Dornes leads Penn State teammate Miller by three at Pennsylvania Amateur

   The final round of the Pennsylvania Amateur Championship presented by Allegheny Health Network is shaping up as a showdown of Penn State teammates, although they can’t completely ignore the Drexel guy.

   J.D. Dornes was the senior leader and Cole Miller the sophomore standout on a Penn State team that earned an invitation to the NCAA regional at Blackwolf Run. Following the second round of the Pennsylvania Amateur at Moselem Springs Golf Club in Fleetwood Tuesday, they are 1-2, respectively, on the leaderboard.

   Dornes, the former Manheim Township standout who plays out of Lancaster Country Club, added a ho-hum 2-under 68 to the brilliant 62 he posted in Monday’s opening round for a 36-hole total of 10-under 130.

   Miller, the former Northwestern Lehigh standout who plays out of Blue Ridge Country Club, had a long day Tuesday as he finished off the last nine holes of an opening-round 65 and then matched Dornes’ 68 for a 7-under 133 total, three shots back of his fellow Nittany Lion.

   Dornes had four birdies and two bogeys in his second round. Not back, but not quite as memorable as the four birdies and two eagles he had in Monday’s 8-under opening round.

   The two Penn Staters will have to keep an eye on the best player in the history of Drexel golf, Christopher Crawford, whose strong summer was highlighted by an appearance in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

   Crawford, who plays out of Spring Mill Country Club, added a 1-under 69 to his opening-round 66 and is alone in third place at 5-under 135.

   Alone in fourth place is Radnor Valley Country Club’s Carey Bina. The former Radnor High standout had a 69 Tuesday after an opening-round 68 and is at 3-under 137 in a really strong showing for a player who can’t find a home on a college roster, although Wake Forest and Elon aren’t the easiest places to try to crack as a walk-on.

   Hershey Country Club’s Jake Reilly (70-68) and LuLu Country Club’s Scott McLaughlin (67-71) are tied for fifth place at 2-under 138.

   There are plenty of interesting names that made the cut and will tee it up in Wednesday’s final round.

   LuLu’s P.J. Acierno, a senior at La Salle who starred scholastically at La Salle High, fired a 2-under 68 Tuesday and is tied for 13^th at 2-over 142.

   Among the players in the large group tied for 17^th at 3-over 143 are former Inter-Ac League rivals Cole Berman of Philadelphia Cricket Club and Michael Davis of Aronimink Golf Club. Berman, a junior at Georgetown and a former Haverford School standout, stumbled with a 76 Tuesday after opening with a 67. Davis, a junior at Princeton and a former Malvern Prep standout, added a 71 to his opening-round 72.

   Also at 143 is LuLu’s Brandon Matthews, who wrapped up one of the finest careers in the history of the Temple program this spring. Matthews, a two-time Philadelphia Open champion, fell back with a 74 Tuesday after opening with a 69.

   Huntingdon Valley Country Club’s Kyle Sterbinsky, a sophomore at Wake Forest, is in the group tied for 23^rd at 4-over 144. Sterbinsky, a Peddie School product, was an impressive medalist in a U.S. Amateur qualifier last week at Aronimink and White Manor Country Club.  He bounced back from an opening-round 77 with a 3-under 67 Tuesday.

   Also at 144 is White Manor’s Sam Soeth, a sophomore at Temple. The former Marple Newtown standout added a 73 Tuesday to his opening-round 71.

   The group tied for 32^nd at 6-over 146 includes Pinecrest Country Club’s Nathan Smith, a four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and three-time member of the U.S. Walker Cup team. Smith, a two-time Pennsylvania Amateur champion, added a 75 Tuesday to his opening-round 71.

   The cut fell at 7-over 147 with 12 players making it on the number. Among that group is Applecross Country Club’s R.J. Wren. The recent Twin Valley graduate and Delaware-bound Wren had a 76 Tuesday after opening with a 71.