Penn-Trafford girls golf showing marked improvement
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Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 11:01 AM
Penn-Trafford’s Lauren Barber plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Antolena Damico plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Antolena Damico plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Alex Dindak plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Emily Spudy plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s plays Kendell Vertes against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Emily Spudy plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s plays Jada Czesnakswski against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Lauren Barber plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s plays Kendell Vertes against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Alex Dindak plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Penn-Trafford’s Lauren Barber plays against Franklin Regional Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at Murrysville Golf Club.
It’s a game plan Penn-Trafford girls’ golf coach Ed Herbst has followed for years.
“I just want them to improve every time they step on the course,” Herbst said. “It’s rare that we start the section season with two losses, but we did. But we defeated one of those teams.”
The losses were to Franklin Regional and Indiana. The Warriors avenged one of those losses when they handed Indiana its first loss of the season in the second meeting between the teams Sept. 16.
“All I told them was let’s see who improved the most since the last time we played,” Herbst said. “The girls did a good job and have steadily improved.”
Four-year starter Lauren Barber has been the Warriors’ most consistent player.
Herbst said she keeps the ball in play and has a good short game.
“She’s a hard worker,” Herbst said. “She’s fairly long off the tee, not the longest but usually the straightest. I believe she’s interested in Allegheny. She can play either Division II or III.”
Barber reached the WPIAL finals as a junior. Herbst said there is a chance that a couple of other girls could join her. The WPIAL finals for the girls are at Oakmont Country Club on Oct. 8. The section qualifier was set for Sept. 23 at Murrysville Golf Club.
Other starters include seniors Kendell Vertes and Jada Czesnakowski, juniors Alexis Dindak and Emily Spudy, and freshmen Antolena Damico, Erin Driscoll, Saylor Kaminsky and Amanda Bobish.
Herbst has 18 girls on the roster. He’s excited about his freshman class because he can tell they take the game seriously and can really hit the ball.
“We haven’t developed a home course advantage like we had at Irwin Golf Club,” Herbst said. “Irwin couldn’t accommodate us this season because of covid-19, but Vince DeAugustine welcomed us at Manor Valley.
“I’m happy with the progress of the team. The girls are playing a lot better.”
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: Penn-Trafford
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