Mount St. Joseph goes into every golf season as a contender
for the PIAA Class AAA team championship.
This year, the Mount, after knocking on the door the last
couple of years, broke the door down Wednesday at the Heritage Hills Golf
Resort in Springettsbury, York County, capturing their fourth state crown since
the team competition was introduced in 2006.
Getting a 5-over-par 77 over the 6,223-yard, par-72 Heritage
Hills layout from its senior leader, Olivia Wirsching, Mount St. Joseph put up
a 241 total in the five-score-three format to finish six shots ahead of Hershey
and Upper St. Clair.
Junior Clare Gimpel, whose older sister Emily was part of
the first two state titles for the Mount in 2006 and 2007, chipped in with a
solid 80 and sophomore Caroline Gola was the final counter with an 84. Junior
Sofia Gambone’s 94 and sophomore Nora Blatney’s 105 were not counters, but everybody
involved with a state championship team brings something to the table.
The District One Class AAA championship the Mount won at
Raven’s Claw Golf Club a couple of weeks ago was their seventh straight. But
Mount St. Joe’s only added one more state title to its haul when it captured
the 2013 crown behind individual state champion Isabella DiLisio.
Mount St. Joe’s was the runnerup to North Allegheny two
years ago and finished third a year ago when North Allegheny was a repeat
champion and the Mount’s District One rival, Downingtown East, finished second.
But this year was different as the Mount will have another state championship
banner to raise at its Flourtown campus.
McDowell finished fourth, six shots behind Hershey and Upper
St. Clair at 253.
For the second straight year, District One’s runnerup was
awarded a berth into the state team competition and Unionville finished fifth
with a 256 total.
Junior Charlotte Scully was a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as
individual a year ago and was undoubtedly disappointed to not make it this
year. But Scully carded an 80 and freshman Mary Dunigan, coming off a solid
fifth-place finish in the individual competition, added an 84.
The final counter for the Indians was a 92 posted by Morgan
Santaguida. Molly Evanko’s 100 and Kaitlyn Ferrer’s 102 were throw-outs.
Dunigan’s teammates were following her every step of the way
and rooting her on as she contended for an individual state title Tuesday.
Mount St. Joe’s just might have a challenger for that District One crown next
fall.
Hazleton finished four shots behind Unionville in sixth
place with a 260 total.
The magical season for Strath Haven ended with a
fourth-place finish in the Class AAA boys competition, although nobody was
going to deny Fox Chapel the team crown this year. The Fox posted a spectacular
even-par 284 total in the five-score-four format, 16 shots better than the 300
that won the title for Pittsburgh Central Catholic a year ago and eight shots
better than the 292 that Unionville posted to capture the 2017 crown.
Strath Haven captured the first Central League title in the
history of the program, finishing ahead of the pack in one of the toughest
leagues for golf in Pennsylvania. The Panthers proved that was no fluke when they claimed their first District One Class AAA crown.
All five members of the starting lineup at Strath Haven are
products of the junior program at The Springhaven Club.
The Panthers were led by David Merz, who posted a solid
3-over 74 over a Heritage Hills layout that measures 6,700 yards and plays to a
par of 71 for the guys. Strath Haven’s senior leader, Kevin Smith, added a 76.
Jackson Debusschere posted a 79 and Smith’s younger sister, Grace, a sophomore,
was the final counter for the Panthers with an 82. It added up to a 311 total.
Teams are allowed a girl player if there is no girls team at
the school. Grace Smith was coming off a ninth-place finish in the PIAA Class
AAA girls competition, which concluded Tuesday.
Rounding out the lineup for Strath Haven and head coach
Kevin Kochersperger was Nick Cardow, whose 88 was a throw-out.
Fox Chapel got a pair of 2-under 69s from Scott Bitar and
Aiden Ochele. Will Livingston added a 72 and Matt Mattioli’s 74 was the final
counter for The Fox, who were able to toss the 82 posted by Amani D’Ambrosio.
Cumberland Valley was the runnerup with a 308 followed by
Catholic League champion La Salle in third place, just a shot behind Cumberland
Valley and two shots ahead of Strath Haven with a 309 total.
The Explorers were led by Steve Lorenzo, who carded a solid
4-over 75. Lorenzo was a PIAA Class AAA qualifier as an individual a year ago,
but didn’t make it back this year. He put together a solid round for the
District 12 champions Wednesday.
Matt Lafond added a 76 and Corey Haydu and Darren Nolan made
it four sub-80 scores for La Salle as each posted a 79. Griffin Caulfield’s 86
was a throw-out for the Explorers.
It was another 18 shots behind Strath Haven to Erie’s
Cathedral Prep in fifth place at 329 and East Juniata finished in sixth place
with a 358 total.
The Class AA boys title went to Sewickley Academy, which
edged Scranton Prep by a shot with its 320 total. Scranton Prep’s 321 total
left as a frustrated runnerup for the second straight year.
Sewickley Academy was led by J.F. Aber, who carded a solid
6-over 77. Aber, a senior, finished ninth in the Class AA individual standings.
Tim Fitzgerald added a 79, Joe Mucci posted an 81 and Navin Rana was the final
counter for Sewickley Academy with an 83. Zoe Luther’s 84 was a throw-out for
Sewickley Academy.
Lancaster Mennonite was 11 shots behind Scranton Prep in third
place with a 332 total.
District 12 champion Devon Prep finished fourth for the
second straight year, just three shots behind Lancaster Mennonite with a 335
total.
Devon Prep was led by Coleman Miller, who carded an 82. Ryan
McCabe added an 83. McCabe, a junior, was coming off a tie for third in the
Class AA individual competition, the second straight year he was right in the
middle of the chase for the individual state title.
Graham White and Tyler Kenneson were Devon Prep’s last two
counters, each signing for an 85. Devon Prep was able to toss an 87 by Pat
McCann.
Grove City and Philipsburg-Osceola finished in a tie for
fifth, each posting a 337 total.
Greensburg Central Catholic, led by its talented Zambruno
sisters, won its second straight Class AA girls crown by four shots over
Hickory with a 248 total.
The Centurions were led by sophomore Meghan Zambruno, who
posted a solid 7-over 77. Meghan Zambruno was coming off a fourth-place finish
in the Class AA individual chase. Ella Zambruno added an 83 and Angelika
Dewicki was Greensburg Central Catholic’s final counter with an 88.
The Centurions were able to toss a 116 by Olivia Kane and a
138 by Abby Lint.
Hickory settled for a runnerup finish with a 252 total.
Villa Maria finished in third place with a 263 total, Elk Lake was fourth at
275, Central Cambria was fifth at 299 and Camp Hill was sixth at 328.
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