Westmoreland high school notebook: Golfers set for new WPIAL format

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, September 25, 2022 | 4:17 PM

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WPIAL golfers this week will be part of a significant format change to the individual postseason.

For the first time, the championship tournaments will be 36 holes and played over a week at two courses. The scores from the two rounds will be cumulative.

Essentially, the semifinal rounds were eliminated in an effort to best determine the best players over two, 18-hole rounds instead of one.

The WPIAL believes the new format will be a success once players and fans see it through its first run.

“The feedback we have received has been positive,” WPIAL golf chairman Jim Croushore said. “Moving to a 36-hole championship has been a point of discussion for our committee for years. We have the structures and support in place to make it happen.”

The boys Class 3A first round will be Tuesday at Champion Lakes Golf Course in Bolivar. The top 36 players (and ties) will advance to the final round Oct. 6 at Allegheny Country Club in Sewickley Heights.

The boys 2A first round will be Monday at Hannastown Golf Course in Greensburg, with the final round Oct. 4 at Oakmont Country Club in Plum.

For the girls, the 3A and 2A tournaments will at the same venues: Sept. 26 at Youghiogheny Country Club near McKeesport, the final round Oct. 3 at Valley Brook Country Club in McMurray.

Local boys qualifiers are:

Class 3A: Defending champion Nick Turowski of Penn-Trafford, Alex Graham and Logan Robb of Norwin, Nick Eberhart of Hempfield, Nolan Shilling and Colin Holt of Franklin Regional and Max Mottura and Trey Roberts of Kiski Area.

Class 2A: Tucker Bitar of Burrell, Hunter Jurica and Ashton Beighley of Derry, Braden Riley and Wade Boyle of Greensburg Central Catholic, Josh Harbert of Ligonier Valley, Ryan Karfelt of Mt. Pleasant, Max Sokol of Southmoreland and Seth Tomalski, Rogan Maloney and Jack Edwards of Belle Vernon.

Girls qualifiers:

Class 3A: Milana Yannascoli of Hempfield, Ali Boyle and Gianna Johnson of Franklin Regional, Adalena Robb of Norwin and Antolena Damico of Penn-Trafford.

Class 2A: Izzy Aigner and Haley Gill of Greensburg Central Catholic and Brenna Lamendola of Belle Vernon.

Very Derry

Derry’s boys golf team had not won a section championship for 43 years when it captured a title in 2017. But after another title this season, the Trojans have four consecutive.

Derry clinched Section 2-2A with a 198-225 win over Greensburg Salem on Tuesday at Hannastown Golf Club.

The Trojans are 12-1 heading to the WPIAL postseason.

Double trouble

The WPIAL girls tennis doubles section tournaments will be Wednesday and Thursday around the district.

The top four teams in each section advance to the WPIAL finals set for Oct. 5-6 at Bethel Park (2A) and North Allegheny (3A).

Volleyball honors

Latrobe senior setter Lily Fenton was named the Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Week for Class 3A.

Junior outside hitter Amarah McCutcheon of Southmoreland took home the same honor in 2A.

Fenton, who will continue her career as a preferred walk-on at Notre Dame, has helped the Wildcats to a 6-0 record and a No. 6 rankings in the coaches’ poll.

Penn-Trafford is ranked No. 6 and Norwin No. 10 in Class 3A, Southmoreland is No. 9 in 2A and Greensburg Central Catholic is No. 7 in Class A.

Among A-K Valley schools, Freeport is the top-ranked team in Class 2A, and Leechburg is No. 10 in Class A.

Leechburg senior outside hitter Macy Kubla was named Class A’s Player of the Week.

WCCA cross country

The next event on the Westmoreland County Coaches Association’s fall schedule is the girls and boys cross country championships, set for Oct. 12 at Westmoreland County Community College.

Eliza Miller of Kiski Area and Jake Smith of Greensburg Salem were last year’s individual champions.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland