Franklin Regional’s Tragesser siblings reach WPIAL finals

By: Paul Schofield
Saturday, October 10, 2020 | 11:01 AM

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Franklin Regional senior Chuck Tragesser has played at historic Oakmont Country Club before.

He knows how tough it is and how to attack it.

So what advice did he offer his sister Caroline when she competed in the WPIAL Class AAA girls individual championship Oct. 8?

“Don’t let it get to you,” Chuck Tragesser said. “Treat it as another golf course, and keep everything in front of you.”

Both Tragessers qualified for the WPIAL individual championship, and both helped their teams win section titles.

Chuck Tragesser reached his first PIAA championship by tying for fourth place after shooting 4-over-par 75.

The PIAA championship is Oct. 19 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

Chuck Tragesser shot a 1-over 37 on the front nine at South Hills Country Club on Oct. 6, but a bogey and double bogey on his first two holes put him on the brink of not qualifying. He rebounded and recorded seven consecutive pars to qualify.

“It was nerve-racking, for sure,” Chuck Tragesser said. “I parred the last seven holes. I made a couple bad swings and a couple mistakes, but I’m going to the state finals, and I’m happy about that.”

He said the windy conditions changed everyone’s approach.

“It was tough,” Chuck Tragesser said. “It seemed like a lot of the holes the wind was in your face instead of down wind, and the pins were tough, too. If you were above the hole, you were just tapping it and trying to get close.”

This is the second consecutive year the Tragessers have reached the WPIAL finals. Only Chuck was able to advance to the state finals.

But now Caroline faces the tough challenges of Oakmont Country Club and all the bunkers and difficult greens.

“I don’t want to go too nervous,” Caroline Tragesser said. “I don’t want to overthink everything. I’m going into it pretty confidently and hoping for the best.”

Only the top five girls in Class AAA advance to the PIAA championships.

Both golf teams made the playoffs. The girls competed Oct. 5 at Connoquenessing Country Club and finished seventh by shooting 390. Caroline Tragesser led the way with an 85.

“I’m excited about making the team playoffs,” Chuck Tragesser said. “This is the first time in my four years, and I think we have a pretty good chance.

“We have a strong team. I know the guys are exciting and we’re ready to go.”

The Franklin Regional boys played their semifinals match Oct. 12 at Champion Lakes Golf Course against Baldwin, Central Catholic, Indiana, Montour, Penn-Trafford, Peters Township, Uniontown and West Allegheny.

The other semifinal was at River Forest Golf Course. The teams there were Belle Vernon, Fox Chapel, Moon, Mt. Lebanon, Norwin, Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley, Shady Side Academy and Upper St. Clair.

The finals were Oct. 15 at Cedarbrook Golf Course.

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