It's a raw and overcast late summer day at Oakview Golf Club, but the members of the Slippery Rock High golf team are hard at work.

They send drives soaring off the tee on the driving range and make long, winding putts on the practice green.

It's all in a days work for a team that has toiled for years with the hopes of having a season like this.

"We all realize this is our last year," said Slippery Rock senior Shawn Beatty.

The team, made up mostly of seniors, has taken its lumps in the past.

Since District 10 split into regions and formed weekly megamatches, the Rockets haven't finished higher than fourth and have had two seasons in which they finished dead last.

The year before the region format, Slippery Rock was winless.

"It was just a joke," Beatty said. "I used to be embarrassed to get off the bus. Now it feels good to get off the bus."

The Rockets are definitely squinting into a bright future this season.

Barring a disaster in the season's final Region 2 Megamatch at Grove City Country Club Monday, the Rockets will claim their first championship.

Last month, the team won the first megamatch in school history, toppling Hickory on its home course.

The Rockets have won four out of the five matches so far.

"The four times we've won, we've had someone shoot 74 or better," said Slippery Rock coach Merle Whitmer. "We knew that Hickory was going to be the team to beat, so it was just satisfying to beat Hickory at Hickory. Then someone said to me this was the first time we won a megamatch since going to this format. It was a pretty good day.

"Someone has always stepped up," Whitmer added.

Most of the time that is Jeff Tracy.

The fact he is even able to play a round is a triumph in itself.

Tracy has a torn tendon on the ring finger of his right hand. The pain is so bad sometimes that he can barely grip the club.

Yet the senior has been one of the most consistent golfers in the region.

"I don't know how I am able to do it," Tracy said. "I guess just trying to ice it as much as I can. I'm limited in practice. I haven't been able to practice as much and my scores reflect it."

Even Whitmer is surprised that he's been able to shoot as well as he has.

"The hands are the only contact with the club," Whitmer said. "We're just not sure from day to day, when that thing flares up, if Jeff will be able to go."

Not much can keep Tracy off the course, though.

"It's been really satisfying because we never really experienced being in first before," Tracy said. "We have a lot of depth, which helps."

Part of that depth is one of the few female golfers in the region.

Senior Jenna Rinker is another golfer capable of leading the Rockets, which she did, tying Beatty with an 83, in the season's first megamatch.

"It feels great to be able to help a boys team do well, especially because it's my senior year," Rinker said. "It's a great way to go out, go out on top."

During the region season,Rinker plays from the white tees. It's something she sees as a challenge and something that has helped her tremendously over the years.

When it comes time to compete in the female-only events in the District 10 postseason, Rinker said she feels she has an advantage.

"It helps tremendously," she said. "When I get up to the red (tees), I think, 'Wow, this is easy.'"

Rinker advanced to the PIAA Girls Golf Championships last season and finished 16th in the state.

By winning the Region 6 title, Slippery Rock will be eligible to play in a championship tournament against the other region winners.

And it will be the culmination of years of hard knocks.

"For us to be in first place is real nice," said senior Tim Chavez. "That's what we're here for."