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Upper St. Clair golfers earn berths in PIAA championships

By Eleanor Bailey almanac Sports Editor ebailey@thealmanac.Net 3 min read
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Scott Jordan of Upper St. Clair connects on his tee shot during WPIAL Class AAA boys championship at South Hills Country Club.

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Carter Pitcairn tees off during the WPIAL Class AAA boys golf tournament.

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Andrew Poon of Peters Township watches his drive during WPIAL Class AAA boys individual championship at South Hills Country Club.

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Central Catholic's Rocco Salvitti of Canonsburg and Upper St. Clair's Scott Jordan watch Shady Side Academy's Adam Lauer's tee shot during the WPIAL Class AAA boys golf championship Tuesday.

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Rocco Salvitti focuses on his putt during WPIAL Class AAA championship Tuesday at South Hills Country Club. 

Upper St. Clair’s Jack Urban and Scott Jordan and Central Catholic’s Carter Pitcairn, au Upper St. Clair resident, and Rocco Salvitti, a Canonsburg native, finished in the top 10 during the WPIAL Class AAA golf championships held Oct. 6 at the South Hills Country Club in Brentwood.

As a result, each earned berths in the PIAA championships set for Oct. 20 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.

Justin Scally from Moon finished first with a 2-under-par 69. Adam Lauer from Shady Side Academy was one stroke off the winning pace.

Salvitti took the bronze medal. The Central Catholic sophomore carded a 71.

Urban followed in fourth place. The USC senior shot a 74.

Urban shot all pars except for what he called two “two blips” on the back nine.

“I’m exceptionally excited for Jack,” said Upper St. Clair coach Todd Flynn. “Jack shot a solid round. He kept the ball in play. If you don’t do that at South Hills Country Club, then you are done because the greens are so fast.”

Last year, a triple-bogey on the 17th hole knocked Urban out of contention for a PIAA berth. He has been a four-year starter and has played in every match for the Panthers in his career.

Jordan, another USC senior, finished 10th overall with a 77. He had entered the tournament as one of the favorites, having shot one of the two lowest scores in the qualifiers. He and Salvitti both posted 1-under-par 71s to tie for medalist honors in the semifinal match played Sept. 29 at Hannastown Golf Club in Greensburg.

“Scott had a bad day,” Flynn said. “It’s a shame because all season he has not shot one round over par in all his matches. Scott kept grinding though. He’s fortunate to make it.”

Jordan tied for 10th place at last year’s PIAA championships. He was the bronze medalist at in the 2019 WPIAL finals.

Flynn said Urban and Jordan have a “legitimate” shot at the PIAA title.

“Both are capable,” he said. “Their goals for the state tournament are definitely to win it.”

Though just a junior, Pitcairn tied for seventh place at the WPIAL championships. He finished with a 76.

PT places four

Four Peters Township golfer competed and placed in the WPIAL championships.

Ellian Ascencio came closest to qualifying, falling one stroke away from the target score. The senior finished 12th overall with a 6-over-par 77.

Nick Wentzel (89), Andrew Poon (90) and Christian Schreiber (91) rounded out the Top 36.

USC’s Alex Jones and Mt. Lebanon’s Niko Renton finished 20th and 34th, respectively.

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