Westmoreland high school notebook: Golfers set to vie for WPIAL titles

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, September 28, 2025 | 6:32 PM

Purchase Photo Options

The local field is set for the final rounds of the WPIAL golf championships.

Senior Jack Sacriponte of Latrobe, Max Mottura of Kiski Area and senior Jack Edwards of Belle Vernon will play the final 18 holes in Class 3A on Monday at Butler Country Club.

Sacriponte is four shots off the lead, which is held by defending PIAA champion Carson Kittsley of Fox Chapel, who shot 6-under-par 66 in the opening round at Willowbrook Country Club.

Sacriponte opened with a 70, Mottura and Edwards 72.

The Class 2A final round will be Tuesday at Valley Brook Country Club. Locals in the field are Greensburg Salem sophomore Luke Sikora and Ligonier Valley senior Tyler Jones.

Sikora shot 71 and starts the final round two shots behind OLSH’s Jonah Schollaert, who fired a 69 at Hill Crest Country Club to take the lead.

Jones is five back after a 74.

On the girls side, Norwin senior Adalena Robb, Hempfield senior Kat DeVito and Franklin Regional seniors Athena Neuschwander and Gianna Johnson will play for the 3A title Wednesday at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.

Robb will start her round 13 shots off the pace set by former WPIAL champion Mya Morgan of Elizabeth Forward (69) at Seven Oaks Country Club.

DeVito (87), Neuschwander (89) and Johnson (99) will look to secure spots in the PIAA tournament.

Junior Kennedy Kelly (85) and senior Alayna Stawovy (86) of Greensburg Central Catholic, senior Addy Witcoski of Ligonier Valley (96), junior Maddie Miller of Mt. Pleasant (98), junior Sydney Stark of Belle Vernon (100) and junior Kendall Campbell (109) and senior Kearlyn Fedorko of Southmoreland (110) will play in the 2A final round Wednesday at Sewickley Heights.

Defending champion Alyssa Zhang, a sophomore from Shady Side Academy, has the lead at 73.

PIAA qualifications are as follows: 3A boys, top 14; 2A boys, top 18; 3A girls, top 7; 2A girls, top 9.

The PIAA championships are Oct. 20-21 at Penn State.

…

Local champs

Penn-Trafford alum Nick Turowski was the most recent WPIAL golf champion from Westmoreland County. Turowski, now playing at West Virginia, won in 2021 and 2023.

Other boys champions from the county are Hunter Jurica of Derry (2022), Bo Lustig of Belle Vernon (2010), Ben Gjebre of Latrobe (2009), Tim Moynihan of Franklin Regional (2002), Nate Speer of Burrell (1998), Brian Tutich of Greensburg Central Catholic (1993), Kevin Reisenweaver of Latrobe (1986), Paul Balest of Greensburg Salem (1983), Scott Pevarnik of Greensburg Central Catholic (1985), Bob Bradley of Hempfield (1979), Ray Nelson of Ligonier Valley (1977), Scott Yard of Greensburg (1963), Arnold Palmer of Latrobe (1946, ’47), Tom Denny of Greensburg (1944), and Jay Ponchak of Jeannette (1942).

Local girls champions are Olivia Zambruno of Greensburg Central Catholic (2014, ’15), Janista Numpho-Frank of Hempfield (2012), Katie Miller of Hempfield (2002), Tara Adams of Latrobe (1992), Staci Aber of Greensburg Central Catholic (1991, ’92, ’88) and Kelli Weaver of Latrobe (1987).

…

Team golf

The WPIAL team playoffs will begin next week.

The Franklin Regional, Latrobe and Belle Vernon boys are part of a 16-team field in Class 3A. Eight teams will play in semifinal tournaments beginning 9 a.m. Oct. 7. The top three teams at each site advance to the final Oct. 9 at Cedarbrook Golf Course. Franklin Regional and Latrobe will be at The Links at Spring Church.

Belle Vernon will play in the semifinal at Duck Hollow Golf Club.

In Class 2A boys, Greensburg Salem and Ligonier Valley will join eight other teams in a semifinal at Champion Lakes Golf Course at 9 a.m. Oct. 6. The top three finishers at two 2A sites also advance to the final.

The WPIAL girls team championship is set for Oct. 9 at Cedarbrook. Norwin is in the 3A field, and Southmoreland and Greensburg Central Catholic will compete in 2A.

GCC has won nine of the last 10 titles.

…

Bennett commits

Penn-Trafford senior wrestler Dylan Barrett made a verbal commitment to Clarion.

Last season, Barrett wrestled at 114 pounds and posted a record of 38-7.

He placed second at the WPIAL 3A championships and was seventh in the PIAA.

He is 106-32 for his career.

…

Youth movement

Derry has one of the youngest girls cross country teams in the WPIAL.

At the team’s section meet last week, the Trojans’ top five finishers were freshmen: Addison Hood, Eliana Murawski, Danielle Marsh, Ashlyn Corbett and Ava Beeman.

…

GCC strong

There are several ties to Greensburg Central Catholic in MLB this season.

For one, GCC alum and former PIAA champion shortstop Warren Schaeffer is the interim manager of the Colorado Rockies. He accepted a promotion from third base coach in May when Bud Black was fired.

Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Sal Frelick has family in the area. The 2021 first-round draft pick’s father, Jeff, is a GCC alum who played baseball and football.

Frelick, 25, was hitting .291 with 12 home runs and 63 RBIs for the season.

And lastly, Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ also has connections to GCC. His mother, Dr. Mary Beth Happ, is a GCC graduate.

Ian Happ played high school baseball at Mt. Lebanon.

…

Name game

Like their teammates, a couple of Penn-Trafford soccer players are trying to make the Warriors great again.

The roster has a Maga and a Trump.

John Maga and Donovan Trump are junior defenders.

“The other thing about that is Donovan’s dad is named Donald,” Warriors coach Ryan Hankey said.

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland