Riverside Sophomore Skyler Fox Repeats as WPIAL Boys Golf 2-A Champion

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, September 28, 2017 | 4:30 PM

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It took a little bit longer this time, but Riverside’s Skyler Fox is once again the 2A boys golf champion. Fox edged Sewickley Academy’s Cole Luther on the first hole of a playoff to claim his second title in as many years on Thursday at Allegheny County Club in Sewickley.

Fox, a sophomore, and Luther, a senior, both shot a 4-over 74, prompting the sudden death playoff. On that hole, Luther drove wide left near the trees, while Fox drilled his shot down the middle of the fairway. Luther recovered nicely and was on the green in three strokes, but his par putt just lipped out. Subsequently, Fox sank his second putt attempt after reaching the green in two to secure a par and the victory.

“There was a little more pressure knowing that I won last year,” said Fox, who became the first boys back-to-back champion since Leechburg’s Matt Barto in 2012-13. “I just tried to get the ball on the green and two putt as much as possible and just get out of here trying to make it through.”

As one of just three players who shot under par in the qualifying round, Fox played with McGuffey’s David Chapman in the final pairing. Luther, one of five Sewickley Academy golfers in the championship, held the clubhouse lead for more than 30 minutes before having to return to the course for the playoff.

Waynesburg senior Aaron Yorio finished third with a 6-over 76, while Josh Neff of South Park and Will Nocito of Sewickley Academy tied for fourth. The top 16 players qualified for the PIAA Western Regional, which will be head at Tom’s Run Golf Course at Chestnut Ridge Resort in Blairsville on Oct. 16.

Those qualifiers included Carmichaels’ Matthew Barish, Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic’s Tre Bartony, Christian Sadler of Bentworth, Seton-LaSalle’s Jacob Verner, Serra Catholic’s Cameron Copeland, Justin Hand of Riverside, Matt Mincher of Laurel, McGuffey’s Trent Belleville and Tyler Brinker of South Park.

Four golfers who all initially tied for 16th place returned to the course for a playoff, but a playing violation by Sewickley Academy’s Peter Curran disqualified him from his third-place finish. As a result, Hunter Donahue of McGuffey and Derek Petrishen of St. Joes both advanced courtesy of the playoff.

T1 Skyler Fox – Riverside – 10 74  +4
T1 Cole Luther – Sewickley Academy – 12 74  +4
T3 Aaron Yorio – Waynesburg – 12 76  +6
**T3 Peter Curran – Sewickley Academy – 12 76  +6
T5 Josh Neff – South Park – 12 77  +7
T5 Will Nocito – Sewickley Academy – 12 77  +7
T7 Matthew Barrish – Carmichaels – 11 78  +8
T7 Tre Bartony – Cardinal Wuerl N.C. – 11 78  +8
T9 Christian Sadler – Bentworth – 12 79  +9
T9 Jacob Verner – Seton LaSalle – 10 79  +9
11 Cameron Copeland – Serra – 12 80  +10
T12 Justin Hand – Riverside – 10 81  +11
T12 Matt Mincher – Laurel – 11 81  +11
T12 Trent Belleville – McGuffey – 12 81  +11
T12 Tyler Brinker – South Park – 12 81  +11
*T16 Hunter Donahue – McGuffey – 12 82  +12
*T16 Derek Petrishen – St. Joseph – 12 82  +12
T16 Clark Miller – Burgettstown – 12 82  +12
T16 Tiger Hubbard – Burrell – 11 82  +12
T20 Josh Redding – Southmoreland – 12 83  +13
T20 Zach Collins – Vincentian – 12 83  +13
T22 David Chapman – McGuffey – 12 84  +14
T22 Jacob Cannon – California – 12 84  +14
T22 Spencer Kane – Chartiers Houston – 10 84  +14
T25 J.F. Aber – Sewickley Academy – 10 85  +15
T25 Michael Rutherford – Central Valley – 12 85  +15
T25 Zach Boote – Greensburg CC – 11 85  +15
T28 Landen Shirley – Sewickley Academy – 11 86  +16
T28 Mike Tanabe – Quaker Valley – 11 86  +16
T28 Ryan Jones – Quaker Valley – 12 86  +16
31 Hunter Turk – Neshannock – 12 88  +18
32 Rye Boeh – Beaver Area – 11 89  +19
T33 C.J. King – McGuffey – 11 90  +20
T33 Casey Jones – South Side – 12 90  +20
T35 Brian Boariu – Ellwood City – 11 91  +21
T35 Dan Zelch – Riverside – 11 91  +21
37 Jacob Clay – Beaver Area – 12 93  +23
38 Ethan Woodling – South Side – 12 94  +24
39 Nick Waskiewcz – Seton LaSalle – 11 95  +25
40 Noah Turek – South Side – 12 106  +36
41 Chris Panza – Seton LaSalle – 10 125  +55

Names in bold qualified for PIAA Western Regional

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