Peters Township boys, girls wins PIAA golf title
Peters Township added an exclamation point to its historic feat during the PIAA team golf championships held Oct. 18 at Penn State University.
The Indians not only brought home the victor’s trophies in both the boys and girls divisions, they did so in record fashion.
After three consecutive runner-up performances, the Lady Indians captured the Class AAA team title by shooting a record score of 231 on the 5,201-yard, par 72 Blue Course. They edged second-place Manheim by four strokes for the championship trophy.
“We had been in state finals four years in a row, so this is kind of a relief to get over the top and finally win it,” said PT coach Mike Lacey.
“It’s exciting because we have worked the whole year for this after having been so close in the past. It was fun to watch it play out in a favor.”
By keeping up with the leaderboard by watching their phones, the Lady Indians knew they were ahead by on when Sophia Severn birdied one of the last holes to seal the victory. She finished with an 80 and led the Lady Indians with three birdies on the day.
“It’s tough because you only get one day and all it takes is one bounce here or there. Last year, the bounces went the other way and this year were were more fortunate.
“A couple of lucky bounces proves the difference because with all these teams who are the best in the state so little separates them.
“People wish you luck and really part of golf is luck,” added Lacey.
Ellie Benson led the PT girls, carding a 1-over 73, one shot off medalist honors. Brooke Vowcheck followed with a 78 after matching Benson with a 38 on the front nine.
While only the top three scores counted in the scoring, Amelia Severns and Gabby Catalogna contributed in the match. Severns finished with an 89 and Catalogna shot 100.
The Indians return all but Amelia Severns, a senior, to their lineup. So they have already set their sights on 2024.
“Our goal is to repeat as WPIAL and state champions but the teams we will face are all in the same boat. They will have their top four, too,” Lacey said.
“Nail biting,” he predicted of the finals next October. “So it will be close again.”
Meanwhile, the PT boys shot a record-tying 284 on the 6,141-yard Blue Course. That 4-under par score enabled the Indians to slip past LaSalle College, which shot a collective 286.
Colton Lusk led the way and captured medalist honors. One day after finishing four in the individual state finals, the junior carded a 7-under par 65. Lusk fired five birdies to finish the front nine with a 31. He added three more birdies on the back nine.
Griffin Hansberry followed Lusk with a 1-under 71 while Shane Williams and Nick Haught each shot 2-over 74.
Ryan Watterson, who qualified for the individual state competition, finished with a 75, but since only the top four scores were counted his was discarded.
While 2023 marks the first time the Indians won the PIAA team titles, they are no strangers to the state championships. Both have been runners-up three times.
The Lady Indians had their run from 2020 through 2022 while the boys finished second in 2008, 2009 and 2015. They were WPIAL champions during those seasons.
Earlier this month, the boys picked up their seventh district crown. The girls have four WPIAL team titles.