Sewickley Academy seniors cap high school golf careers at PIAA tournament

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, November 3, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Sewickley Academy was represented by a pair of talented seniors, Severin Harmon and Karan Kad, at the PIAA Class 2A boys golf championships Oct. 21-22 at Penn State’s Blue Course.

Harmon finished in a six-way tie for 41st place with a score of 83-77—159. Kad ended up in a three-way tie for 55th with his score of 81-83—164.

“Severin was the team’s captain this year and he proved it with his play and his leadership,” QV coach Chuck Scally said. “His scoring average for all the matches he played was 69.3, compared to par 72.

“Severin played in the WPIAL (sectional tournament) at North Park and played well enough to move on to WPIALs at Youghiogheny Country Club, where he did not play his best but made it through to the finals at his home course, Sewickley Heights. Severin was positioned in the top 10 going into the finals at Sewickley Heights.. He finished strong enough to place second to qualify for states.”

Harmon advanced to the state tournament four times in his prep career, placing 49th in 2021, 38th in 2022, 35th in 2023 and 41st in 2024.

“I just didn’t have my game in the shape that I needed it to be in, unfortunately,” he said following this year’s PIAA event. “I thought I drove it well but wasn’t able to judge the rollout on my approaches into the greens, limiting my chances to score.

“With the weather we had, the course was pretty scorable, and I just wasn’t able to take advantage of that. In all honesty, I was quite disappointed with how I played, but it’s always an honor just to make it to states. With my results at the WPIAL tournament, I still feel like this was a successful year even if this last tournament leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.”

Harmon tied for second with Elizabeth Forward sophomore Aaron Didjunas at the WPIAL championships with rounds of 78-72—150.

His two-round total included four birdies, 17 pars, 12 bogeys, two double bogeys and one other.

Harmon was the only golfer able to shoot an even-par round in the two-day tournament.

“As Severin’s coach, I thought his season was a successful one,” Scally said.

Kad’s two rounds at the PIAA finals included two birdies, 19 pars, 12 bogeys, one double bogey and two others.

He qualified for the PIAA event by tying for 11th place at WPIALs with a 81-77—158 total.

“Karan was our second-best player on the team this year,” Scally said. “In the beginning of our season, he had to have a minor surgery, so he had to sit out the first three matches.

“Karan’s scoring average this year was 76. He qualified for WPIAL individuals all the way to state championship with Severin. I believe this was (Kad’s) first year going to states. He loves the game very much and he has fun doing it. It has been a joy watching him and Severin play and compete against the best players in the area and statewide.”

As a team, Sewickley corralled third place in Section 9 with a 7-3 record. Quaker Valley and North Catholic tied for first with 8-2 record.

“This season has been a great experience,” Harmon said. “While the team didn’t make the playoffs, I was really happy with the way we bonded and the great job that coach Scally has done in his first year.

“I don’t know if I’ll be golfing in college, but I’m sure that this won’t be the last time I’ll formally compete. And I just wanted to note that Karan and I were paired up for the (PIAA) final round, which was a really nice way to finish our careers in high school. It was a full-circle moment, for sure.”

Pearl Lundgren, a junior at Eden Christian Academy, also advanced to the Class 2A state finals where she tied for 20th with an 86-83-169 in the girls tournament..

Lundgren has been the WPIAL runner-up the past two seasons in 2A.

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