Turowski brothers hope to lead Penn-Trafford to WPIAL golf title

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, October 11, 2020 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

Things didn’t go as planned for the Turowski brothers at the WPIAL Class AAA individual golf championships Oct. 6 at South Hills Country Club.

Both had tough rounds and fell short of finishing in the top 10 to advance to the PIAA championship Oct. 19.

Alex Turowski, a senior, was in decent shape through 16 holes. But a triple bogey 7 on No. 17 and a bogey on No. 18 ended his hopes of qualifying as he shot 7-over par 79.

Nick Turowski, a freshman, struggled on the back nine and finished with a 9-over 81.

While a trip to York for the PIAA individual championship is out of the question, the brothers hope to lead the team to the PIAA team championship in York on Oct. 26.

To do that, the Warriors must battle through a strong field and win the WPIAL Class AAA title Oct. 15 at Cedarbrook Gold Golf Course in Smithton.

Penn-Trafford competed in the semifinals Oct. 12 at Champion Lakes Golf Club in Bolivar.

“I’m over the disappointment of not making states,” Alex Turowski said. “But I’m excited about the team tournament.

“Obviously, there are some really good teams — Franklin Regional, Central Catholic, Pine-Richland, Upper St. Clair — but I feel we’re good enough to compete against them. Anything can happen.”

Penn-Trafford finished second in Section 1-AAA behind Norwin. The Knights edged the Warriors in two close matches.

“We need three or four good scores, and I think myself, Nick and Josh (Kapcin) can provide that,” Alex Turowski said. “I’m confident Chase Crissman and Pat Driscoll will be solid; we just need our sixth guy to be good.”

Penn-Trafford practiced at Totteridge Golf Course on Thursday and then had a practice round Sunday at Champion Lakes.

The Warriors’ goal was to finish in the top 3 at Champion Lakes. They were competing against Baldwin, Franklin Regional, Indiana, Montour, Peters Township, Uniontown and West Allegheny.

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

Nick Turowski said he couldn’t ask for anything better than reaching the WPIAL individual finals as a freshman. He was disappointed that he didn’t play his best.

“I feel we’re peaking as a team,” Nick Turowski said after the Warriors defeated Greensburg Salem and Hempfield in a section tri-match. “I’m looking forward to competing for a WPIAL title.”

Both brothers competed in the American Junior Golf Association’s Junior Golf Hub/VM Sports Preview at Westmoreland Country Club on Oct. 3-4.

Nick Turowski tied for fourth after shooting a 6-over 150. Alex Turowski tied for 12th after shooting a 10-over 154.

Butler’s Paige Scott was the girls winner with a 154, and Hidan Cohl of Cumming, Ga., won the boys title.

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