Boys, girls golf teams set to defend WPIAL championships

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, August 15, 2018 | 6:24 PM

Repeat champions will be the theme around WPIAL golf.

The Sewickley Academy boys will try for a sixth straight team title in Class AA, while the North Allegheny girls (Class AAA) and Greensburg Central Catholic girls (AA) go for “four-peats,” and the Central Catholic boys look to make it three consecutive titles.

GCC has a new coach in Gerry Police after the retirement of decades-long coach George Janik.

Individually, two players will try to win a third straight title, a rarity in WPIAL history. Skyler Fox, a junior at Riverside, has won back-to-back Class AA titles. The last boys player to win three consecutive championships was Frank Fuhrer III of Fox Chapel in 1974, ‘75 and ‘76. Ron Schwarzel of Brentwood also win three straight (1952-54).

Senior Caroline Wrigley of North Allegheny has won the last two Class AAA girls titles. The last three-peat on the girls side came from Jodi Figley of Hopewell (1983-86).

Fox Chapel senior Gregor Meyer is back to playing form after a car accident just before last year’s team finals. Several teammates were also involved and suffered more severe injuries. Meyer, who won a WPIAL title at Oakmont two years ago is “in a good place mentally and physically,” according to Foxes coach Bryan Deal.

Fox Chapel also should be in the team mix in Class AAA. The Foxes were considered the favorite last year my many before several starters were sidelined by the accident.

Central will be strong again. It features seniors Jimmy Meyers and Neal Shipley. Oakland Catholic’s Jessica Meyers, Jimmy’s twin sister, is another player to watch.

Thanks to realignment, Wrigley will face rival Lauren Fryvogel, a senior at Pine-Richland, in section play. Freyvogel, a Virginia recruit, finished second in the WPIAL last year but won the PIAA title.

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic junior Maddie Smithco is the returning PIAA Class AA champion.

The boys Class AA individual championship is set for Sept. 27 at Allegheny Country Club, while the Class AAA finals will return to Oakmont Country Club on Oct. 2. The girls individual finals will be Oct. 2 at Diamond Run.

The team finals will be Oct. 11 at Cedarbrook.

Bill Beckner is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Bill at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Central Catholic, Fox Chapel, Greensburg C.C., North Allegheny, Oakland Catholic, Pine-Richland, Riverside, Sewickley Academy