Pine-Richland well-represented at golf qualifiers

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, September 28, 2018 | 8:30 PM

For the third time in four years, Pine-Richland senior Lauren Freyvogel won a WPIAL Class AAA girls golf section qualifier.

After falling by just one stroke last season, the defending PIAA Class AAA individual champion shot a 71, edging out North Allegheny’s Caroline Wrigley’s and Christina Lewis’ matching scores of 73, to earn first place at the Section 1 qualifier held at Strawberry Ridge Golf Club. The target score to qualify for the WPIAL championship was set at 89.

“Lauren played really well at sectionals. She shot at 71 that day and she even had a two-stroke penalty. The course was really wet and she had a plugged ball that couldn’t be located so she could have shot a 69,” Pine-Richland girls coach Peter Hawk said.

“She just has such a great temperament out there, and she understands how to play the game so well.”

Freyvogel was scheduled to take part in the WPIAL championships and PIAA qualifier Wednesday at Diamond Run Golf Club in Sewickley.

The Rams boys golf team also featured a medalist in their Section 3-AAA qualifier with Jack Wymard nailing down the top honors by shooting a 72 at Suncrest Golf Club.

Wymard wasn’t the only Pine-Richland boys golfer with an impressive finish as Donnie Professori finished right behind his teammate with a score of 74, and sophomore Nick Piper grabbed a third-place finish with a 75.

Cade Zolkos rounded out the top five at the sectional qualifier. Rico Sciulli collected an 11th-place finish with a score of 80, matching the target score to qualify for the WPIAL Class AAA individual semifinals.

“It’s very nice to have five of our six guys qualify,” P-R boys coach Jeff Seybert said. “Jack Wymard winning the section is really neat. It’s been a few years since we’ve had someone win the first-place plaque. The other guys all played relatively well. Nick Casario just missed the cut for us. … It’s nice to see because these boys work really hard and it’s fun when it pays off.”

Professori (71), Wymard (72) and Zolkos (74) all finished in the top 18 at the semifinal at Hannastown Golf Club on Sept. 27 and advanced to play in the WPIAL championship at Oakmont Country Club.

Kevin Lohman is a freelance writer.

Tags: Pine-Richland