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Four-time all-state golfer Jacob Nickell left his mark on the Wheeling Park program but the Patriots will need to find someone to step up in the 2018 season to help fill the void.
Senior Dorothy Romanek could be that person to grab the reigns.
Romanek won two tournaments this summer, tallying a 159 two-day score at the Moundsville Country Club to earn medalist honors and shot a 78 at the Parkersburg Country Club to win the Calloway event.
Also expected to make an impact for coach Don Headley is senior Lydia Simon.
"Both Dorothy and Lydia played large roles for us last year," Headley said. "They will both be an integral part of our success this year, as well. They are both good golfers and their short games are very good. That makes them competitive with the boys."
As Wheeling Park rolled to a 5A OVAC Championship last year, Romanek came up huge with an 82, the second best score on the team.
Simon also played a part in the title, shooting a 91.
"They can hit the ball fairly far and in the middle of the fairway," Headley said. "They hit their second shots and irons straight and are both decent at chipping. They are hard workers and work diligently on putting."
Wheeling Park delivered a strong finish to the season a year ago, earning a spot in the state tournament, a goal that Headley believes can be reached once again.
"This team works great together and they have great camaraderie," Headley said. "They play hard and pull for each other.
"Our goal is to win the OVAC again and we need to play well at Williams Country Club, where regionals will be held.
"We need to prepare as well as we possibly can to make a run at states."
Romanek is not only a standout on the golf course but is a very talented goalkeeper on the hockey team, as well, while Simon also suites up for the softball team.
"Both of these girls are talented and they love to compete," Headley said. "That shines on the golf course because they really grind it out.
"This whole team works hard and is fun to be around. It's a wonderful feeling when you have great kids who want to get better every day."