Local roundup
Mustangs capture Section 2 golf crown Laurel Highlands overcame unfavorable playing conditions on an otherwise beautiful fall afternoon Wednesday to clinch the Division I, Section 2 boys golf championship with a 199-204 win over Belle Vernon at Duck Hollow Golf Course.
Mustangs coach Don Crawford said the greens at Duck Hollow were aerated Monday, which added a great deal of adventure to the simplest of putts.
“The greens had only a day and a half to heal, a process that normally takes about a week,” Crawford said. “Given the conditions, I thought both teams played very well.”
Still, it was the highest score for LH this season and the Leopards gave LH its closest home match score of the season.
WPIAL team playoffs begin Tuesday, Oct. 19, but the Mustangs won’t know on which course they will compete until a week from Friday. Boys team semifinals will be staged at four courses, Fort Cherry, Champion Lakes, Chippewa and Hiland. The team championship will be played two days later at Cedarbrook.
For now, though, the Mustangs will savor their section title.
“This was their aim since the middle of August,” Crawford said. This is what you strive for match after match. Last year, we took our lumps with a younger team. This year, the kids stepped up. They deserve it. They put in the hours.”
Belle Vernon’s Marcus Wilson was medallist with a 37, one stroke better than the Mustangs’ duo of Matt Hoover and Andrew Fike. LH’s other four golfers all carded a 41 to pull out the win.
Wednesday’s match was a make-up from a hurricane postponement and the teams meet again today at Willowbrook. LH closes out its section season against Uniontown Friday at 2 p.m. at Duck Hollow.
Brownsville 205, Connellsville 206 – Connellsville’s Jonathan Luczka shot a 37 at Carmichaels Golf Course for medalist honors, but Brownsville eked out a 1-stroke win in this Division I, Section 2 match.
Brownsville got 40s from Ron White and Chuck DeCarlo, a 41 from Bryce Conners and 42s from Ryan Bashour and Ron Jones to pull out the win that improved Brownsville’s record to 9-5 overall and 7-4 in section matches. Brownsville still has a shot at the last playoff spot out of the section.
Shane Cali shot a 40 for Connellsville, which fell to 5-9 overall and 5-7 in the section, and Cody Boors had a 42.
Jefferson-Morgan 218, Beth-Center 232 – Chad Kokoska shot a 40, while teammates Matt Kokoska and Zack Basinger followed at 41 to lead the Rockets (9-5, 6-3) over the Bulldogs (8-5, 6-4) in an exhibition match at Greene County Country Club.
Roger Myers led Beth-Center with a 43. The Rockets close their Division II, Section 8 schedule Tuesday at Carmichaels.
Frazier 241, Jeannette 262 – The Commodores had four golfers under 50, which was Jeannette’s best score in this Division II, Section 2 match.
Jeff Adams shot a 45 at Greensburg Country Club, while Brian Null followed at 47. Craig Miller and Mike Hatalowich each scored 49. Jeannette’s Don Binda shot 50 to lead his team.
Boys soccer
Southmoreland 2, Laurel Highlands 1 (OT) – The Mustangs played strong offensively and defensively, but came up short in this Section 1-AA battle for first place with the Scotties.
Southmoreland’s Brandon Himes scored the winner at 8:06 of the first overtime. Laurel Highlands took a 1-0 lead at 8:04 of the second half when Greg Hogan scored on an assist from Jon Michniak. The Scotties tied the score at 17:16 when David Brambrey scored an unassisted goal.
The Mustangs out-shot the Scotties, 13-9, but Southmoreland’s Adam Depta stopped 12. The Mustangs got strong goaltending from Tyler Foreman, who had seven saves.
Laurel Highlands has four section games remaining, beginning tonight at Mount Pleasant. The Mustangs still have a shot at a playoff berth, but they must win out in order to clinch.
Southmoreland is alone in first place at 9-1-1 (11-1-1 overall), while Laurel Highlands fell to 6-3-1 in the section and 8-4-1 overall.
Girls soccer
Laurel Highlands 4, Belle Vernon 0 – Emily Bota scored two goals and Laurel Highlands got a pair of unassisted goals in this shutout win. The Fillies improved to 7-5-2 overall and 6-4-2 in Section 6-AAA. Belle Vernon dropped to 7-5-0 in the section.
Alex Frankhouser opened the scoring with an unassisted goal before Bota got her first on an assist from Mindy Elias. Kate Macioce scored an unassisted goal in the second half before Bota scored again on an assist from Morgan Palya.
Girls tennis
Connellsville 3, Canon-McMillan 2 – The Lady Falcons won third singles and both doubles matches in this comeback win in Section 5-AAA. Connellsville improved to 11-4 overall and 5-4 in section matches at the expense of the 1-8 Lady Big Macs.
Megan Parsons turned the tide for Connellsville with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) win over Kaitlin Cerenzia after Lauren Hartz and Lindsey Weimer dropped the opening two singles matches.
Miranda Hughes and Amy Lucas kept it going with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Kristen Fromholzer and Melissa Alauzen in first doubles.
Amanda Stout and Kristen Pletcher got the clincher with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Suzi HoFrichter and Joyce Tan. The Lady Falcons travel to Mount Pleasant Friday for a non-section match.
Greensburg CC 5, Brownsville 0 – Brownsville’s Lady Falcons finished their season with a shutout loss to Greensburg Central Catholic. The Lady Centurions are 8-1 and still in the hunt for a playoff berth, while Brownsville ended its season at 4-7 overall and 4-6 in Section 1-AA.
Volleyball
Beth-Center 3, Charleroi 0 – Lindsey Pohill led the charge with 23 service points, as the Lady Bulldogs posted their eighth Section 5-A win of the season.
The game scores were 25-7, 25-9 and 25-14.
Jayme Stotka chipped in with 14 assists.
The win gives B-C an 8-3 record overall and an 8-2 mark in the section. Charleroi falls to 4-9 overall and 2-7 in section matches.
College baseball
Penn State-Fayette, The Eberly Campus defeated CCAC Allegheny 3-2 in an 11-inning Western Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference playoff thriller Wednesday.
The Roaring Lions broke the deadlock in the 11th inning, as Jamie Kowalczyk walked with one out, advanced as Matt Fanase was hit by a pitch and scored as Phil Gratchic hit the ball to third, where it was dropped for an error.
Penn State grabbed the early lead in the first inning, as Ryan Guthrie walked and scored on a double by Fanase, who was then knocked on a two-bagger by Ryan Gondek.
CCAC scored two unearned runs in the sixth.
Brian Dunn went the distance for the win, allowing two unearned runs and three hits, as he struck out 11 in evening his record at 2-2.
The Roaring Lions resume playoff action Friday at Westmoreland or Boyce with the time and site to be determined by the results of this afternoon’s playoff games.
Women’s volleyball
Penn State-Fayette, The Eberly Campus, ended its regular season with a 13-3 record after a 3-0 loss at Penn College in Williamsport Wednesday night.
The Lady Roaring Lions open playoff action at 1 p.m. Sunday either at Penn State-DuBois or at Penn College. Last night, coach Lora Maddas’ team fell by scores of 30-18, 30-17 and 30-22. Jamie Domer had 13 kills and six service points, while Kelly Waligora had 12 assists.