Girls golf championship teams set standard for success at Penn-Trafford

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, September 26, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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Penn-Trafford High School is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Here’s a look at the Warriors’ WPIAL championship girls golf team as part of a series on the school’s athletics’ success:

When Mia Barchetti and Haley Borkovich were freshmen at Penn-Trafford, girls golf coach Ed Herbst knew he had two special players.

Four years later, Penn-Trafford was celebrating its first WPIAL Class AAA girls golf title.

“They set the standard,” Herbst said. “We’ve been pretty good ever since. When they came back as sophomores, they were ready to go.

“I knew we were getting there after we lost by seven to Shady Side Academy in 2008. We were getting better. We battled Central Valley a couple years. The team came back and was into it. They came into their own as golfers.”

Penn-Trafford won consecutive titles in 2012 and 2013. Herbst said it should have been three straight, but the 2011 team came up just short.

Barchetti, Borkovich, Morgan Rector, Royse Bachtel and Casey Doran were the starters on the 2012 title team. Bachtel, Doran, Elizabeth Papa, Rachael Huber and Amanda Connor were on the 2013 squad.

The 2012 group had a 338 team score. They defeated North Allegheny (356), Peters Township (358), Upper St. Clair (367), Franklin Regional (385), Mars (390) and Pine-Richland (400).

The 2013 team’s score was 344, and they defeated North Allegheny (348), Peters Township (353), Shady Side Academy (381), Mars (387) and Pine-Richland (388). Both teams finished second in the PIAA tournament.

“It felt great when we won that first title,” said Barchetti, who celebrated her 27^th birthday earlier this month. “We were proud that all the hard work paid off. It was a humble feeling to bring back the title to the school.”

Barchetti said all the girls loved to compete with each other.

“We had a special bond,” Barchetti said. “If someone had an off day, someone else would step up.

“We had a lot of fun and enjoyed playing. We all played golf in college. We were passionate about the game.”

Herbst says the girls stay in touch with him and continue to recall their championships.

“Mia came back last year and talked to the squad about her experiences playing,” Herbst said. “The others have also come back.

“They are a special group. We didn’t lose a match. They were all great kids and good golfers; that’s what made it fun.”

Barchetti said the team played with confidence.

“We knew we had a really good team,” Barchetti said. “We bounced off each other. We had a lot of confidence, and we knew we were the team to beat.”

Prior to the merger between Penn Joint and Trafford, Penn Township won 13 WPIAL boys golf titles.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford