By: Paul Schofield
Monday, October 19, 2020 | 5:30 PM

Rockwood senior Vileska Gelpi lost the PIAA Class A girls individual championship in a playoff in 2019.

She wasn’t about to let history repeat itself at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

Gelpi and 2019 champion Lydia Swan of North East were in a close battle Monday before Gelpi parred the final seven holes to breeze to the victory. She shot a 2-over par 74.

Hannah Rabb of Warrior Run was second with a 77 and Swan was third with a 78.

Dunmore’s Ciera Toomey was fourth at 79 while Greensburg Central Catholic junior Meghan Zambruno was fifth with an 80. Zambruno placed fourth in 2019.

Greensburg Central Catholic senior Angelika Dewicki tied for seventh with an 82, junior Ella Zambruno tied for ninth with an 83 and freshman Izebella Aigner was tied for 11th with an 86.

Geibel’s Claire Konieczny also tied for 11th at 86, while Quaker Valley’s Eva Bulger tied for 13th with an 87. Bulger was the WPIAL champion.

North East’s Isaiah Swan needed a playoff to capture the Class AA boys title. He edged Scranton Prep’s Matthew Tressler on the first playoff hole. He shot a 2-under 69.

South Park’s Joey Toth and Sewickley Academy’s Tim Fitzgerald tied for third with a 3-over 74.

Shenango’s Tom George and West Shamokin’s Eric Spencer were tied for eighth with a 5-over 76.

Sewickley Academy’s Joey Mucci and Northgate’s Kai Carlson tied for 10th with a 6-over 77.

Quaker Valley’s Luke Melisko was 14th with a 78, Greensburg Central Catholic’s Ben Ritenour was 15th with a 79, and Leechburg’s Cole Villa was tied for 18th with an 80.

The Class AAA tournament is scheduled for Tuesday.

By: Greg Macafee
Sunday, October 11, 2020 | 11:01 AM

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When the WPIAL Class AA field left Allegheny Country Club on Oct. 1, Sewickley Academy and Quaker Valley golfers had won district gold.

Quaker Valley’s Eva Bulger captured her second straight girls title, shooting a 4-over-par 77 to cruise past twin sisters Meghan (79) and Ella (82) Zambruno from Greensburg Central Catholic for the second year in a row.

On the boys’ side, Sewickley Academy senior Tim Fitzgerald captured his first WPIAL title by shooting an even-par, 70, becoming the second straight Sewickley Academy golfer to win the event.

Bulger, a sophomore who plays on the boys team and helped the Quakers defeat Sewickley Academy twice in section play this year, was free of nerves throughout her round.

She tallied four birdies, carded eight pars and, at one point, built a seven-stroke lead.

Midway through the back-nine, after back-to-back double bogeys on Nos. 13 and 14, Bulger saw her lead shrink to three strokes. But she didn’t feel any pressure.

“I was playing pretty well, so I wasn’t really thinking at all,” Bulger said. “I was just trying to focus on one shot at a time.”

With electronic scoring in place during the WPIAL championships, Bulger could have peeked to see where she stood after her double bogeys. She said she was glad that she didn’t.

“I really had no idea,” Bulger said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t have wanted to have known. I think it probably would’ve messed me up.”

Bulger steadied over the final four holes to finish her championship round.

“It’s nice to win it again, and I played better this time around but it didn’t really feel any different,” Bulger said.

Fitzgerald doesn’t remember having a worse start to a round of 18 at Allegheny Country Club — and he plays his home matches there.

Fitzgerald bogeyed his first two holes but rallied with two birdies on the front nine and a third on No. 10 before cruising to a five-stroke victory over Leechburg’s Cole Villa.

“Those first two holes were weird. I was a little bit nervous, but it wasn’t like I couldn’t grip a club or anything like that. I just played those first two holes a little sloppy.” Fitzgerald said. “I saw my coach, and he told me I was fine and to just relax and have fun out there. After that, I hit a nice two-putt and then birdied two holes and was able to calm down from there.”

Bulger and Fitzgerald move on to the PIAA Class AA championship Oct. 19 at Heritage Hills in York.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic the PIAA canceled regional events this year, and the top six girls girls and top 12 boys advanced to the state championship. The tournament will be 18 holes instead of a two-day, 36-hole event.

Fitzgerald is excited for the opportunity. Last year, he missed qualifying after losing in a five-way playoff for four spots.

“That was tough,” Fitzgerald said. “So coming into this year, after finding out regionals wouldn’t be happening, just trying to get into the top 12 was really my main goal for the day. But making states is a really big accomplishment, and I’m happy to do it in my senior year for the first time. It’s a good way to go out.”

As a freshman, Bulger tied for seventh at states with Hickory’s McKenzie Gustas. She was the youngest player in the top 15 finishers, and she is ready for another opportunity.

“I feel like I’m playing pretty well. I’ll just have to go down there and get a strategy together for what I’m going to do,” Bulger said.

Greg Macafee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Greg by email at gmacafee@triblive.com or via Twitter .

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, October 1, 2020 | 6:36 PM

Eva Bulger has athletic pedigree.

The sophomore golf standout from Quaker Valley is the niece of former NFL quarterback Marc Bulger. Her aunts are former Oakland Catholic and West Virginia basketball stars Kate and Meg Bulger.

She already seems comfortable being in the spotlight and handling championship pressure.

All of that runs in the family, too.

The easy-going Bulger saw a seven-shot lead shrink to three midway through the back nine Thursday but maintained her composure and held off Greensburg Central Catholic’s Meghan Zambruno to score a repeat victory in the WPIAL Class AA individual championship at Allegheny Country Club.

“I focused on one shot at a time,” said Bulger, a member at Allegheny, which played tough with windy conditions and fast greens. “I didn’t really think about anything else but my target, what pins to go after and what to be cautious of.”

Bulger finished with a 4-over-par 77.

With birdies at Nos. 6, 7, 9 and 10, Bulger had it to 2-under and appeared headed for cruise control. But she bogeyed No. 12 and followed with consecutive double bogeys on 13 and 14 to suddenly tighten the gap.

“After I had my two doubles, I had no idea where I stood,” Bulger said. “I thought it could be anyone’s game. I just still tried to focus on one shot at a time and play in the present tense.”

Zambruno, who had a steady back nine, birdied the par-5 18th to get within two of Bulger, who won by a single shot last year over Ella Zambruno, Meghan’s twin, who finished third this year with an 82.

“She played really well,” Meghan Zambruno said. “I knew when she was 1-under after nine I had to focus on my game. I knew (with the course conditions) she had to do something bad at some point. But I had to play my game.”

GCC claimed four of the top five spots.

It was another relatively close finish in the Class AA tournament. Since the WPIAL began awarding championships in two classifications in 2010, the Class AA champion had won by an average of 2.6 strokes.

Four of the previous six tournaments before Thursday were decided by one shot.

There is a key postseason change this year for WPIAL players.

The PIAA eliminated the Western and Eastern regional tournaments, so Thursday’s top six finishers advance straight to the PIAA championship Oct. 19 at Heritage Hills Resort in York.

The PIAA made the decision last week.

The state tournament will be different: 18 holes on one day instead of 36 over two days.

Additional girls state qualifiers are: Angelika Dewicki of GCC (90), Izabela Aigner of GCC (92), and Claire Konieczny of Geibel (95).

KEITH BARNES

Tri-State Sports & News Service

SEP 25, 2020

6:00 AM

Sewickley Academy has always been about reloading its golf team rather than rebuilding.

That’s why the Panthers have won the past seven WPIAL Class 2A team titles.

Having team success is one thing, but golf, in and of itself, is an individual sport. So, invariably, it’s not surprising when the school puts a player or two into the WPIAL individual finals.

Or three.

Or four.

Or…six?

Yes. Six.

In the Section 9 qualifier earlier this week at Rolling Acres, Sewickley Academy pushed through its top six players into the WPIAL Class 2A individual finals, which will be held Thursday at Allegheny Country Club, which also happens to be the Panthers’ home course. Senior Navin Rana, who finished in eighth place in the event last year, will go into the tournament as the top seed after putting up a blistering 69 to edge teammate Tim Fitzgerald by one stroke.

“It was really cool because I put a lot of work into my game this summer and it was great to see it all pay off,” Rana said. “I think it gives me some confidence going into next week to go out there and to my best and, whatever happens, happens.”

If the WPIAL groups the finishers in order of their qualifying scores, the entire final threesome will be composed of Sewickley Academy players. Junior Will Duggan had the third-best overall score with a 71.

“That would be really awesome because, me and Tim, we love to go out and play together and played all summer together,” Rana said “That would be just like another round with the boys.”

It’s not just Sewickley Academy that will have its full starting lineup on the course. Quaker Valley, the Panthers top Section 9 rival, will also send six to the finals led by junior Adam Tanabe, who finished fourth with a 75.

“I think it speaks a ton about the kids because, even though the parameters are different and they added five strokes more to the cutoff for more kids to get in. But to do that and have all six, that’s an accomplishment,” Quaker Valley coach Greg Vecci said. “That’s your entire team and I think it’s fantastic and good for the rivalry, that’s for sure.”

Girls

To say Quaker Valley sent its entire lineup to the WPIAL individual finals would be a misnomer if Eva Bulger wasn’t included in the tally.

As it stands, the sophomore and defending champion made it a moot point as she hit a 78 at Shadow Lakes to win the Section 2 individual title by 17 strokes.

“I’m amazed how a person can go out there and get locked on from the start and stay locked on and finish up and be the person they were at the beginning,” Vecchi said. “It’s odd for a young person to have that already.”

Bulger will have to be in the zone when she tees it up. Greensburg Central Catholic junior Meghan Zambruno will be the top seed as she shot a 75 at Latrobe Elks, while Carmichaels senior Remmey Lohr, who competed on this course last year in the boys final, shot a 78.

Bulger, though, will play Allegheny Country Club on Tuesday in a Section 9 boys match against Sewickley Academy.

“It’s big,” Vecchi said. “That’s a huge advantage to our two teams.”

First Published September 25, 2020, 6:00am

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | 5:39 PM

The WPIAL golf committee moved one of its postseason tournaments to a new venue.

The girls Class AAA and AA team tournaments will now be played Monday at Connoquenessing Country Club in Ellwood City.

Normally, the girls and boys finals are played at the same site in mid-October at Cedarbrook Golf Course near Belle Vernon. But the WPIAL committee thought it made more sense to eliminate the Class AAA semifinal round for the girls to not only avoid an overlap of opponents but also to reduce the number of people who gather at the finals to better suit covid-19 guidelines.

Last year, nine teams made the Class AAA semifinals and the top four advanced. Those teams then faced the same opponents again.

A large crowd often packs a back dining area inside the Cedarbrook clubhouse where the WPIAL handles scoring, posts leaderboards and hands out trophies.

And, the tournaments take up both of the club’s courses, Gold and Red, so 18 holes will now be open for regular play the day of the boys finals, set for Oct. 15 on Cedarbrook Gold.

The same number of girls Class AAA teams will qualify this year for the finals as they did the semifinals — the top two and ties — in each of four sections.

The Class AA girls, which play in only two sections, do not have a semifinal round. The top two teams in each section make the finals.

The girls AAA semifinals may return next year.

Sewickley loses

Something big happened in WPIAL boys golf this season. The Sewickley Academy boys lost — twice.

Quaker Valley swept the season series from the perennial power by scores of 200-201 and 193-208.

Why is it newsworthy?

Because Sewickley Academy had not dropped a section match since 2010. The Panthers have won seven consecutive WPIAL titles but appear to have at least one challenger this fall.

“Losing now is a good reminder to this team that a lot of hard work is ahead for them if they want to accomplish their goals,” Panthers coach Win Palmer said.

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | 4:40 PM

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WPIAL Class AA girls golf championship

10:52 a.m. Thursday, Allegheny Country Club, Sewickley

2019 champion: Eva Bulger, Quaker Valley

The field: There are only 12 players in a normally small tournament, and the girls are playing at the same site as the boys, which is not a normal occurrence in Class AA. The breakdown of players by county is: Westmoreland (4), Allegheny (2), Beaver (2), Lawrence (1), Fayette (1), Washington (1), and Greene (1).

Section champions: Meghan Zambruno, Greensburg Central Catholic (Section 1); Eva Bulger, Quaker Valley (Section 2).

Who moves on: (Updated) The top 6 finishers advance to the PIAA tournament Oct. 21-22 at Heritage Hills Resort in York.

Inside the ropes: The leaderboard is expected to look a lot like it did last year when then-freshman Bulger edged past GCC’s Ella Zambruno by one shot with an 82 at Diamond Run Golf Club. Meghan Zambruno, Ella’s twin, was third with an 84. The Zambrunos are juniors. … Bulger, who plays on the Quakers’ boys team, shot 6-over-par 78 to win Section 2 at Shadow Lakes. Meghan Zambruno took the Section 1 title by firing a 3-over 75 at Latrobe Elks. … Keep an eye on Remmey Lohr of Carmichaels, who carded 78 at the Section 1 tournament. … GCC has the most qualifiers with four. The Centurions soon will go for a sixth straight WPIAL team title. … GCC has not had an individual champion since 2015 when Olivia Zambruno captured back-to-back titles. … The WPIAL started crowning separate AAA and AA champs in 2010. … The girls will tee off in four groups beginning at 10:52 a.m., after the final boys group goes off.

Tee times: WPIAL link

Past WPIAL champions

2019 — Isabella Walter, North Allegheny (AAA); Eva Bulger, Quaker Valley (AA)

2018 — Caroline Wrigley, North Allegheny (AAA); Maddie Smithco, North Catholic (Class AA)

2017 — Caroline Wrigley, North Allegheny (Class AAA); Tatum McKelvey, Sewickley Academy (Class AA)

2016 — Caroline Wrigley, North Allegheny (Class AAA); Kiaria Porter, Central Valley (Class AA)

2015 — Marissa Balish, Hampton (Class AAA); Olivia Zambruno, Greensburg C.C. (Class AA)

2014 — Lauren Waller, Canon-McMillan (Class AAA); Olivia Zambruno, Greensburg C.C. (Class AA)

2013 — Lauren Waller, Canon-McMillan (Class AAA); Macky Fouse, Central Valley (Class AA)

2012 — Janista Numpho-Frank, Hempfield (Class AAA); Gillian Alexander, Jefferson-Morgan (Class AA)

2011 — Marissa DeCola, Butler (Division I); Emily Rohanna, Waynesburg (Division II)

2010 — Katerina Luttner, Fox Chapel (Division I); Emily Rohanna, Waynesburg (Division II)

2009 — Nadia Luttner, Fox Chapel

2008 — Nadia Luttner, Fox Chapel

2007 — Rachel Rohanna, Waynesburg

2006 — Margaret Pentrack, Shady Side Academy

2005 — Rachel Rohanna, Waynesburg

2004 — Megan Trachok, Upper St. Clair

2003 — Katie Trachok, Upper St. Clair

2002 — Katie Miller, Hempfield

2001 — Jordyn Wells, Bethel Park

2000 — Emily Shoplik, Fox Chapel

1999 — Lauren George, Uniontown

1998 — Lauren George, Uniontown

1997 — Jen Patterson, Bethel Park

1996 — Julee Sovesky, Neshannock

1995 — Jen Patterson, Bethel Park

1994 — Shannon Ruane, Gateway

1993 — Erin Suvak, Woodland Hills

1992 — Tara Adams, Latrobe

1991 — Staci Aber, Greensburg Central Catholic

1990 — Staci Aber, Greensburg Central Catholic

1989 — Colleen Scally, Moon

1988 — Staci Aber, Greensburg Central Catholic

1987 — Kelli Weaver, Latrobe

1986 — Jodi Figley, Hopewell

1985 — Jodi Figley, Hopewell

1984 — Jodi Figley, Hopewell

1983 — Jodi Figley, Hopewell

1982 — Michelle Michanowicz, Fox Chapel

1981 — Beth Huey, Laurel Highlands

1980 — Missy Berteotti, Upper St. Clair

1979 — Missy Berteotti, Upper St. Clair

1978 — Nancy Tomich, Upper St. Clair

1977 — Nancy Tomich, Upper St. Clair

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 | 4:52 PM

WPIAL Class AA boys golf championship

9 a.m. Thursday, Allegheny Country Club, Sewickley

2019 champion: JF Aber, Sewickley Academy

The field: 44 players will compete for the district title. The breakdown by county — Allegheny (20), Lawrence (8), Westmoreland (5), Beaver (4), Butler (2), Washington (2), Greene (2), Fayette (1).

Section champions: Cole Villa, Leechburg (Section 1); Ben Ritenour, Greensburg Central Catholic (Section 2); Kai Carlson, Northgate (Section 3); Matt Lacek, Fort Cherry (Section 4); Tom George, Shenango (Section 5); Tristan Shuman, South Side (Section 6); Brendan Cooley, Serra (Section 7); Kyle Clayton, Jefferson Morgan (Section 8); Navin Rana, Sewickley Academy (Section 9).

Who moves on: (Updated) The top 12 finishers advance to the PIAA tournament Oct. 21-22 at Heritage Hills Resort in York.

Inside the ropes: It is hard to pick against Sewickley Academy when it comes to golf. The Panthers, who have won seven WPIAL team titles in a row, have six players in Thursday’s field. … Panthers senior Navin Rana shot 2-under-par 69 to win the Section 9 tournament at Rolling Acres. Senior Teammate Tim Fitzgerald was second with a 70, and junior Will Duggan was third at 71. … Fitzgerald finished fourth in the AA championship last year with a 74, and Rana was eighth (77). Rana was 12th as a sophomore. … Quaker Valley also has six qualifiers, including junior Adam Tanabe, sophomore Jackson Bould and senior Luke Melisko. The Quakers play in the same section as Sewickley and recently edged the Panthers, 200-201. … Watch Sewickley sophomore Joey Mucci, who played in last year’s WPIAL final and tied for 14th. … Tommy George, a senior from Shenango, finished 12th (80). … Sewickley Academy plays its home matches at Allegheny Country Club. … There are two freshmen in the field: Luke Gronbeck of Eden Christian and Kai Carlson of Northgate. … Leechburg senior Cole Villa is another third-time qualifier to watch. … Aber, who dethroned three-time champion Skyler Fox of Riverside, graduated and joined the team at Division III Wittenberg (Ohio).

Tee times: WPIAL link

Past WPIAL champions:

2019 — Scott Bitar, Fox Chapel (AAA); JF Aber, Sewickley Academy (AA)

2018 — Jimmy Meyers, Central Catholic (AAA); Skyler Fox, Riverside (AA)

2017 — Chris Sabol, Moon (AAA); Skyler Fox, Riverside (AA)

2016 — Gregor Meyer, Fox Chapel (AAA); Skyler Fox, Riverside (AA)

2015 — Hunter Bruce, Peters Township (Class AAA); Jason Li, Sewickley Academy (Class AA)

2014 — Anthony Cordaro, Fox Chapel (Class AAA); Chris Tanabe, Quaker Valley (Class AA)

2013 — Corey Long, South Fayette (Class AAA); Matt Barto, Leechburg (Class AA)

2012 — Brent Rodgers, Central Catholic (Class AAA); Matt Barto, Leechburg (Class AA)

2011 — Zack Taylor, Baldwin (Division I); Brad Thornton, Shenango (Division II)

2010 — Bo Lustig, Belle Vernon (Division I); Max Kaminsky, Serra Catholic (Division II)

2009 — Ben Gjebre, Latrobe

2008 — Adam Stawski, Plum

2007 — Brock Pompeani, Hopewell

2006 — Adam Hofmann, Fox Chapel

2005 — Christian Goetz, Burgettstown

2004 — Mike Van Sickle, Pine-Richland

2003 — Mike Van Sickle, Pine-Richland

2002 — Tim Moynihan, Franklin Regional

2001 — David Vallina, Burgettstown

2000 — David Valllina, Burgettstown

1999 — Scott Chisholm, North Hills

1998 — Nate Speer, Burrell

1997 — Tom Barnhart, Laurel Highlands

1996 — Andy Latowski, Baldwin

1995 — Russ Manski, Central Catholic

1994 — Andy Hay, North Catholic

1993 — Brian Tutich, Greensburg Central Catholic

1992 — Jeff Dickson, Knoch

1991 — Jeff Dickson, Knoch

1990 — Jeff Diehl, Butler

1989 — Kevin Shields, Mt. Lebanon

1988 — Perry DiNardo, Trinity

1987 — George Laskey, Geibel

1986 — Kevin Reisenweaver, Latrobe

1985 — Seth Pevarnik, Greensburg Central Catholic

1984 — Tony Brovety, Bentworth

1983 — Paul Balest, Greensburg Salem

1982 — Greg Klabon, Shenango

1981 — Kurt Beck, Upper St. Clair

1980 — Jim Watterson, Upper St. Clair

1979 — Bob Bradley, Hempfield

1978 — Steve Savor, Jr., Springdale

1977 — Ray Nelson, Ligonier

1976 — Frank Fuhrer III, Fox Chapel

1975 — Frank Fuhrer III, Fox Chapel

1974 — Frank Fuhrer III, Fox Chapel

1973 — Scott Arthur, Moon

1972 — Dennis Osborne, Butler

1971 — Mike Phillips, West Allegheny

1970 — Mike Phillips, West Allegheny

1969 — Rich Foutz, Plum

1968 — Harry Hamilton, West Allegheny (fall season)

1968 — Jim Simons, Knoch (spring season)

1967 — Frank Garella, West Mifflin North

1966 — Sterret Watt, Northwestern

1965 — Rick Hrip, Butler

1964 — Charles Cullison, Baldwin

1963 — Scott Yard, Greensburg

1962 — Jim Lynch, Mt. Lebanon

1961 — Bob O’Block, Plum

1960 — Bob O’Block, Plum

1959 — George Mackanos, Penn Hills

1958 — Fred Maeder, Har-Brack

1957 — Jack Veroncy, Moon

1956 — Wally Samuels, Mt. Lebanon

1955 — Ken O’Gorman, Moon

1954 — Ron Schwarzel, Brentwood

1953 — Ron Schwarzel, Brentwood

1952 — Ron Schwarzel, Brentwood

1951 — Bill Gabel, Ambridge

1950 — Tom Cherok, Penn Hills

1949 — Rich McCarthy, West View

1948 — Bill Thompson, Sharon

1947 — Arnold Palmer, Latrobe

1946 — Arnold Palmer, Latrobe

1945 — Tom Denny, Greensburg Salem

By: Greg Macafee
Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 11:01 AM

For the past seven years, the Sewickley Academy golf team has dominated its WPIAL Class AA competition, but as teams begin their 2020 season, the Panthers might have some competition.

On Sept. 15, Quaker Valley shocked the Panthers and defeated their Section 9-AA opponent 193-208 at Sewickley Heights Golf Club.

Defending WPIAL Class AA girls individual champion Eva Bulger and junior Adam Tanabe fired 37s, and sophomore Jackson Bould carded a 38 and senior Luke Melisko carded a 39. Junior Kyle Rice rounded out the top five with a 42.

Quaker Valley coach Greg Vecchi believes this is just a sign of things to come for the Quakers.

“That win could send a message to a lot of people,” Vecchi said. “All the other teams that are out there know that there is not only SA they have to deal with, but Quaker Valley as well.”

Just a year ago, the Quakers finished in fourth at the WPIAL Class AA championships, finishing five strokes out of third and 31 behind Sewickley. But, heading into this year, the Quakers lost only one starter, Aidan Bulger, who finished tied for fifth at the individual championships.

Vecchi believed this year’s team would be successful, but Sewickley Academy’s success also has reared its head.

“SA winning so many years in a row, that’s huge on everyone’s heads, and if someone said they didn’t think of SA when they thought of success this year, then they are lying to you,” Vecchi said. “But that’s why this win was such a big deal. SA is such a good team, but I think our kids learned that we are as well.”

From top to bottom, the Quakers’ starting lineup is talented. As a freshman last season, Eva Bulger won the WPIAL individual girls title by a stroke, beating the Zambruno twins, Ella and Meghan, from Greensburg Central Catholic with a 10-over-par 82 at Diamond Run Golf Club. Vecchi said having a player like her returning to the lineup is always a positive.

“It’s awesome to have her back. You can always count on her,” Vecchi said. “She always has a great mindset, and she keeps on going forward. Nothing gets in her way, and it’s something to watch for sure.”

The Quakers also return Rice, Tanabe, Melisko, Bould and sixth man Jake McMullen. Bould was the only player out of the group last year to qualify for the WPIAL individual tournament, and he ended up finishing below the state qualifier line at Allegheny Country Club.

But Vecchi believes the Quakers have talent this year. They just need to shore up a few things mentally in order to be successful this season.

“It’s just having our heads on straight,” Vecchi said. “Going into a match, where are you? Are you visualizing things or where are you? Getting a young mind to do that can be tough. I’m already so impressed with what they are doing, but that’s a key area for us. The mind game.”

Last year’s fourth-place finish was the closest the Quakers have come to a WPIAL championship since 2017 when they finished seven strokes behind Sewickley Academy, which shot a team score of 406. But the Quakers are looking to take another step forward in 2020, and their win over the Panthers was just the beginning.

“I think it’s going to do a lot for us,” Vecchi said. “We have a good tight team, and I think this will only help us.”