La Salle, Devon Prep make it a Catholic League sweep by claiming state team titles at Penn State

 

   It was a sweep for the Catholic League and District 12 in the PIAA team competition Wednesday at Penn State as La Salle prevailed in a playoff over State College to claim the Class AAA crown at the White Course and Devon Prep rolled to the Class AA title at the Blue Course.

   La Salle has been knocking on the door in Class AAA for a few years, but the Explorers knocked that door down by pulling out the championship on the second hole of a playoff in an epic battle with the hometown Little Lions.

   Senior A.J. Cifra, who had won the Catholic League’s individual title at Jeffersonville Golf Club, but failed to qualify for the state tournament individually, and senior Liam Littleton, who had finished fifth in the PIAA Class AAA Championship, which wrapped up a day earlier, each carded a 3-under-par 69 to lead the way for the Explorers.

   La Salle, however, needed every shot in the five-score-format as it finished with a sparkling 8-under 280, only to see State College, led by a sizzling 7-under 65 by senior standout Luke McGraw, match that total.

   Not sure how the playoff played out, whether all five players for each team went out or only the four counters, but La Salle got the job done.

   Senior Ben Robbins and junior Lucas Nye each added a 1-under 71 to round out the scoring in regulation for La Salle as all four of its counters bettered par. Robbins had finished in a tie for sixth place and Nye ended up in a tie for 25^th in Class AAA individual standings.

   Rounding out the La Salle lineup was senior Ethan Starkey and the Explorers had the luxury of tossing his 2-over 74. Starkey finished in a tie for 44^th place in the Class AAA individual championship.

   St. Joseph’s Prep had been the first Catholic League and District 12 representative to capture a state team title in Class AAA in 2014. Now the Prep has some company on that list from its long-time Catholic League rival.

   It was a frustrating finish for State College, which had finished in a tie for second place, just a shot behind state champion Unionville, a year ago. Only a couple of shots here or there have separated State College from winning back-to-back PIAA Class AAA crowns.

   Senior Charlie Ladrido backed up McGraw with a solid 3-under 69. Senior Jacky Sun was also in red figures with a 1-under 71 and Charlie Ladrido’s twin brother Luke Ladrido rounded out the counters for the Little Lions with a 3-over 75.

   Alex Hoskins rounded out the State College lineup as his 4-over 76 was tossed.

   Fox Chapel, behind two-time PIAA Class AAA champion Carson Kittsley’s scintillating 8-under 64, finished six shots behind the top two in third place with a 2-under 286 total.

   Kittsley had been gunning for a third straight PIAA Class AAA crown in the individual competition, but ended up with a third-place finish.

   Nico Ward, who captured the Class AAA individual crown on the strength of a spectacular final round of 9-under 63 Tuesday, tallied a 3-under 69 to lead the way for West Allegheny as it finished two shots behind Fox Chapel in fourth place with an even-par 288 total.

   District One champion Souderton was another nine shots behind West Allegheny in fifth place with a 9-over 297 total.

   Senior Chase Andrews and sophomore Danny Ross each matched par with a 72 to lead the way for the Big Red.

   Andrews had the best finish among the District One contingent in the Class AAA individual chase as he ended up in a tie for 10^th place. Ross finished in a tie for 25^th place in the individual standings.

   Landon Stern backed up Andrews and Ross with a 4-over 76 and senior Wyatt Underwood was Souderton’s final counter with a 77.

   Junior Declan Henry rounded out the Souderton lineup as he posted an 80 that the Big Red was able to throw out.

   Cumberland Valley finished five shots behind Souderton in sixth place with a 14-over 302 total and Abington Heights finished seventh with an 18-over 306 total.

   The other District One representative, Upper Dublin, was last of the elite eight-team field with a 25-over 313 total.

   Michael Bonczak, Aditiya Rege and Luke Wilmoth led the way for the Cardinals as each recorded a 6-over 78 and Jack Wentzel was their final counter with a 79. John Lee rounded out the Upper Dublin lineup with an 83.

   Not sure why Devon Prep’s standout sophomore Logan Turner was not involved in the PIAA Class AA individual competition. Could be any one of a number of reasons.

   But Turner, winner of the Jock MacKenzie Memorial, one of the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s major championships for juniors, at Sandy Run Country Club in July, was there when the Tide needed him in Wednesday’s team chase.

   Turner, who plays out of White Manor Country Club, led the way for Devon Prep with a 4-under 68 at the Blue Course as the Tide denied Scranton Prep a third straight PIAA Class AA team title with a sparkling 8-under 280 total.

   It was the third state Class AA team title for Devon Prep in the last six years as the Tide won championships in 2021 and 2023 during the Nick Ciocca era.

   Junior Scott Cunningham, coming off a fourth-place finish in the Class AA individual chase Tuesday, backed up Turner with a solid 3-under 69.

   Junior Tommy Dineen gave Devon Prep a third player in red figures with a 2-under 70 and sophomore Gray Biborosch rounded out the counters for the Tide with a 1-over 73.

   Senior Andrew Carroccio, a member of Devon Prep’s state championship team as a freshman in 2023, rounded out the lineup with a 78 that the Tide was able to throw out.

   Two-time defending Class AA champion Scranton Prep settled for a runnerup finish, the Cavaliers ending up 15 shots behind Devon Prep with a 7-over 295 total.

   Scranton Prep was led by senior Brendan Bell, who recorded a 2-under 70, and junior Cole Powell, who signed for a 1-under 71.

   Powell captured his second straight PIAA Class AA individual crown in a playoff Tuesday.

   Erie Cathedral Prep took third place with a 12-over 300 total, Pittsburgh’s North Catholic was fourth at 303, Shady Side Academy was fifth at 310, Bishop Guilfoyle was sixth at 312, Berks County’s Oley Valley was seventh at 322 and Towanda rounded out the eighth-team field, ending up eighth with a 324 total.

   On the girls side, Peters Township turned the tables on District One Class AAA champion Conestoga to capture the PIAA Class AAA crown with a 12-over 228 total at the White Course.

   A year ago, Conestoga finished four shots ahead of Peters Township to claim the state title in Class AAA. This time, the Pioneers finished five shots behind Peters Township in second place with a 17-over 233 total.

   The Indians were led by freshman Annie Higgins, who carded a 1-under 71. Junior Betty Glyptis added a 3-over 75 and another freshman, Josie Jeglinski, was Peters Township’s final counter in the five-score-three format with an 81.

   Sophomore Autumn Merck posted an 86 and senior Olivia Ondrejko signed for a 93 to round out the Peters Township lineup.

   Jill Burks closed out her outstanding scholastic career with a 1-under 71 to lead the way for Conestoga.

   Burks, who, like Devon Prep’s Turner, plays out of White Manor, had finished in a tie for fourth place in her fourth and final appearance in the PIAA Class AAA individual competition Tuesday.

   Senior Corinne McReynolds backed up Burks with an 81. McReynolds earned a top-10 finish in the Class AAA individual chase as she finished in 10^th place.

   Junior Kat Shrum matched McReynolds’ 81 and was the final counter for the Pioneers.

   Rounding out the Conestoga lineup were junior Journey Holt with a 93 and junior Lanna Chanthakad with a 101 and the Pioneers were able to toss those scores.

   It was 15 shots back to Abington Heights in third place with a 248 total. South Fayette finished three shots behind Abington Heights in fourth place with a 251 total.

   Perennial District One power Mount St. Joseph finished another two shots behind South Fayette in fourth place with a 253 total.

   Leading the way for the Mount was sophomore Gemma Holt with an 81. Senior Katie Collins added an 84 and senior Madeline McLean was the final counter for Mount St. Joseph with an 88.

   Rounding out the lineup for the Mount were junior Annie Corrigan with an 89 and sophomore Emily Catalfano with a 91.

