Mother Nature wins
Torrential downpour hinders scores in WPIAL golf semifinals
South Fayette may have gone home with the lowest team score, and Belle Vernon’s Jordan Mocello shot 3-under on the challenging course at Duck Hollow Golf Club, but the real winner was Mother Nature, as torrential downpour impacted scores in one of the semifinals of the WPIAL Class 3A Boys Team Championship on Tuesday.
The Lions’ top five of their six starters combined to shoot 386 over 18 holes on the par 72 course that measures 6,451 yards from the blue tees. Moon was second after needing 399 strokes to finish its 18 holes, and Peters Township finished in third place at 403.
South Fayette, Moon and Peters Township will play for the WPIAL Class 3A Team Championship in today’s final at Cedarbrook Golf Course in Rostraver Township. All teams are scheduled to tee off at 10 a.m.
Playing in his final high school competition for the Leopards, Mocello birdied the eighth and nine holes on the front 9 for a 1-under-par 34 at the turn. He was 2-under-par with a 37 on the back 9. Mocello had birdies on the 13th, 16th and 18th holes.
The Belle Vernon senior was the lone player to shoot under-par. Teammates Jack Edwards and Landon Vaccaro each shot an 84. Connor Bergman had an 87 and Evan Mesco a 92 for the Leopards, who had a team score of 416, which put them in a tie for sixth place with Central Catholic.
To put how the inclement weather affected Tuesday’s play, individual state qualifiers Sam Bishop and Brady Newman of South Fayette, each shot 74 in their rounds. Central Catholic’s Bailey Donahue, who qualified for the individual state tournament, finished with an 81.
“In general, the scores were higher,” Laurel Highlands coach Mike Revak said. “Obviously, the weather conditions were difficult. The course was so wet. I watched one kid, when he was taking a practice swing, the club went flying out of his hands, and that was how wet it was.
“It rained the whole time through for just about all of our players, but it’s the same course for everybody. We just didn’t play well enough today, but that doesn’t take away anything from our season. In the section, we finished 9-3, and I’m very proud of our team.
“We worked hard. Our guys were at the range, hitting balls, a lot of work inside 100 yards and short-game practice. We had a lot of commitment from a lot of players.”
The Mustangs finished with a round of 464, but Revak is encouraged by his team’s performance this year, and the team is young, as Sevi Vecchiolla was the lone senior to start for Laurel Highlands.
“I feel bad for Sevi, but he had a nice career, and he plays a lot of different sports,” Revak said. “He is going to be successful. It is a junior-heavy team, and we have a couple of young kids, too, so we should be back in it next year. It was a learning experience and a confident booster for these kids. We will work them in the spring time and get them in some summer tournaments.”
Junior Kayden Smith led the Mustangs in scoring with an 89. Fellow 11th graders Ryan Revak and Andrew Gallick shot 92 and 93 before Vecchiolla came in at 94.
Freshman Damon Revak and sophomore Mason Cicci carded 96s.
The boys Class 3A final will not be the only championship contested this morning at Cedarbrook, as the Class 2A boys team championship will be decided between Shady Side Academy, Avonworth and Beaver.
Champions will be crowned in girls Class 2A and 3A. In Class 2A, Southmoreland will attempt to look for a qualifying spot in the PIAA team tournament against Greensburg Central Catholic, North Catholic and Shady Side Academy. Eight teams will compete for the Class 3A title and a state tournament berth in Elizabeth Forward, Fox Chapel, Moon, North Allegheny, Norwin, Oakland Catholic, Peters Township and Pine-Richland.