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Highlanders golfers have drive to succeed

4 min read

The boys golf program at McGuffey is one of the most decorated in school history with 12 section titles. But realignment and a young team led to struggles in recent years.

The Highlanders had a difficult time in Class AAA, but realignment placed them in a lower classification last fall. A roster filled with freshmen only won one match, but a year changed everything and that quickly became evident in 2015.

McGuffey won the TriCADA Golf Tournament in late August. The win impressed head coach Tim Kamnikar, but he still wasn’t sure what to expect with only one senior in the starting six. His golfers continued to progress, winning nine consecutive matches and they made history Monday in a Section 4-AA match.

The Highlanders (10-2, 12-4) won their first section title since 1998 with a 186-190 victory over perennial power Burgettstown.

“From the first match, I knew we were a good group,” said junior Colin Chapman, who will compete in the WPIAL Class AA Individual Championships today at Allegheny Country Club. “It was really a relief to clinch the title and it felt awesome. Burgettstown is one of the best, so it felt great to beat them.”

Chapman is joined in the starting lineup by his brother, David, a sophomore, sophomore Trent Belleville, sophomore Hunter Donahue, junior Erik Kasperowski and senior Levi West. The Chapmans moved back to the district from Ohio at the end of last school year and the rest of the group improved its averages from mid-40s to the mid-to-high 30s.

It all began over the summer when they played daily at Dogwood Hills Golf Course and learned from Brett Carman, the course’s golf professional. Kamnikar also started a youth program where players work with Carman.

The improvement was obvious.

“I didn’t expect us to be this good this quickly,” Kamnikar said. “We’ll be good for the next few years provided that they keep working. We had some growing pains, but for those kids to work hard and for it to pay dividends, it’s good to see. Golf is a sport where if you work hard, the results will show.”

They certainly have. Though Chapman is back on the course today for his first appearance at the WPIAL championships, his teammates are practicing for the team playoffs. The semifinals are Tuesday, Oct. 13 and the finals are two days later.

Chapman, whose tee time today in Sewickley is 9:32 a.m., credits his teammates.

“They’ve really pushed me and all those guys were on the course all summer working hard,” Chapman said. “I like the competition because it’s made me better. We’ve all grown close and that’s made a difference.”

Welsh approaching 4,000 yards

Beth-Center senior Tony Welsh, who entered the season with 2,818 career rushing yards, needs only 62 to reach 4,000. The 6-0, 201-pound running back has 15 touchdowns this season and 69 for his career. The Bulldogs travel to West Greene tomorrow.

Anderson picks Penn

South Fayette senior Emily Anderson will continue her basketball and academic careers at the University of Pennsylvania.

Anderson, a 6-4 center who helped the Lions reach the WPIAL Class AAA championship last season, averaged 11.8 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a junior. She also made first team on the Observer-Reporter All-District Basketball Team.

Mish and Berger commit

Canon-McMillan seniors Matt Mish and Austin Berger, who were key pieces in one of the top pitching staffs in WPIAL Class AAAA last spring, will continue their academic and baseball careers at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

The Bobcats finished last season with a 24-19-1 record and lost in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference semifinals.

McKenzie out for the season

Shai McKenzie’s return from a second ACL injury has been postponed.

After rushing for 50 yards on 13 carries in wins over Purdue and Furman, the Virginia Tech running back and Washington High School graduate was ruled out for the season Monday. He was suspended for the season opener against Ohio State stemming from an arrest in February.

One of the top recruits in the country two years ago, McKenzie tore his ACL in his senior season and again five games into his freshman season with the Hokies last fall. He tweeted Monday that he has not reinjured the ACL, but does not feel he is 100 percent yet.

He will seek a medical hardship waiver from the NCAA, so he does not lose a year of eligibility. Virginia Tech running backs coach Shane Beamer said he does not regret playing McKenzie this season.

“It wasn’t a mistake,” Virginia Tech running backs coach Shane Beamer told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “He’s been practicing well. He was cleared. Don’t know if he’s quite 100 percent.”

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