By Bill Beckner Jr.
A light-hearted practice round last fall for the WPIAL sectional tournament turned serious when Leechburg’s Matt Barto started hitting every green and making every putt …
Bechtell resigns as Penn-Trafford boys golf coach By Matt Grubba
One of Penn-Trafford’s more tenured coaches has signed his scorecard for the final time. Walt Bechtell, an English teacher at Penn-Trafford High School and the varsity boys golf coach for the last 14 years, had his resignation from the coaching position accepted by the school board at its meeting last …
Manown opts for Ohio junior college By Jeff Oliver
Belle Vernon Area senior Kirby Manown was being courted by a handful of schools to play golf in college. This week, he picked Owens College, …
Fox Chapel grad Lotz continues to excel on links By Marty Stewart
Stuart Lotz, a 2011 Fox Chapel Area High School graduate, was recently named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference 2011-2012 All-Academic Team at Washington & …
Central Valley girls golf wins state title By Paul Schofield
YORK — The WPIAL didn’t get shut out from a gold medal at the PIAA golf championships after all. The Central Valley girls, who have won three consecutive WPIAL Class AA titles, made their first team trip to the championships a memorable one Wednesday at Heritage Hills Golf resort by …
Beehner 14th at PIAA tourney By Michael Love
Gateway freshman Johnna Beehner capped off her first varsity golf season alongside the best in the state Monday and Tuesday at the PIAA Class AAA girls golf championships at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort and Conference Center in York. Beehner finished the two-day, 36-hole tournament in 14th place out of …
WPIAL golfers fall just short of titles at PIAA championship By Paul Schofield11:04 p.m.
YORK — No PIAA individual golf championship gold medals will be heading west this year. But the WPIAL was well represented in the medal count at the annual tournament that finished Tuesday at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York. Leechburg junior Matt Barto (Class AA) and Peters Township senior Tommy …
Leechburg’s Barto takes 2nd at PIAA championship By Paul Schofield
YORK — Matt Barto could have been pretty upset by missing out of a PIAA gold medal Tuesday, but he wasn’t. The Leechburg junior, who finished second at the PIAA individual golf championships, walked away from Heritage Hills Golf Resort with the hope a Class AA gold medal will be …
Leechburg’s Barto 1 shot back in PIAA golf finals By Staff Reports
With one round of the PIAA Class AA individual golf championships complete, Leechburg junior Matt Barto is one stroke behind the leader — not too bad for a guy who dealt with a migraine during the back nine Monday afternoon. Barto sits in a tie with Holy Redeemer junior Mariano …
Kittanning’s Klodowski seeks elusive first-place finish By Bill West
Kittanning senior golfer Jordan Klodowski gets one last shot to go for first. As the most accomplished team member in Kittanning’s history, Klodowski already has …
Golfers earn Section 2-AAA honors By Staff Reports
A pair of Connellsville golfers earned all-section honors for the 2012 season. Junior Tyler McFadden garnered second-team honors in Section 2-AAA while junior Jonathan Grinko picked up third-team recognition. Belle Vernon’s Kirby Manown was named section MVP. Albert Gallatin’s Tanner Kutek and Belle Vernon’s Frank Guarinon were named the section’s …
Penn-Trafford captures WPIAL girls golf crown By Matt Grubba
The near misses for Penn-Trafford girls golf are a thing of the past. After runner-up finishes in each of the past two seasons, the Warriors …
Beehner punches ticket to PIAA finals tournament By Michael Love
Gateway freshman Johnna Beehner doesn’t want her first varsity golf season to end. She first survived the Section 3-AAA qualifier to advance to WPIALs. At …
WPIAL golfers dominate PIAA Western Regional By Paul Schofield
Every golfer has a story about his or her round, and none are alike. That was the case Monday at the PIAA Western Regional at …
Leechburg’s Barto has designs on PIAA golf finals By Bill Beckner Jr.
Matt Barto hopes to be dressed for success in the next round of the high school golf postseason. The Leechburg junior and WPIAL Class AA …
Young Plum golf team looking to future success By Michael Love
The Plum boys golf team was young this season, as only one senior was on the roster and in the lineup. The Mustangs players experienced …
Gateway girls coach excited for squad’s future By Michael Love
The Gateway varsity girls golf team won only one match out of 17 this season, but, head coach Dennis Persin said, the team improved in …
Cast of characters gets Freeport into WPIAL golf finals By Bill West
With one of its deepest groups in program history, Freeport’s golf team faced the challenge of finding the optimal six-person starting lineup this season. After much mixing and matching, the Yellowjackets settled on a combination that has reached a rare level of success. Freeport reached the WPIAL team finals for …
Kittanning golfers fall short at WPIAL qualifier By Keith Barnes
Kittanning golf coach Bud Stanley had a plan in place if his team qualified for the WPIAL Class AA team finals Thursday at Cedarbrook. Immediately after the semifinal qualifier at Donegal Highlands, he was going to call the principal and see if his team could get out of class early …
Serra Catholic golf team bows out of WPIAL team tourney By Keith Barnes
Kevin Kaminsky stood behind the 18th green at Donegal Highlands Golf Course and eagerly anticipated the scores of his Serra Catholic players as they finished their rounds at the WPIAL Class AA team semifinals. As golfers walked up the hill and informed him of their final tally, however, it became …
True test coming for Kittanning golfers in WPIAL semifinals By Bill West
The greatest gauge of the Kittanning boys’ golf team’s potential as a first-time Class AA program begins Tuesday morning at Donegal Highlands Golf Course. Kittanning, …
Fox Chapel golfers stride into WPIAL team semis By Bill Beckner Jr.
Fox Chapel boys golf coach Bryan Deal must feel like a Ryder Cup captain when it comes time to send out a lineup. The Foxes …
Central Catholic’s Rodgers claims WPIAL Class AAA crown By Bill Beckner Jr.
Brent Rodgers is an up-and-coming name on the long-drive circuit, where he routinely launches 400-yard drives into orbit. The Central Catholic junior used his long-bombing …
Baldwin’s golfers secure berth in WPIAL Class AAA team playoffs By Jennifer Goga
The Baldwin boys’ varsity golf team has produced another winning season. In the 25 years since Jim Stanko took over as head coach, the Highlanders have won 10 section titles, and have had two WPIAL individual champions — Zack Taylor, in 2011, and Andy Latowski, in 1997. They’ve never had …
Valley’s Clark advances to PIAA golf qualifier By Bill Beckner Jr.
Bill Clark went from nervous to refocused in a matter of minutes. The Valley senior overcame a bulky putter to shoot 7-over-par 77 in his …
Shumaker battles competition, elements in WPIAL finals debut By Michael Love
The start of Monday’s WPIAL Class AAA individual girls golf championship at 3 Lakes Golf Course in Penn Hills was delayed almost two hours by fog. When the competition started, Plum freshman Samantha Shumaker was among the 28 golfers to tee off. When the dust settled, Shumaker finished tied for …
