Hempfield’s Yannascoli wins girls title at WCCA golf event

By: Paul Schofield
Thursday, September 5, 2024 | 9:43 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Milana Yannascoli has ascended to the top at the Westmoreland County Coaches’ Association girls golf championship.

The Hempfield senior placed in the tournament for the fourth time, but this time she earned a gold medal for winning.

She also helped lead Hempfield to its first Class 3A title on the difficult front nine at Champion Lakes Golf Resort in Bolivar.

The Spartans edged out perennial champion Franklin Regional, 196-198. Greensburg Central Catholic was the Class 2A winner with a 207.

Yannascoli shot a 4-over-par 41 to take the top spot. She finished third in 2023. Franklin Regional senior Gianna Johnson, the 2023 champion, finished second by shooting a 9-over 46.

“I’m just really excited,” Yannascoli said. “I’ve been playing poorly the past few days, so I was really nervous at first, but I think that my putting and chipping was really good, so I think that saved me.

“I put a lot of work in over the past few years, and I think it shows my hard work. I’m proud that I get to represent my team.”

Yannascoli had one birdie during her round, and that came on No. 8. She hit a nine iron from 115 yards to 2 feet.

“I hit a real good iron,” Yannascoli said. “It just cleared the sand trap and rolled up to the hole. That was cool.”

Johnson said she was disappointed with her round. She’s tough on herself when things don’t go well.

“None of my putts were dropping, and it was just getting in my head but I tried my best,” Johnson said. “It’s really hard for me to get over that. I have to work on that and be a better person. My mom always told me take 10 steps and forget about it. It’s not like you can get it back and redo it.”

Kennedy Kelly of Greensburg Central Catholic was third with a 47 followed by Franklin Regional’s Mia Snyder at 48 and Central Catholic’s Erica Rodriguez at 49.

A scorecard match decided the final five spots. Franklin Regional’s Athena Neuschwander was sixth followed by Belle Vernon’s Victoria Scaramucci. Hempfield’s Mads Pervarnik and Kat DeVito shot 52. Belle Vernon’s Sydney Stark finished 10th.

Yannascoli said it was neat to defeat Franklin Regional.

“I’m really excited,” Yannascoli said. “Franklin Regional had a long winning streak, and we beat them for the first time in our history. It means a lot to us.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.