The PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) will present its first team championship of the 2004-05 season this weekend when six golf teams travel to Hershey, Pa. to battle for the team title. The 36-hole event will be held at Wrendale Country Club on Saturday October 16 and Sunday October 17.

Clarion enters the PSAC Championship looking to recapture the team title, having placed second in 2004 and 2003, after winning the crown in 2002.

A We have been playing very consistent golf throughout the Fall season and we believe we have a chance to bring the title back to Clarion,@ said sixth year head coach Al Lefevre. A IUP and Millersville also have the talent to win the team title,@ he continued. A The team race could easily come down to the final holes.@

Last year IUP won the team title with a score of 599 at Hawk Valley Golf Club, located in Denver, Pa. The Indians were ten strokes better than Clarion who had a 609. Millersville was third with a 610, West Chester fourth with a 622, Slippery Rock fifth with a 630 and Kutztown= s women= s team was sixth with a 700.

Millersville won the team title in 2003 with a score of 625, only one shot better than Clarion who posted a 626, while IUP was third with a 633. West Chester finished fourth with a 634, Slippery Rock fifth at 655 and Kutztown= s women sixth with a 741.

Clarion won the team title in 2002 with a 605 team score, six shots ahead of Millersville who had a 611 and IUP and West Chester who tied for third with a 616. Slippery Rock was fifth at 633 and Kutztown sixth with a 770.

Leading the way for the Golden Eagles will be three-time PSAC A Player of the Year@ Matt Guyton (Sr. DuBois). Guyton was medalist in 2003 with a 150 (6-over par), while he was second in 2002 with a 148 and 14^th last year with a 156. Guyton finished 7^th at the 2003 NCAA Division II Nationals shooting an even par 288 (72, 73, 71, 72) at the D-II= s in Sunriver, Oregon. He was also medalist at the NCAA D-II Regionals that year with a 214 (72, 69, 73). His top collegiate rounds were at Canaan Valley in the Fall of 2002 when he was 10-under (67, 67) for 36-holes.

Also back in the lineup are senior Lou Jesiolkiewic (Sr. Pgh-Chartiers Valley) and sophomores Tom Will (Erie - McDowell) and Justin Scott (Monroeville - Gateway).

Jesiolkiewic has been a steady performer with the Golden Eagles throughout his career. He tied for third at PSAC= s last year with a 150, placed 12^th in 2003 with a 161 and was 10^th as a freshman with a 154. He plced 21^st at the NCAA Regionals last year (238), was 40^th (240) at Regionals in 2003 and 33^rd at the Regionals (237) in 2002.

Scott, who has shown an ability to shoot low numbers, has been one of the biggest contributors to the team in the Fall 2004 season. Thus far Scott tied for second overall at Clarion= s Hal Hansen Memorial Tournament with a 146 (75, 71), led Clarion with a 222 last weekend at the Powerade Invitational (72, 78, 72) and fired a 76 at Westminster. He tied for 11^th at the PSAC= s last year with a 155 (81, 74) and was Clarion= s top golfer at the NCAA Regionals with an 11^th place showing (72, 79, 81).

Will meanwhile, placed 6^th at the PSAC= s last year with a solid 77, 80 - 157 total. Tom was fifth at the Hal Hansen this Fall with a quality 148 (76, 72), and has fired a 153 (77, 76) at the Glenville Invitational.

Moose, a freshman, also has ability to shoot low numbers. At the Powerade Invitational last weekend he carded a 223 (76, 74, 73) for his best rounds of the year. He also had a 153 (74, 79) at the Hal Hansen and several other rounds in the mid to upper 70's.

IUP and head coach Fred Joseph returns four players from their title team a year ago, including medlist Brian Galica. He carded a 1-over 145 to win individual honors, while Dan Thompson (3rd-150) and Scott Wildauer (3rd-150) are also back. Ninth place finisher Eric Anderson (154) also returns.

Millersville, led by coach Scott Vandegrift, has two players back from last year= s third place team including Scott Micklewright and Adam Black. Micklewright was second at PSAC= s in 2003 (154) and 11^th last year (155). He place 6^th at PSAC= s in 2002 (152). Adam Black, who was 18^th with a 158, also returns.

West Chester will be led by Jared Miller, who was second last year with a 149 (75, 74)at PSAC= s, and P.J. Politan (164) who was 22^nd.

CLARION NOTES: Fall averages for Clarion players include Matt Guyton (74.5), Justin Scott (75.2), Lou Jesiolkiewic (76.3), Justin Moose (77) and Tom Will (77.6) ... Clarion= s 2002 title team had Guyton & Jesiolkiewic as members... Also on that team were Ryan Peffer, Anthony Tacconelli and Matt Biddington... The title won by Clarion in 2002 was Clarion= s first PSAC Golf title since 1982 ... That team was coached by former A.D. Frank Lignelli, and featured captain Joe Boros who is currently the Head PGA Professional at Treesdale C.C. in Pittsburgh and a 1999 Clarion Sports Hall of Fame Inductee.