One of the hardest things about the game of golf is to continually improve. Most players have peaks and valleys. Most take a step or two backward for every one they take forward.

The most remarkable thing about Cole Miller's golf career is his steady improvement. Through three years the Northwestern junior has continued to get better, each season achieving a little bit more than the one before it.

Last Wednesday he won his second straight Colonial League Championship Tournament. This time he did it by a five-stroke margin over Bangor's Alex Colton.

Miller was the only member of the field to break par, shooting three-under-par 68 at Bethlehem Municipal Golf Course.

"I played pretty solid in the beginning," Miller said. "I lost it a little bit at the end, but overall it was a pretty good day."

Joining Miller in the top 15 were teammate Nick Vecellio, who placed fifth with a 76.

Miller started the day with three birdies. An eagle on his sixth hole put him 5-under par at that point. He finished the round with four birdies, an eagle and three bogeys.

"I kept the ball in play off the tee pretty well," Miller said. "I controlled my wedge distances well today."

Miller, the defending District 11 champ, now has two straight league titles. He won last year's crown by a one-stroke margin, then went on to win districts by three strokes.

Wednesday he hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation and took 31 putts in his round.

He's been on a roll all season long. His highest score this season is a 70 at Olde Homestead, Northwestern's home course. That came on a windy day just a couple weeks after he shot a career low 63.

Miller's scoring average for the season is 66.13. The next-lowest in the league was Notre Dame's Eamone Marone, who averaged 73.44.

Miller also qualified this weekend's Lehigh Valley Amateur Championship at Green Pond.

Vecellio, also a Northwestern junior, averaged 75.63, which was the league's third-lowest. He didn't have his A game on Wednesday and was proud to have grinded to a score in the mid-70s.

"I did not play well," he said. "But I scrapped and got it done. My short game saved me."

Vecellio made 10 pars, two birdies, five bogeys and one double. He hit four fairways and got to just 10 greens in regulation, but he needed only 32 putts to bring in his 76.

Vecellio, a two time District 11 Tournament qualifier, hopes to make the tournament again this year and advane to his first regional tournament.

"I just have to keep working hard," he said.

Despite the solid rounds brought in by Vecellio and Miller, the Tigers placed fourth in the four-team playoff for the league's team title. Other Northwestern players competing at leagues included Chad Kelson (94) and Zach Caruso (95), Eric Abercrombie (103), Zach Goddard (114) and Kevin Shuey (117).

Notre Dame (Green Pond) won this year's team title with a five-player score of 404. Southern Lehigh was second at 404, followed by Moravian Academy (435) and Northwetsern (436).

Colonial League Championship Golf Tournament Top 10

1. Cole Miller (Northwestern) 68, 2. Alex Colton (Bangor) 73, 3. Collin Hagenbuch (Wilson) 74, 4. Eamone Marone (Notre Dame GP) 75, 5. Nick Vecellio (Northwetsern) 76, 6. John Albenzi (Southern Lehigh) 77, 7. Bob Deutsch (Notre Dame GP), 8. Kyle Buchman (Notre Dame GP) 79, 9. Andrew Woolley (Notre Dame GP), 10. Nick Haddad (Southern Lehigh) 81.