Upper St. Clair golfers growing into WPIAL contenders
Todd Flynn doesn’t count the wins and losses. He doesn’t tally the seasons, records or years he’s accumulated as Upper St. Clair boys golf coach.
“The most important thing to me is watching my golfers grow as young men,” he said.
Flynn was delighted last week as his Panthers matured a great deal during their triumph last week over rival Peters Township in Section 7-AAA action.
“Against Peters, I watched that,” he said. “We started slowly, but the thing was they did not quit. They kept grinding. Yes, the win is important, but these kids grew. We’ve tried to start something here, and we want to keep a good thing going.”
Flynn certainly has kept the Panthers going. He retired on top in 2013 after Grant Engle won an individual state championship, along with the Panthers as a team. Flynn returned to the helm of the program two years ago.
Flynn has high hopes for his team in 2019, despite the fact his Panthers have not qualified for the WPIAL playoffs since 2017.
“Obviously, the goal for the season is to win a state championship,” he said.
At St. Clair Country Club Sept. 3, the Panthers took a big step toward that aim. They established themselves as a contender when they upended the Indians. Against the perennial WPIAL finalist, USC tied PT in regulation, 189-189, then won a two-hole playoff, 18-20, to seal the section victory.
Nathan Piatt and Scott Jordan, who played the extra holes, shot 37s to pace the Panthers.
“We chose Nathan and Scott to go out for the playoff, and they were very determined,” Flynn said.
Alex Jones, Keith Kerber and Jack Urban were determined too. In regulation, Jones and Kerber shot 38s and Urban added a 39 to complete USC’s card.
Ellian Ascencio shot 1-under-par (33) to lead the Indians. Nick Luniewski and Andrew Poon followed with 37s.
The Panthers have remained undefeated in the league thanks also to the play of Chand Vadalia, Luke McDonald and Ethan Rocks, USC’s lone sophomore.
“I came back to coaching on an interim basis,” Flynn said, “and here I am three years later. The reason is because my kids are such nice, sweet good guys. As a coach, I am going to remember what they did off the golf course long after I recall our win/loss record.”
USC’s Birdies For A Cause makes Flynn most proud.
Without any prodding, the golfers decided to raise funds for worthy causes by the number of birdies they record during the season. This year, donations are being made to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
“That’s just an example of how special these kids are,” Flynn said. “They are great kids and do good work.”
The Panthers are showing signs of maturing into a championship club. Piatt, the senior captain, Urban and Jordan, both juniors, have been on varsity since their freshmen years. Jones was on JV for the last two years.
“Experience has been the secret to our success and the fact that they all are close friends,” Flynn said. “They spend so much time together. They lean on each other, support each other, and help each other on the course. And that gets back to the other fact that they are growing up.”
Once they totally mature, the Panthers will be together long after their playing days.
“That’s the beauty of what I see from these kids,” Flynn said. “Ten to 15 years from now they will still be close friends.”
Successful citizens, too, added Flynn. He noted how golfers such as Thomas Steve is working in finance in Chicago after graduating from Notre Dame and that Engle, too, is a success after playing at Ohio University.
“It’s great to watch these kids develop over the years,” Flynn said. “I have coached young kids who have gone on to get amazing degrees and are now doctors and lawyers. When I left coaching, I thought it was a great time to leave. But, it’s also a great time to be back.”
Now, Flynn wants to take the Panthers to heights they have not experienced since 2013.
USC must get through the second half of the season, which includes a rematch with Peters Township at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at Valley Brook Country Club.
“One step at a time,” Flynn said.
Flynn sticks by a simple coaching philosophy.
“We need to take care of the little things, control what we can,” he said. “We’ll go as far as our brains take us. And that means playing smart golf, which to me is team golf.”
The Panthers take a break from the team aspect of golf when they participate in the first leg of the competition for the WPIAL individual championships. USC will host the sectional Sept. 16 at Lindenwood Golf Club.
Flynn has high hopes for his golfers.
“As a coach, I’d love to see all six of them get through,” he said. “Each one of them has a chance to get through the first round.”
USC downs C-M: The Panthers defeated Canon-McMillan as Piatt (31), Jordan (34), Kerber (37), Urban (37) and Vadalia (39) led the attack.
PT wins two: Peters Township defeated Thomas Jefferson, 206-219, Trinity, 195-228, and South Fayette, 209-220, in Section 7-AAA golf. All the matches were played on PT’s Par 36 course at Valley Brook Country Club. With the wins, the Indians improved to 7-2 overall and 4-1 in the division.
PT girls beat SF: Peters Township defeated South Fayette, 165-200 in a girls match played at Hickory Heights Golf Club.
PT’s Ella McRoberts tied SF’s Caroline McConnell for medalist honors. Both recorded 39 scores.
Delaney Kern and Allison Poon supplied scores of 40 and 45, enabling the Indians to post the victory.
In follow-up action, the Indians edged Upper St. Clair, 158-159, at St. Clair Country Club.
Poon paced Peters with a 36 followed by a 39 from McRoberts. Delaney Kern and Morgan Byers carded 41 and 42.
For the Panthers, Mary Gronniger led with a 36. Sara Steve, Tori Slagle and Sarah Ecker all shot 41s.