Freshman WPIAL champ, improving veteran players form backbone of Shady Side Academy girls golf team

By: Jerin Steele
Saturday, October 12, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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There were many proud moments this year for Shady Side Academy girls golf coach Betsy Thompson.

Watching a young freshman like Alyssa Zhang build the confidence to become a WPIAL champion was certainly on the list.

But seeing juniors Nora Bryan and Ariyah Nahata step up to become leaders and seniors Cathy Jin and Sophia Gombos working to improve their games to become key contributors was equally rewarding.

All five came together to help the Bulldogs win the Section 2-2A championship.

“They rounded out the team, because you need four scores per match and it was a group effort,” Thompson said. “Yes, it was nice to have Alyssa shooting in the 30s every match, but you have to have that other group of experienced juniors and seeing the seniors round out their game is what allowed us to have a successful season.”

Shady Side Academy was scheduled to play in the WPIAL Class 2A team championship Oct. 10 at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Belle Vernon, which was past the deadline for this edition.

Greensburg Central Catholic, Mt. Pleasant and North Catholic were also in the field.

On Sept. 30, Zhang became the WPIAL Class 2A girls individual champion with a special round in a steady rain at Butler Country Club.

She trailed Eden Christian’s Pearl Lundgren by eight strokes going into the final round but shot even-par 72 to win by three shots.

Zhang was nine shots better than the field in the final round.

“She’s something special,” Thompson said of Zhang. “Butler (Country Club) was more like her home course, Fox Chapel Golf Club, so that was good. Day 1 in the rain at Willowbrook Country Club was tough for a freshman. She’s a 14 year old girl. So to come back, pull herself together, play so steady and make good choices in the rain at Butler was great. I was really pleased for her.”

Zhang advanced to play in the PIAA Class 2A championship at Penn State on Oct. 21.

Bryan also qualified for WPIALs and finished 17th. She is a co-captain along with Nahata.

Thompson said both have shaved five shots off per round, which helped the Bulldogs post low scores consistently in matches.

“They have both played for me since they were freshmen,” Thompson said. “Nadia plays two and Ariyah plays three most of the time and with Alyssa coming in, the three of them formed the foundation of the team.”

Jin and Gombos finished out their final regular season by solidifying the back end of the lineup. Neither one had ever played golf prior to coming to Shady Side as freshmen, but were persistent in improving their game. Both managed to improve by more than five shots this season.

“It’s a hard sport and for those non-golfers to go through three to four years of struggle to become a contributing member of the team is just as rewarding as the luck of having a freshman like Alyssa come into the team,” Thompson said.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

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