   Manheim Township finished a shot behind Mount St. Joseph in sixth place with a 264 total, Cumberland Valley was seventh with a 265 total and State College rounded out the eight-team field, ending up eighth with a 287 total.

   Pittsburgh’s Oakland Catholic claimed its first state team title in Class AA with a 24-over 240 total at the Blue Course.

   The Eagles were led by Jade Epondulan’s 6-over 78 and a 79 by Riley Levers. Nancy Freyvogel was the final counter for Oakland Catholic with an 83.

   Rounding out the Oakland Catholic lineup were Sydney Marrara with an 85 and Lily Freyvogel with an 87.

   West Middlesex finished nine shots behind Oakland Catholic in second place with a 249 total.

   Tunkhannock took third place with a 255 total, Fort LeBoeuf was fourth at 257, Westmont Hilltop was fifth at 259, North Catholic was sixth at 267, Trinity was seventh at 287 and Athens rounded out the eight-team field, ending up a shot behind Trinity in eighth with a 288 total.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O'Hara's Carson the runnerup to Dallastown's Krosse in PIAA Class AAA Championship at Penn State

 

   Cardinal O’Hara junior Alaina Carson had the best finish ever recorded by a Catholic League girl in the PIAA Class AAA Championship when she ended up in a tie for third place as a freshman two years ago.

   Carson, the Catholic League and District 12 champion, did that one better Tuesday as she matched par on Penn State’s White Course with a 72 to finish in second place, two shots behind Dallastown freshman Bryn Krosse, Carson ending up with a 1-over-par 145 total as the state tournament wrapped up.

   Carson, who plays out of Rolling Green Golf Club, entered Tuesday’s second round trailing the talented Krosse by two shots after Carson had opened with a 1-over 73 Monday and she put together a steady round Tuesday. Carson made a birdie at the sixth hole, a bogey at nine, a birdie at 13 and a bogey at 16 in her even-par round.

   Krosse, who had opened with a 1-under 71 Monday, had an up-and-down round, but put away a state championship with back-to-back birdies at the 16^th and 17^th holes.

   Krosse made an early birdie at the second hole, stumbled a little with back-to-back bogeys at eight and nine, added a birdie at 10 and a bogey at 13 that left her at even-par for the tournament.

   The two clutch birdies at the 16^th and 17^th holes gave Krosse some breathing room and the luxury of taking a bogey at 18. That gave Krosse an even-par 72 for the day and a 1-under 143 total.

   York Suburban senior Vivienne Powers, who had grabbed a share of the lead with Krosse following an opening round of 1-under 71, added a 3-over 75 in Tuesday’s second round to finish a shot behind Carson in third place with a 2-over 146 total.

   Conestoga senior Jill Burks, the District One Class AAA champion, capped the individual portion of her scholastic career with her best finish in the state tournament as she finished in a tie for fourth place with Ephrata junior Makenna Heckman at 4-over 148, two shots behind Powers.

   Burks and the Pioneers will be seeking a second straight PIAA Class AAA team crown when the state team competition tees off Wednesday.

   Burks, making her fourth appearance in the state tournament, and Heckman had identical splits, each adding a 2-over 74 in Tuesday’s second round to an opening-round 74.

   Burks’ Central League rival, Harriton junior Megan Choi, finished two shots behind Burks and Heckman in sixth place as she added a 6-over 78 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening round of even-par 72 for a 6-over 150 total. It was Choi’s third straight appearance at states.

   Cedar Crest sophomore Bryn Brandt matched Choi’s 6-over 78 in Tuesday’s second round after opening with a 2-over 73 as Brandt finished alone in seventh place with a 7-over 151 total.

   Siena Smith of Pine-Richland and Olivia Degori of Moon shared eighth place, each landing on 9-over 153.

   Smith bounced back from an opening-round 79 with a with a solid 2-over 74 in Tuesday’s second round. Degori added a 6-over 78 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 75.

