Franklin Regional golfers advance to PIAA championships

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, October 9, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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The Franklin Regional boys golf team is the reigning WPIAL Class AAA champion.

The Panthers competed in the WPIAL semifinals at The Links at Spring Church on Oct. 12, hoping to advance to the team championship at Cedarbrook Golf Course on Oct. 14.

Three members of the team earned a trip to York for the PIAA Class AAA individual championships Oct. 18-19 at the Heritage Hills Golf Resort after each shot a 7-over par 77 to be among the 14 golfers to qualify from the WPIAL Class AAA championship at Nemacolin Country Club in Beallsville on Oct. 5.

Advancing to York were seniors Zach Abdallah and Jeff Anderchak and junior Nolan Shilling.

And while the three players are looking forward to a trip to York, their eyes are on winning another team title and earning a second trip to York for the team title Oct. 25.

“It’s a big accomplishment qualifying for states,” Abdallah said. “That’s what we were all trying to do. It was a fun experience qualifying for the state tournament last year and us going back together should be a fun time.”

The trio has been leading the Panthers this season. The Panthers finished second in the section behind Central Catholic, but they know all they have to do as a team is to all play well together.

That’s what the 2020 team did.

Shilling said the key to advancing was keeping poor holes to a minimum.

“You had to keep it in the fairway here,” Shilling said. “Once you hit fairways, you hit greens. You had to pay attention to the greens, they got really quick.

“You had to keep playing your game and keep plugging along. If we want to win again, you have to show a lot of grit, make every shot count.”

Shilling said playing Heritage Hills last year should help him and his teammates in the individual tournament.

“It’s not easy to get through the WPIAL,” Anderchak said. “We’re going to have a good time.”

Wareham ties for fourth

Gannon freshman and 2021 Franklin Regional grad Michael Wareham tied for fourth at Allegheny College’s Guy and Jeanne Kuhn Memorial tournament Sept. 27 at the Country Club of Meadville.

Wareham, playing as an individual, shot a 75 in Round 1 and followed with a 70 in Round 2 for a 145 total.

Gannon’s team took the team title. Wareham had the second best score posted by a Gannon player. Connor Bennink won with a 140.

The following weekend, Wareham cracked the starting lineup and helped Gannon to a third-place finish at the Clarion Invitational. Wareham shot a two-round total of 147 and tied for eighth.

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