WPIAL golfers settle for silver at state team championships

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, October 26, 2020 | 7:31 PM

Sometimes your best just isn’t enough.

The Greensburg Central Catholic girls golf team found that out Monday at the PIAA team championships at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

The Centurions shot their best score ever in the tournament, a 31-over par 247, but District 10 champion North East was a little better.

North East, led by junior Lydia Swan’s 3-under 69 and sister Anna Swan’s 4-over 76, posted a 25-over 241.

Lydia Swan, who was part of North East’s 2018 boys state championship team, clinched the win by getting a hole-in-one on No. 8, her next-to-last hole.

“We ran into a good team,” Greensburg Central Catholic coach Gerry Police said. “They were a little better. We knew it would be close. They had the Swan sisters, and we had the Zambrunos.

“We were making a little bit of a comeback when Lydia recorded her hole-in-one. But I’m proud of the girls. I felt they played well.”

Greensburg Central Catholic, which had won the previous two years with scores of 248 in 2019 and 250 in ‘18, finished second for the fourth time in the past six seasons.

Meghan Zambruno shot a 5-over 77, Angelika Dewicki had a 12-over 84 and Ella Zambruno and Isabella Aigner shot 14-over 86s.

The PIAA takes the top three scores to determine the winner. If North East would have had to count its fourth golfer, GCC would have won its third consecutive title.

Also finishing second for the WPIAL were Sewickley Academy in Class AA boys and Peters Township in Class AAA girls. Franklin Regional boys placed fourth in Class AAA.

Sewickley Academy, which was chasing its third title in four years and second consecutive, was seven strokes behind Scranton Prep, 229-236.

Tim Fitzgerald led the way with a 3-over 74, Joey Mucci shot a 6-over 77 and Will Duggan and Jack Gordon each shot a 7-over 78.

West Shamokin placed sixth at 276.

Peters Township lost out by six strokes to District 1 champion Unionville, 232-238.

Leading the way for the Indians were Allison Poon with a 5-over 77, Ella McRoberts with a 6-over 78 and Delaney Kern with an 11-over 83.

Franklin Regional boys played well, but Erie Cathedral Prep was too strong for the field. The Ramblers won with a 13-over 226. Unionville and Bethlehem Liberty tied for second with an 18-over 231, and the Panthers were 21-over with a 234.

Senior Michael Wareham paced the Panthers with an even par 71 and senior Chuck Tragesser shot a 6-over 77, Zach Abadallah had a 7-over 79 and Luke Kimmich an 8-over 79.

It’s the first time in a decade (2010) that the WPIAL didn’t return home with one of the team 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: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Peters Township, Sewickley Academy