   Rounding out the top 10 was Burks’ Conestoga teammate, senior Corinne McReynolds, as she finished alone in 10^th place with a 10-over 154 total. McReynolds, who will join Burks as the Pioneers defend their PIAA Class AAA team crown Wednesday, added a 4-over 76 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 78.

   Nazareth Academy senior Adriana Seravalli, a Catholic League rival of Carson’s, and Avon Grove junior Kiera Post were part of a trio of players who finished in a tie for 13^th place at 158.

   Seravalli added a solid 4-over 76 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 82. Post also improved off an opening-round 81 with a 5-over 77 in Tuesday’s second round.

   Springfield junior Delaney Kearney and Perkiomen Valley senior Saloni Patel, the runnerup to Burks in the District One Class AAA Championship two weeks ago at Turtle Creek Golf Course, shared 16^th place, each ending up with a 160 total.

   Kearney and Patel had the same splits, each recording an 82 in Tuesday’s second round after opening with a 6-over 78.

   Bishop Shanahan senior Emma Bergey earned a top-20 finish in her first appearance in the state tournament as she tallied a second straight 81 to land in a tie for 19^th place at 162.

   Council Rock North sophomore Noor Mehta added an 80 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 85 to finish alone in 25^th place with a 165 total.

   Methacton senior Lauren Springman rounded out the District One contingent as she added an 86 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 85 to finish alone in 30^th place with a 171 total.

   Shady Side Academy junior Alyssa Zhang was a runaway winner of the PIAA Class AA Championship at Penn State’s Blue Course as she matched par in Tuesday’s second round with a 72 after opening with a 3-under 69 for a 3-under 151 total that left her 10 shots clear of the field.

   It was reminiscent of Zhang’s 12-shot victory in the Pennsylvania Junior Girls’ Championship in June at Lebanon country Club. That earned her a trip to the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C., where she finished a shot out of a playoff for the final spots in the match-play bracket.

   Zhang also played four rounds in the unrelenting Texas heat in a solid showing in the Girls Junior PGA Championship in July at Fields Ranch courses at PGA Frisco at the PGA of America’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas.

   Zhang was in complete control Tuesday at the Blue Course.

   After a bogey at the second hole, she made a birdie at four and bogeys at seven and 10 before making birdies at 11 and 17 on her way to the clubhouse to get it back to even-par for the round.

   Zhang’s closest pursuer was Chartiers-Houston junior JoJo Jaskulski as she added a 6-over 78 to her opening-round 73 to finish 10 shots behind Zhang in second place with a 7-over 151 total.

   Paige Sowers of West Middlesex and Lindsay Hoover of Wilmington shared third place as each ended up four shots behind Jaskulski at 11-over 155.

   Sowers had opened with a 3-over 75 and added an 80 in Tuesday’s second round. Hoover had only trailed Zhang by three shots after matching par in the opening round with a 72, but struggled a little with an 83 in Tuesday’s second round.

   Addison Davis of Quaker Valley added a 6-over 78 in Tuesday’s second round to her opening-round 79 to finish two shots behind Sowers and Hoover in fifth place with a 157 total.

   On the boys side, it was a record-breaking performance by West Allegheny junior Nico Ward as he put together a breathtaking 9-under 63 at Penn State’s White Course in Tuesday’s second round to capture the title in the PIAA Class AAA Championship and deny Fox Chapel senior Carson Kittsley a third straight Class AAA state crown.

   Ward, who reached the second round of match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Saucon Valley Country Club in July, had trailed Kittsley by two shots after Ward opened with a 5-under 67 Monday.

   Ward made early birdies at the second and fourth holes and then ripped off five straight birdies at six, seven, eight, nine and 10 to get it to 7-under for his round. He added birdies at the 11^th and 17^th holes with nary a bogey on his scorecard in a masterful 63 that left him with a 14-under 130 total and a three-shot victory.

