Westmoreland high school notebook: Palmer Jackson clinches win with big putt

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Sunday, June 9, 2019 | 8:54 PM

Before Franklin Regional senior Palmer Jackson went to bed last Wednesday night, he had a feeling Thursday would be a good day.

It was. The Notre Dame commit shot a 1-under-par 70 and won the AJGA Memorial Junior tournament at the Scarlet Course at Ohio State in Columbus.

Jackson finished the three-day event with a 2-over 215 as he held off a late charge from Maxwell Moldovan of Uniontown, Ohio. Moldovan birdied three consecutive holes to cut Jackson’s lead to one shot heading to the final hole.

But Jackson clinched the win by sinking a tricky, 13-foot downhill putt.

“I was confident I was going to win,” Jackson said. “I felt that way Wednesday night.

“The round was similar to my round when I won the (PIAA) state championship. I played well. My hot start was the difference.”

Jackson birdied Nos. 4, 5 and 6 to take the lead. He built a four-shot lead before Moldovan made his late charge.

Moldovan, who began the round in third place, also shot 70 and finished at 216.

Jackson entered the final round two strokes behind Cade Breitenstine of Akron, Ohio. Breitenstine started the final round at 1-over 143 but finished third after shooting 76.

It was the fourth consecutive year Jackson played in the event. He previously placed third, eighth and sixth.

“Anytime you win, it’s good,” Jackson said. “I was happy how I played. I loved the pressure of sinking that putt to win it.”

Jackson has been busy. Franklin Regional had its graduation Friday, and Jackson had the Westmoreland County Better-Ball event Saturday at Hannastown, a Sunnehanna Amateur qualifier Sunday and a WPGA qualifier Monday.

New LV coach

Ligonier Valley hired Emily Daugherty as its girls volleyball coach.

She wasn’t known for that sport, but she has a place in the record books in two other sports.

Daugherty is the second all-time leading goal-scorer for the Rams’ girls soccer team with 56 from 2006-09. She also scored more than 1,000 points in basketball, which she played at Lock Haven. She is the sister of former Rams football star Jackson Daugherty, who plays at Cal (Pa.).

Klimchock offered

Asa Klimchock, who recently finished his playing career at The Kiski School after transferring from Greensburg Central Catholic, has a Division II basketball scholarship offer.

Seton Hill offered Klimchock, a 6-foot point guard who averaged 18 points, eight assists and five rebounds last season. He left GCC after his sophomore year and “reclassified” when he came to Kiski to gain an extra year.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Ligonier Valley