ball to the pin. I’ve really noticed that. … And he hits a pretty good ball off the tee.”
Latsko’s best 9-hole round at Seneca Valley was a 3-over 38 at Strawberry Ridge Golf Course in Harmony. He also averaged a 40.
“Very consistent in practice,” Miller said. “He hits the ball into the fairway. He hits the ball to the green. He’s (scored) in the mid-80s. He doesn’t seem to have a lot of peaks and valleys.”
Kozora’s “irons have been real strong, his mid-irons to the green,” Miller said, and Farmer has been “hitting the ball off the tee pretty well.”
“Very competitive in the conference”
The Pioneers open their fall season at 11 a.m. Friday at Glengarry Golf Links, Latrobe, against Westmoreland County Community College, Penn Highlands Community College and the Community College of Allegheny County.
BC3’s first home match this fall will be at noon Sept. 15 against Westmoreland County Community College, Penn Highlands Community College and the Community College of Allegheny County at Lake Arthur Golf Club.
The WPCC championship tournament is scheduled for Oct. 6-7 at the Links at Spring Church in Apollo.
“We have been very fortunate in how we have played,” Miller said. “We have been able to be very competitive in the conference, and I think this team can be too. I really do. But I did not want to put too much pressure on them as far as, ‘We have to go undefeated.’ I am trying to taper that off a little bit.”
Miller, BC3’s golf coach since 2003, has been selected as WPCC coach of the year eight times.
BC3’s spring season features regional play, regional tournaments and possible national championship appearances where golfers compete for All-American status. The Pioneers have qualified for the national championship tournament six times. Their fifth-place finish in spring 2023 was their highest.