   Ward’s total was three shots better than the previous record of 134 established by Central York’s Carson Bacha, who went on to help Auburn capture a national championship in 2024, in 2019 at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort in Springettsbury Township, York County.

   Baldwin senior Michael Quallich, who will join the program at Atlantic Coast Conference power Notre Dame next summer, added a sparkling 7-under 65 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 68 as he earned runnerup honors with an 11-under 133 total that would have made him a state champion in any other year.

   Kittsley had his sights firmly set on a third straight state title when he opened with a 7-under 65, but could only manage 2-under 70 in Tuesday’s second round as he finished in third place, two shots behind Quallich with a 8-under 135 total.

   State College senior Luke McGraw was only a shot behind Kittsley following an opening round of 6-under 66. A 2-under 70 in Tuesday’s second round left McGraw in fourth place, a shot behind Kittsley with an 8-under 136 total.

   Catholic League champion La Salle had two finishers inside the top six as senior Liam Littleton was alone in fifth place, four shots behind McGraw with a 4-under 140 total, and senior Ben Robbins shared sixth with Pittsburgh Central Catholic junior Bailey Donahue, each landing on 3-under 141.

   Littleton added a 1-over 73 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening round of 4-under 67.

   Robbins also closed with a 1-over 73 Tuesday after opening with a 4-under 68. Donahue had matched par in the opening round with a 72 and added a 3-under 69 in Tuesday’s second round.

   Central Dauphin’s Jaxon Niman and Abington Heights’s Sebastian Meyer shared eighth place, each landing on 2-under 142.

   Niman signed for a 2-under 70 in Tuesday’s second round after matching par in the opening round with a 72. Meyer had opened with a 3-under 69 and added a 1-over 72 in Tuesday’s second round.

   Souderton senior Chase Andrews was the top finisher out of District One as he shared 10^th place with Saucon Valley’s Anthony Albano, each ending up with a 1-under 143 total.

   Andrews, who will head the Souderton contingent as the District One champion Big Red compete for the state Class AAA title Wednesday, matched par in Tuesday’s second round with a 72 after opening with a 1-under 71.

   Albano had the opposite splits, posting a 1-under 71 in Tuesday’s second round after matching par in the opening round with a 72.

   Radnor’s talented sophomore duo of Gavin Reger and Sebastian Leone had solid showings as Reger finished in a tie for 12^th place at even-par 144 and Leone was part of a trio tied for 14^th at 1-over 145.

   Reger, who had opened with a 1-under 71, added a 1-over 73 in Tuesday’s second round. Leone bounced back from a 3-over 75 in the opening round with a solid 2-under 70 Tuesday.

   District One Class AAA champion Michael Gravinese, a senior at Spring-Ford, matched par in Tuesday’s second round with a 72 after opening with a 2-over 74 as he finished among the group tied for 17^th place at 2-over 146.

   Souderton sophomore Danny Ross, Garnet Valley junior Frank Kunze and Lucas Nye, another member of a strong group from La Salle, finished in the group tied for 25^th place at 5-over 149.

   Ross added a 2-over 74 to his opening-round 75 while Kunze had the opposite splits, opening with a 2-over 74 and adding a 75 in Tuesday’s second round. Nye had opened with a solid 1-under 71, but struggled a little in Tuesday’s second round with a 6-over 78.

   The District One trio of Unionville senior Matt McGinnity, Downingtown West senior Ian Larsen, and North Penn senior Kellen Touissant formed the group tied for 31^st place at 6-over 150.

   McGinnity added a 5-over 77 to his opening-round 73. Larsen, making his second appearance in the state tournament, matched par in Tuesday’s second round with a 72 after opening with a 6-over 78. Touissant added a 2-over 74 to his opening-round 76.

   Pennsbury freshman Ben Revness, an impressive runnerup to Gravinese in the District One Championship at Turtle Creek, finished among a trio of players tied for 34^th place at 7-over 151 as he added a 5-over 77 to his opening-round 74.

