Peters Township golfers off to fast start
Peters Township opened the 2018 high school golf season dominating the action during the Tri-County Athletic Director’s Association Championship held at Village Green Golf Course in Hickory.
The Indians finished 1-2 in the event that featured a field of 17 teams and 98 individuals competing on the Par 71 course. The best five of six team scores counted in the scoring.
The PT White squad edged the PT Red by two strokes, 383-385, to claim the championship trophy in the Class AAA division.
South Fayette took third with a 416 score. Canon-McMillan finished fourth at 434.
Bentworth’s Luke Dziak earned medalist honors. He fired a two-under-par 69 to lead the Bearcats to the Class AA team title with a 417 overall.
Peters Township placed five golfers in the Top 10. Logan Shaw (72) finished fourth while Will Burkhardt tied with South Fayette’s Luke Lestini and Matthew Barrish of Carmichaels. While each shot 74s, they finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively determined by a scorecard playoff.
PT’s Parker Johnson and Joseph Piscarcik carded 75s to place eighth and ninth. Dutsin Bleiweis rounded out the Top 10, firing a 76.
Johnson, Christian Schreiber (79), Piscarcik (75), Ellian Ascencio (77), Ryan Marshall (77) and Mason Takacs comprised the PT White team.
Shaw, Burkhardt, Bleiweis, Nick Luniewski (82), Andrew Poon (81) and Cade Martin made up the PT Red squad.
The Indians have been one of the dominant golf programs in Class AAA, winning five WPIAL team titles since 2004 and competing in 14 of the last 15 championship matches. Peters Township finished runner-up to Central Catholic, five strokes off the winning pace, 386-391, at last year’s team championships played at Cedar Brook Golf Club, where the team finals will be played again in mid-October.
Johnson and Piscarcik were among the top scorers on that team last season for the Indians, who graduated Hunter Bruce. The former WPIAL individual champion is now golfing at Penn State University.
Meanwhile, James Cavrak (78), Milena Iafrate (87), Colby Geary (89) and Caroline McConnell (89) completed the scoring for South Fayette. Alec Goldstrom also competed for the Lions.
Helping Canon-McMillan to its Top 4 showing in the team standings were: Colin McKinney, Jamie Rush, Grant Zeszutek, Kamden Martin, Jude O’Bryan and Cameron Bunner.
The WPIAL Class AAA boys’ individual championships return to Oakmont Country Club after a one-year hiatus. The finals will be held Oct. 2. The WPIAL girls’ golf individual championships are scheduled for Oct. 3 at Diamond Run. The team and individual state championships will be held Oct. 22-24 at a course to be determined by the PIAA.