Rugola shares 6th place in PIAA golf championship
Uniontown senior Adena Rugola closed her high school career Tuesday with a state medal after placing in the top 10 in the PIAA Girls Class AAA Individual Golf Championship played at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York.
Rugola finished in a four-way tie for sixth place with a score of 5-over 77. Mount Saint Joseph’s Caroline Gola, Peters Twp.’s Allison Poon and Downingtown East’s Mia Pace also finished with 77.
“It was a good round. I could not putt, though. I had only one one-putt of the day on No. 15, my sixth hole,” said Rugola. “I missed a two-footer for birdie on No. 11, my second hole. I had a few three-putts. I missed three putts within five feet. I left a lot of shots, probably five or six, on the course.
“My driver wasn’t 100 percent, except on the last hole.”
Rugola opened play on No. 10 and started her second state championship round with three straight pars.
She took a double bogey-6 on her fourth hole, but settled down with three more pars.
“The double bogey hurt. My drive cost me there,” said Rugola. “I didn’t know it, but I was told my ball hit a cart and stopped under a tree. If it didn’t hit the cart, I probably would’ve rolled past the tree.
“I tried to invent an ‘Adena shot’ and hit a punch shot, and duffed it into a sand trap. I almost flew it into the water (out of the trap) behind the green. I ended up with a two-putt. I was a bad hole overall.”
Rugola bogeyed No. 17, her eighth hole, but got the stroke back with a birdie to go out in 2-over 36.
Rugola made the turn with a bogey on No. 1, but again settled in with five straight pars. She was tied for third place heading into the final three holes.
However, she slipped down the leaderboard with bogeys on her 16th and 18th holes to play her back nine in 3-over 39.
“The drive on No. 16 was a difficult hole in the mental part of it. I don’t know how I didn’t go into the red stakes,” said Rugola.
Despite faltering a bit down the stretch, Rugola was pleased with the way she played in her final 18 holes of high school golf.
“I actually would’ve been happy with even par. I figured a few under would win it. The weather was fantastic. It was a perfect day for golf. I knew someone would absolutely shoot under to win it,” said Rugola.
Rugola said she just wanted to enjoy the day.
“I was a little nervous, but after the first drive the nerves went away,” said Rugola. “I just wanted to have fun. Mr. Scott (Uniontown coach Aaron Scott) told to keep a smile on that face. Every time he looked at me I smiled.
“I think a little bit in my head I could’ve got top three, but I will take (sixth place), for sure.”
Lower Merion’s Sydney Yermish won the gold medal with 4-under 68. Emmaus’ Evelyn Wong took the silver medal with 1-under 71. West Chester East’s Victoria Kim won the bronze medal after finishing with 3-over 75.
Downingtown East’s Ava O’Sullivan and Central Bucks East’s Elle Lundquist tied for fourth place with 4-over 76.
Warwick’s Elle Overly and Mt. Lebanon’s Lindsey Powanda tied for 10th place with 6-over 78.
Belle Vernon’s Tyler Mocello battled to finish tied for 28th place with 7-over 78.
The senior opened his final round with a birdie, but followed with back-to-back bogeys. Mocello pulled to even with a birdie on No. 5, only to give the stroke back with a bogey on the next hole.
He closed the front nine with two bogeys to go out in 3-over 39.
Mocello carded three bogeys, one double bogey and a birdie on the back nine for 4-over 39.
Downingtown West’s Nick Gross and North Pocono’s Billy Pabst both finished at 2-under 69. Nick Gross won the playoff on the second hole for the gold medal.
Holy Ghost Prep’s Calen Sanderson won the bronze medal with 1-under 70.
West Chester Rustin’s Sam Feeney, Fox Chapel’s Eili Yofan, Penn-Trafford’s Nick Turowski and Dallas’ Logan Paczewski all finished at 1-over 72 to share fourth place.
Abinton Heights’ James Flickinger, Penncrest’s Eli Shah, West Chester Rustin’s Ryan D’Ariano and Central Catholic’s Rocco Salvitti tied for eight place with 2-over 73.