Downingtown East claims PIAA Class AAA girls title; Devon Prep wears PIAA Class AA boys crown

    Downingtown East senior Ava O’Sullivan could never quite get into contention in last week’s PIAA Class AAA Championship at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort in Springettsbury Township, York County.

   O’Sullivan carded a solid 4-over-par 76 and finished in a tie for fourth place. But she knew she’d be back at Heritage Hills Monday with one more chance to cap her career with one of those PIAA gold medals.

   O’Sullivan got what she came for Monday as she carded a 1-over 73 over a Heritage Hills layout that measures 6,223 yards and plays to a par of 72 for the girls to lead Downingtown East to the PIAA Class AAA team championship with a 20-over 236  total.

   Three weeks earlier, O’Sullivan had unleashed a brilliant 5-under 66 at Raven’s Claw Golf Club as the Cougars unseated the reigning PIAA Class AAA champion, Unionville, their Ches-Mont League rival, while winning the District One Class AAA team crown.

   She played the leading-lady role again Monday as she made birdies at the first, second, 10^th and 14^th holes at Heritage Hills to offset two bogeys and a double bogey at the tough ninth hole.

   Sophomore Mia Pace, who finished right behind O’Sullivan in a tie for sixth place with a 77 in the PIAA individual competition last week, added a solid 81 and junior Silvana Gonzalez put up the critical third counter with an 82 in the five-score-three format for the girls.

   Seniors Ava Lichok and Maria Crowe rounded out the Downingtown East lineup with respective scores of 96 and 111.

   Western Pennsylvania power Peters Township chased Downingtown East home, finishing just two shots behind the Cougars with a 22-over 238 total. Fox Chapel, which had defeated Peters Township for the WPIAL team crown, was three shots behind its rival in third place with a 241 total.

   McDowell took fourth place with a 257 total and Scranton Prep finished fifth with a 263 total.

   Hickory, behind a 2-over 74 from sophomore standout Sasha Petrochko, rolled to a 14-shot victory over WPIAL champion Greensburg Central Catholic to claim the PIAA Class AA team crown. Hickory, the District 10 champion, finished with a 9-over 225 total.

   Petrochko, who finished in fourth place in last week’s PIAA Class AA individual competition with a 4-over 76, had four birdies on her card in leading the way for the Hornets. Senior McKenzie Gustas was just a shot behind Petrochko with a 3-over 75 that included an eagle at the par-5 second hole. Luciana Masters was the final counter for Hickory with a solid 76.

   Rounding out the lineup for the Hornets, who only had four players, was Ava Liburdi, who posted an 87.

   Greensburg Central Catholic was forced to settle for silver for the second year in a row as its 23-over 239 total left it in second place.

   Hickory’s District 10 rival and defending PIAA Class AA champion North East finished a shot behind Greensburg Central Catholic in third place with a 24-over 240 total. For the final act of her brilliant scholastic career, North East senior Lydia Swan, who will continue her golf career at Oral Roberts next summer, unfurled a brilliant 4-under 68. Lydia Swan’s round featured an eagle at the par-5 seventh hole and five birdies.

   The 2019 PIAA Class AA individual champion, Lydia Swan finished in a tie for second in last week’s individual chase with a 2-over 74. Her younger sister Anna, a sophomore, was nearly as strong as her big sister Monday as she matched par with a 72.

   Loyalsock was another 27 shots behind North East in fourth place with a 267 total. Central Valley finished in fifth place with a 291 total and Westmont Hilltop was sixth, a shot behind Central Valley with a 292 total.

   Meanwhile on the boys side, Devon Prep, representing the Catholic League and District 12, captured the PIAA Class AA team crown with a 20-over 304 total. It was the program’s first state team crown.

   Sophomore Nick Ciocca, probably a little disappointed with his tie for sixth place in last week’s Class AA individual chase, led the way for the Tide with a 1-over 72 over a Heritage Hills layout that measures 6,700 yards and plays to a par of 71 for the guys. Ciocca, a product of the Aronimink Golf Club junior program, had four birdies to offset two bogeys and a triple bogey at the tough par-4 ninth hole.

   Devon Prep has been a fixture in the PIAA Class AA team competition the last few years and its experience finally put it over the top Monday. Graham White, one of the Tide’s three senior tri-captains, backed up Ciocca with a 76.

   Junior Kidder Urban added a solid 6-over 77 and Charlie Hurchalla, another senior tri-captain, was Devon Prep’s final counter in the five-score-four format with a 79. The third senior tri-captain, Tyler Kenneson, checked in with an 81 that the Tide had the luxury of tossing. Devon Prep finished in fourth place in the Class AA team competition a year ago.

   Lewisburg was the Tide’s closest pursuer, earning runnerup honors with a 29-over 313 total. Boiling Springs was 18 shots behind Lewisburg in third place with a 331 total.

   Pittsburgh’s North Catholic was three shots behind Boiling Springs in fourth place with a 50-over 334 total. Union City was another 10 shots behind North Catholic in fifth place with a 60-over 344 total. Tyrone took sixth place, ending up two shots behind Union City with a 346 total.

   State College, out of District Six, prevailed in a playoff with WPIAL champion Fox Chapel to claim the PIAA Class AAA team crown.

   I don’t have any particulars on the playoff, which I’m sure was fascinating, but both teams landed on 8-over 292 in regulation.

   The Little Lions were led by John Olsen, who fired a sparkling 1-under 70, making three birdies to offset a double bogey at the tricky par-4 14^th hole. Max Wager backed up Olsen with a 1-over 72.

   Luke Janac added a solid 2-over 74 and Joey Sabol delivered the final counter, a 4-over 75. Rounding out the State College lineup was Thomas Way, who posted an 84 that the Little Lions tossed.

   Fox Chapel was led by sophomore Davey Fuhrer, who matched the 1-under 70 posted by State College’s Olsen. Fuhrer made an eagle on the par-5 seventh hole and had two birdies to offset three bogeys. Senior Owen Delaney backed up Fuhrer with a 1-over 72.

   Seniors Eli Yofan, coming off a tie for fourth place in the Class AAA individual chase last week, Max Johnson and Zach Paper each carded a 4-over 75, the Foxes needing only two of them to round out their scoring.

   Catholic League and District 12 Class AAA champion La Salle finished seven shots behind the top two in third place with a 15-over 299 total. Sophomore Scott Hughes led the way for the Explorers with a 2-over 73.

   Junior Tyler Leyden added a 2-over 74 and classmate Kevin Lafond carded a 3-over 75. District 12 Class AAA individual champion Darren Nolan, a senior, and classmate Eric Fryer each posted a 77, one of which was the final counter.

   District One Class AAA champion Central Bucks West finished a shot behind La Salle in fourth place with a 16-over 300 total. 

   Alex Feraco led the way for the Bucks with a 1-over 72 and senior Kevin Lydon, C.B. West’s lone  qualifier for last week’s PIAA Class AAA individual championship, added a 2-over 73. Chase Feraco chipped in with a 77 and Lynn Abigail’s 78 was the final counter for the Bucks. Rounding out the Central Bucks West lineup was John Lee, whose 79 the Bucks were able to toss.

   Dallastown finished three shots behind Central Bucks West in fifth place with a 303 total and Dallas finished sixth with a 329 total.