Westmoreland high school notebook: WCCA girls golf championship tees off Friday

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, September 5, 2022 | 5:23 PM

The Westmoreland County Coaches Association will host its girls golf championship Friday at Champion Lakes Golf Course in Bolivar.

Last year, Caroline Tragesser of Franklin Regional held off her teammate in a scorecard playoff to win the individual title with a nine-hole score of 41.

Neither player is back for the Panthers, so the top returning finisher is Izzy Aigner of Greensburg Central Catholic, who was fourth with a 44.

Franklin Regional also was the team champion. Greensburg Central Catholic finished second.

There will be a shotgun start at 9 a.m., and the girls will take the back nine, which plays to a par of 35.

Last year, they played the par-37 front nine.

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Net gains

The first Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association polls came out last week, and five local teams are ranked in their respective classifications.

Hempfield is No. 7 and Penn-Trafford No. 8 in Class 4A, and Latrobe (7) and Franklin Regional (10) are ranked in 3A, as is Greensburg Central Catholic (4) in Class A.

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GS hoops coach

Greensburg Salem is narrowing its list of candidates and plans to have a recommendation for its boys basketball coach ready for the Sept. 14 voting meeting.

The position was left vacant when Mark Zahorchak resigned in June after four seasons.

The Golden Lions had a 3-19 record last season (0-10 in section) in their final season in Class 6A, where they played for two years. The team will move to Class 4A next season.

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Recruiting

Several local softball players made college commitments to Division II programs.

Senior pitcher and infielder Josie Straigis will play at Bloomsburg, and junior infielder Corrine Wright is headed to Gannon. Both girls are from Latrobe.

Mt. Pleasant senior outfielder and pitcher Sophia Smithnosky, meanwhile, committed to Ashland (Ohio) of the Great Midwest Conference. Her teammate, senior outfielder Krista Brunson, pledged to Pitt-Johnstown.

Another Latrobe player, junior Macie McHugh, a middle infielder and outfielder, will further her playing career at Division III Saint Vincent.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford