Upper St. Clair girls complete successful golf season
Upper St. Clair took a huge step toward regaining its spot in WPIAL girls’ golf history when the Panthers completed a successful season with a third-place showing during the district championships held Oct. 12 at Cedar Brook Golf Course in Belle Vernon.
USC, which has claimed a record 15 WPIAL titles in girls’ golf, the last coming in 2005, shot 366 to finish behind North Allegheny (315) and runner-up Fox Chapel (357). For the Tigers, it was their third straight championship and ninth overall.
The third-place showing for the Panthers capped a regular season that featured the team’s first section title since 2013.
“I am very proud of our team,” said USC coach Michael Cuscino. “This is the first time that any of the girls have been on a team that has won the section and it is also my first title as the coach. I am also proud of the girls because each of them has lowered their scoring average since last year and that’s all you can ask for as a coach.”
During the WPIAL finals, Sara Steve led the way. The sophomore carded an 84 from the 18-hole, 5,200-yard course. Senior Meredith Engel and sophomore Mary Groninger followed with 93.
For the season, Groninger and Steve shared low-score averages of 42 while Engel and Sarah Eccher, another sophomore, finished with 46 averages for nine holes. Junior Caroline Hendrix rounds out USC’s top five with a 48 average.
Sophomores Gabi Spina and Lauren Lieberman and freshman Caroline Wright complete the varsity squad.
Cuscino cited “determination” as USC’s secret for success. Every time the girls picked up a golf club, they wanted to get better, he said.
“I told the team that golf is a mentally challenging sport,” he said. “You are not always going to hit great shots so you have to learn how to accept the bad shots and just focus on getting a little better each time.”
USC’s junior varsity squad, coached by Katy Loomis, also improved each time it hit the links. The team posted a 6-0 record.
“It was a very successful season,” Cuscino said. “I am very proud of all the girls for their hard work this season and I look forward to what next year brings,” he added enthusiastically.