WPIAL boys golf preview: North Allegheny, North Catholic set to defend titles

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 | 2:36 PM

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WPIAL boys golf season begins Thursday. Here is a breakdown of the top teams and individuals to watch this fall.

Class 3A

Team

2024 WPIAL champion: North Allegheny (386)

2024 PIAA champion: North Allegheny (286)

Favorite: North Allegheny, which won its first WPIAL title since 1971 and doubled down with a state championship that saw the Tigers shoot 2-under-par, brings back four of its top six starters from the WPIAL finals, all seniors in Ravi Desai, Preston Troiano, Colin Ward and Liam Cooper.

Others to watch: South Fayette, the WPIAL runner-up, also has four starters back. They are all seniors, as well, in Sam Bishop, Jackson Stephens, Brady Newman and Noah Nicholas. … Fox Chapel, a perennial contender, brings back junior Carson Kittsley, the returning PIAA individual champ, and seniors David DeGregory and Grady Johnson and sophomore Barron Bitar. … Seniors Tyler Pastor and Danny Caruso lead Plum. … West Allegheny had three freshmen in its starting rotation last season: Nico Ward, Levi Vaughn and Ethan Bobonski. … Jordan Mocello and Jack Edwards return for Belle Vernon.

Individual

2024 WPIAL champion: Colton Lusk, Peters Township*

2024 PIAA champion: Carson Kittsley, Fox Chapel

Top players: With Lusk gone, a new champion will be crowned, and it could be Kittsley, who fired an 8-under 136 over two rounds to win the state title. He tied for fourth in the WPIAL. … Baldwin junior Michael Qualich is back after finishing second in the WPIAL. … Franklin Regional senior Colin Holt tied for fourth, whereas senior Sam Bishop of South Fayette and sophomore Ward tied for ninth. … Also watch out for North Allegheny senior Ravi Desai, senior Mocello of Belle Vernon, sophomore Ty Hartman of Thomas Jefferson and senior Jack Sacriponte of Latrobe.

Class 2A

Team

2024 WPIAL champion: North Catholic (419)

2024 PIAA champion: Scranton Prep (296)

Favorite: After winning its second title in four years, North Catholic appears to be loaded as it brings back its entire lineup, including juniors Chris Faber, Dylan Murray and Eric Proie and seniors Ben Kandravy and Colin Glass.

Others to watch: Juniors Alex Avi and Jack Begg will lead Shady Side Academy. Also watch Bulldogs sophomore Brawley Neils. … Seniors Will Newlin and Mackenna Kamnik are back for Quaker Valley. … Lurking is another team hit only slightly by graduation in Elizabeth Forward. Juniors Aaron Didjunas, Luke Boyer, Julien Hredocik and Dom Donato lead the Warriors.

Individual

2024 WPIAL champion: Logan Crowe, McGuffey*

2024 PIAA champion: Nick Werber, Wyoming Seminary*

Top players: Didjunas finished two shots back of Crowe in the WPIAL finals. … Senior Jonah Schollaert of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart returns after tying for fourth in the WPIAL and finishing tied for second at the PIAA tournament. … Also watch senior Eli Bintrim of Laurel, junior Rocco Bautti of Neshannock and sophomores Levi Large of Charleroi and Luke Sikora of Greensburg Salem.

*Graduated

Important dates

Aug. 4 — First practice date

Aug. 7 — First play date

Sept. 15, 16, 17, 18 — Section qualifiers

Sept. 22, 23, 24 — WPIAL individual first round

Sept. 29 — Class 3A individual championship, Butler Country Club

Sept. 30 — Class 2A individual championship, Valley Brook Country Club

Oct. 6, 7 — WPIAL team semifinals

Oct. 9 — WPIAL team championships, Cedarbrook Golf Course

Oct. 20, 21 — PIAA individual championships, Penn State Golf Course

Oct. 22 — PIAA team championships, Penn State Golf Course

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward, Fox Chapel, McGuffey, North Allegheny, North Catholic, Quaker Valley, Shady Side Academy, South Fayette, West Allegheny