   Another freshman, Harriton’s Thomas Airoldi, wrapped up a solid rookie season of scholastic golf as he finished in a tie for 38^th place, carding back-to-back 4-over 76s for an 8-over 152 total.

   A fourth state Class AAA qualifier from La Salle, senior Ethan Starkey, finished among the trio tied for 44^th place with a 154 total as he added a 4-over 76 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 78.

   West Chester East freshman Ben Lear added a 5-over 77 to his opening-round 78 as he finished along in 47^th place with a 155 total.

   Downingtown East senior Chase Riley and Avon Grove junior Ben Nowland formed the duo tied for 48^th place at 156.

   Riley had opened with a 3-over 75, but struggled to an 81 in Tuesday’s second round. Nowland had opened with a 3-over 75, but also struggled Tuesday, posting an 80.

   Central Bucks West senior Jackson Valmore finished in a tie for 50^th place as he improved from an opening-round 81 with a 4-over 76 in Tuesday’s second round.

   West Chester Henderson senior Charlie Isler bounced back from an opening-round 83 with a solid 2-over 74 as he finished among the group tied for 52^nd place with a 158 total.

   Souderton senior Wyatt Underwood rounded out the District One contingent as he added an 84 to his opening round of 5-over 77 to finish in a tie for 65^th place with a 161 total.

   Scranton Prep junior Cole Powell repeated as the PIAA Class AA champion at the Blue Course as he defeated Annville-Cleona senior Ben Allwein on the second hole of a playoff, the 14^th at the Blue Course, after both had finished regulation with a 4-under 140 total.

   Powell and Allwein had both opened with a 3-under 69 and Powell got the early jump in Tuesday’s second round with birdies at the first, third and eighth holes. A bogey at the 11^th hole and a double bogey at 14 dropped Powell back to 3-under for the tournament, but a birdie at the last gave him a spot in the playoff.

   Allwein, who also suffered an untimely double bogey at the 16^th hole, also closed with a birdie at the last to join Powell in the playoff.

   Powell and the Cavaliers will be gunning for a third straight PIAA Class AA crown in Wednesday’s state team tournament.

   Josiah Swan, the latest member of a golf dynasty at North East, finished two shots behind Powell and Allwein in third place with a 2-under 142 total. Swan, who had matched par in the opening round with a 72, added a 2-under 70 in Tuesday’s second round.

   Solid showing by Devon Prep junior Scott Cunningham as he had the best round of the day Tuesday at the Blue Course, a 3-under 69, after opening with a 2-over 74 to finish alone in fourth place with a 1-under 143 total.

   Erie Cathedral Prep’s Santino Washburn added a 1-over 73 to his opening round of 1-under 71 to finish in fifth place with an even-par 144 total.

   Santino Toscano of Wilmington had matched par in the opening round with a 72 and added a 3-over 75 in Tuesday’s second round to finish three shots behind Washburn in sixth place with a 3-over 147 total.

   Powell’s Scranton Prep teammate, sophomore Bobby Stott, headed a group of four players who rounded out the top 10 in the Class AA field as they finished in a tie for seventh place at 4-over 148.

   Stott added a 1-over 73 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 75.

   Stott was joined at 4-over by Athens’ Eli Hicks, Grove City’s Isaac Allen and North Catholic’s Christopher Faber.

   Hicks bounced back from an opening round of 5-over 77 with a solid 1-under 71 in Tuesday’s second round. Allen tallied a second straight 2-over 74 and Faber added a 3-over 75 to his opening-round 73.

   Solid showing by District One champion Joey Chachkin, a sophomore at Jenkintown, as he added a 2-over 74 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 75 to finish among the group tied for 11^th place at 5-over 149.

   Plumstead Christian freshman James Gannon added a 5-over 77 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 81 to finish in the trio tied for 42^nd place at 158.

   Rounding out the District One contingent was New Hope Solebury sophomore Corvin Bridge as he added a 90 in Tuesday’s second round to his opening-round 87 to finish in 70^th place with a 177 total.