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Future bright for Peters Township golf

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Eleanor Bailey

Mason Takacs tees off on No. 10 during the WPIAL boys team championships.

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By Chris Dugan/Sports editor/dugan@observer-reporter.com

Ella McRoberts hits her way out of a bunker during WPIAL Class AAA girls team championship action at Cedarbrook Golf Club. The Peters Township junior carded an 85.

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Eleanor Bailey

Morgan Byers watches her approach shot on the No. 9 hole during the WPIAL Class AAA girls team championships.

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Eleanor Bailey

Andrew Poon uses a little body language to coax his putt into the hole during WPIAL Class AAA boys team championship action.

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Eleanor Bailey

Ellian Ascencio reacts as his putt just misses the hole during the WPIAL Class AAA boys team championships.

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Eleanor Bailey

Rocco Salvitti watches his approach shot hit the green during WPIAL Class AAA team championship action. The Central Catholic freshman hails from Canonsburg.

“Wait Until Next Year” proved the mantra of the Peters Township golf program after the WPIAL Class AAA team championships Thursday at Cedarbrook Golf Club.

The Indians took third in the girls competition with a 352 score, behind champion Upper St. Clair (340) and runner-up North Allegheny (344).

Meanwhile, the PT boys secured sixth place in the team standings with a 419 total. Fox Chapel won the title with a 386 while Upper St. Clair took second with a 398 score.

With a 3-under-par 69, Amani D’Ambrosio of Fox Chapel earned medalist honors for the boys. WPIAL champion Isabella Walter of North Allegheny earned that honor on the girls side with a 74.

While the boys graduate three seniors, the PT girls lose one 12th grader, Morgan Byers, from their starting lineup.

“The future is bright in Peters Township girls golf,” proclaimed head coach Kevin Lawrence.

He explained how the Indians didn’t even make the playoffs last year. After sharing section honors with USC, they advanced to the WPIAL team championships.

“With really a shot to win it,” Lawrence added. “We didn’t quite capitalize.”

Though the Indians didn’t submit their best performances, Lawrence said that if scores were compared, Peters Township had a chance.

Delaney Kern shot the team’s low score of 78 while Ella McRoberts posted an 85. Allison Poon and Byers finished with 92 and 97, respectively, and Maddie Weaver’s high score was tossed out.

Throughout the regular season, Lawrence noted that his No. 1 girl (McRoberts) normally is shooting 39 on nine holes then others typically follow with 42 and 42.

“Teamwork has been the key to our success,” Lawrence said. “We definitely have girls who can go low, but at the end of the day we are bringing solid scores. It’s that teamwork of bringing in a great team score and it does well for us in the long run. That is why I am excited for next year.

“I’m thrilled with what we did this year but I am excited about us moving forward.”

Coach David Kuhn, meanwhile, was less than thrilled with how his Indians performed in the boys competition. His lineup included just two seniors – Nick Luniewski, who shot an 84 and Mason Takacs, who had PT’s high score – and four juniors.

Christian Schreiber and Andre Poon each shot 81. Ellian Ascencio equaled Luniewski’s total and Logan Shaw carded an 89.

“We didn’t play well. There’s a lot of inexperience and it showed,” Kuhn said. “We’ve just got to get better. That’s the bottom line. It’s not our standard.”

The Peters Township boys have been in the WPIAL team championships for 16 of the last 17 years. Kuhn noted, “we have won our share” and the Indians have been a Top-3 team at least a dozen of those times.

“It wasn’t in the cards for us today,” he said.

“The good news is we still made it here. We’ve got a high level of expectation, like we always have. Everything we have done in the past speaks for itself but that’s over. We will reevaluate in the off season and adjust how we do things and come back hopefully better.”

Only the top teams advance to the PIAA team championships, set for Oct. 21-22 at Heritage Hills in York.

In Class AA, Greensburg Central Catholic captured the girls title with a 353 score. Sophomore twins Ella Zambruno and Meghan Zambruno led the way with 77 and 78, respectively. Sewickley Academy won on the boys side with a 406. J.B Aber was the medalist with a 71.

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