Oct 14, 2002 By Jim Downey 4 min read

With the individual tournaments out of the way, girls tennis and boys and girls golf now enter the team phase of the WPIAL championship schedule with the tennis playoffs beginning this afternoon, boys golf on Tuesday and the WPIAL Girls Team Golf Championship on Wednesday. The Connellsville tennis team will have to go on the road this year after opening the 2001 playoffs at home with a 3-2 win over Shady Side Academy. The Lady Falcons travel to Canon-McMillan, a former Section 5-AAA foe.

Connellsville finished second in Section 1-AAA in the Lady Falcons’ first year in the section. The Lady Falcons only lost twice in the section with both losses to section champion Latrobe.

The winner of the first round match would travel to Upper St. Clair Tuesday for a quarterfinal match. Connellsville lost to the Lady Panthers, 5-0, last year in the quarterfinals.

Brownsville was co-champion with Greensburg Central Catholic in Section 1-AA.

The Lady Falcons will host Quaker Valley, the second place team behind Sewickley Academy in Section 3-AA, at 3 p.m. today. The match is still on despite the teacher’s strike at Brownsville.

The winner of the first round match advances to the quarterfinals on Tuesday at Mt. Lebanon against the winner of Knoch-Canevin match.

“I don’t know much about the Quaker Valley girls team. I know they didn’t advance anyone in the section singles or doubles tournament,” said Brownsville coach Dan LoNigro, who is a teacher in the district. “If we can take two of three singles matches, I feel good about the match. We have good doubles teams. It’s been that way all year. Gina Pelehac is a strong No. 1 player. Christina Libertini has been coming on strong at No. 3 singles.”

When asked about the possible distraction of the strike, LoNigro said, “It’s just affecting me, not the team. I think it’s a bonus considering the weather. It’s been raining the past three days. They can get out and hit on their own.”

The Division I, Section 2 teams from Uniontown will have a long way to go to get to Thursday’s WPIAL Boys Golf Championship at Lindenwood Golf Course in Canonsburg.

Uniontown, undefeated section champ, goes to Fox Run Golf Course in Beaver Falls in one of the boys semifinal sites. The Red Raiders, Ambridge, Blackhawk, Bethel Park, Butler, Franklin Regional, Gateway, Ringgold and Shady Side Academy will play for two spots to advance to the finals.

The second place team out of the section, Laurel Highlands travels to Buffalo Valley Country Club in Freeport. The Mustangs, Fox Chapel, Hamptown, Latrobe, Moon, North Allegheny, Thomas Jefferson and Upper St. Clair will fight for the two championship berths.

The co-champions from Division I, Section 8 will stay a bit closer to home. Waynesburg Central and California split the section series, the only loss the Raiders has suffered in their five years in the section.

Waynesburg Central will be on somewhat familiar ground when the Raiders play at Duck Hollow Golf Club. The Raiders finished third in Division II last year and second in 2000. The Raiders, Bentworth, second place team in Section 2, Burgettstown, the winner of the past four Division II titles, Center, Freeport, Neshannock, Serra and Sewickley Academy will play for the two berths.

California heads to the playoffs for the second straight season after finishing second in 2001. The Trojans travel to Lincoln Hills Country Club in North Huntingdon along with Burrell, Beaver, Greensburg Central Catholic, Mohawk, Quaker Valley, South Fayette and Seton-LaSalle.

The Southmoreland girls team advanced to their first WPIAL team championship by finishing second in Section 1. The Scotties will play at Pittsburgh North Golf Course in Gibsonia on Wednesday. Bethel Park, Center, Derry, Kiski Area, North Allegheny and Upper St. Clair will play for the team title.