Tri-County champ eager to hit links

Now that he's fully recovered from a case of mononucleosis in 2006, during which he spent much time in the hospital, Delaware Valley Friends senior Rob Pina has his sights set on this spring's golf season.

Although he returned to playing golf last spring - he tied for top honors in the Tri-County League tournament in which his team finished second - he was wary of rejoining the team this year. Despite being named school MVP last season and winning a number of PGA junior events, last season's competition left Pina weak and thinking the effort might not be worth it.

"The mono spread to my stomach nerves, and I had such stomach distress I lost over 40 pounds," said Pina, who is back to his normal weight of 170. "I had been too weak to play. I got to the point where I could barely control the golf club, let alone think of playing major tournaments again."

But he said encouragement from teammate Scott Draper, coach Steve Cooney and other school officials led him to reconsider.

"Rob clearly has a gift for golf. We wanted him to reach his potential," said Jalal Rhamirich, the athletic director at Delaware Valley Friends.

The reigning men's champion at Chester Valley Country Club, near Mavlvern, Pina has some goals beyond spring. He's looking at colleges to continue his golf, and he is hoping to qualify for the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur.

"I'm feeling great now," he said. "It's been a long road."

Caroline Keating has committed to play lacrosse for Duke, and the Agnes Irwin senior will be doing it without benefit of an athletic scholarship.

"My brothers, Dan and Michael, both went to Duke, and I've always wanted to go there," said Keating, a midfielder for the Owls who scored 20 goals last season.

An honor student, she also swims and plays soccer for Irwin. She is a center back on the soccer team and sprint freestyler in swimming.

"I hope so. We haven't discussed it completely yet," Keating said when asked if her parents were paying her tuition at the Atlantic Coast Conference school. She plans to study psychology.

Her father, Dan, indicated that was the case while on the campus yesterday with Caroline and some of her future teammates.

"It's an honor to have her come here," said her father. "We had such a great experience with her brothers."

The brothers also played lacrosse at Duke.