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Zambruno atop PIAA Class AA leaderboard

By Jim Downey jdowney@heraldstanard.Com 5 min read

Greensburg Central Catholic sophomore Meghan Zambruno successfully navigated her way around Heritage Hill Golf Resort Monday to stand atop the PIAA Class AA leaderboard after the first round of play.

Zambruno, who resides in Bullskin Twp., shot an opening round 3-over 75 and holds a one-stroke lead over North East’s Lydia Swan and Rockwood’s Vileska Gelpi entering today’s second and final round.

The second round of the PIAA Golf Championships will be conducted in a shotgun format beginning at 8:30 a.m. due to the day’s anticipated weather forecast.

The other local female golfers had a tougher round of golf. Uniontown’s Adena Rugola was tied for 15th in Class AAA after shooting 13-over 85. Brownsville’s Lindsay Sethman was tied for 13th in Class AA with 15-over 87, and Carmichaels’ Remmey Lohr was tied for 27th in the boys Class AA championship after she shot 14-over 85.

Zambruno managed to avoid big numbers and looks to do so over the final 18 holes.

“It actually was,” responded Zambruno when asked if her round was good as it looked on the card. “I played pretty steady. I had a lot of pars.”

Zambruno had one double bogey on a back nine par-3.

Zambruno, a sophomore, played the course in York last year so she understood how the course played.

“I knew the course was hard. I knew what I had to do. That’s an advantage,” said Zambruno.

Zambruno figures if she can put together another round as she had on the first day she’ll be in contention for the gold medal.

“Hopefully, we’ll see. It’s about keeping calm and have another good round in the 70s. I have two girls behind me at 4-over,” said Zambruno, adding, “It’s tough.”

The first round was a tale of two different sides for Rugola, with the sophomore starting on No. 10 and going out in 46. She settled down on her back nine with a 39.

“My first nine was rough,” said Rugola. “I had two double bogeys, six bogeys and a par. In that nine holes I had five 3-putts.”

Rugola managed to settle down on her back nine, making her lone birdie after she made the turn.

“I have nothing to lose. I have to play my game on the back nine,” Rugola said of her attitude. “How much worse can I get?”

Rugola had a double bogey and bogey on her back nine to go with the birdie and six pars.

Though she sits 10 strokes outside the medal-winning top five, Rugola said she will power through her final 18 holes.

“After the 85 destroyed my chance, I want to play good for my own sake, and for my coach and my dad,” said Rugola. “I know what I can do now. There’s some exceptional golfers out there.”

Lohr played in the state tournament last year, but in the girls Class AA championship.

“It’s not my best, but it’s not horrible. It’s an improvement from last year,” said Lohr, who opened with a 90 last year.

“I could not hit my driver. I pulled it right all the time, so I quit hitting my driver. I was tired of it,” continued Lohr. “Sometimes it went behind a tree and sometimes in the rough.

“I was hitting my irons good, but I had two 3-putts and one 4-putt.”

Lohr opened her round on a positive note, though.

“I birdied No. 1 and parred No. 2. Then, I had a six on No. 3,” said Lohr. “I started to get tired. That’s more shots than I normally have.”

Looking to the final round, Lohr said, “I can’t do worse. I’ll try to do the best I can. Whatever happens, happens. It’s just awesome being here with the boys.”

Though it was a bit of a lonesome round Lohr said, adding, “The girls talk to me. The boys don’t talk to me except to say nice shot.”

Sethman, a junior, is playing in her second state tournament. She had a rough opening nine (41) and an even tougher back nine (46).

“It was rough. I could’ve done better,” said Sethman. “No. 1 started great, then it went downhill after No. 5. I parred No. 5, but I lost focus, I guess. I bogeyed No. 6. I three-putted.

“Then, No. 9 got me. I put it in the water on my second shot and ended up with a six.”

She made the turn with a par, but the slide returned soon after.

“It went downhill further from there with two double bogeys,” said Sethman.

Sethman did not play a practice round.

“I’ll try to stay in my game. I didn’t play a practice round so I didn’t really know the course,” said Sethman. “Now, I know the course. I learned where not to go and the speed of the greens threw me off.

“I want to shoot lower than I shot today.”

Central York’s Carson Bacha leads the Class AAA boys at 4-under 67. Hickory’s Cam Colbert, Brandywine Heights’ Elijah Rupport and Riverside’s Skyler Fox share the boys Class AA lead at 1-over 72. Lower Merion’s Sydney Yermish holds the first-round lead in girls Class AAA championship at even-par 72.

The top 10 boys and five girls in both classes receive medals.

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