Oct 12, 2021 3 min read

AVELLA – Nothing emphasizes teamwork the way the WPIAL Team Golf Tournament does.

Every score, no matter how low or high, matters.

That’s why Carmichaels and Waynesburg should have been able to celebrate en mass Tuesday at Indian Run Golf Course.

The Mikes shot a collective 402, just 17 strokes behind first-place Quaker Valley, and Waynesburg came in third with a 417, just 16 strokes ahead of Northgate/Avonworth.

The top three teams advanced from these semifinals to the team finals Thursday at Cedarbrook Golf Club’s Gold Course.

“It’s tough to get through this thing,” said Carmichaels head coach Dave Briggs. “I’ve had a lot of section champions (teams) that didn’t get through. Last year, we got through with a lot of these same guys. We were third here but third in the WPIAL. We were hoping to do as good or better this year.”

Carmichaels, which defeated Waynesburg by 10 strokes at home and by the same amount on the road during the regular season, was led by Dustin Hastings, who shot 77 over the par-71 5,812-yard course.

Rolin Burghy fired a 78, Mason Lapana 80 and Liam Lohr had an 82.

“I used to be a member here back in the day,” Briggs said. “You still have to go out and hit shots.

“We ranged from 77 to 85 and that’s what you needed to get through.”

This was the first time in at least four years that Waynesburg made it to the finals. Dawson Fowler led the way with a 78, followed by Matt Ankrom’s 80 and Evan Davis’ 81.

“We have six guys who have been playing a lot of golf this year,” said Waynesburg head coach Jamie Moore. “Even though we haven’t seen some of these teams, we see who got to the individual finals. So we felt we had a good chance of finishing in the top three. Quaker Valley is always good and Carmichaels is a good team. But we felt we had a good chance.”

Moore said the odd thing about the Raiders is the placement.

“The weird thing about our team is that we have five or six guys and on any given day, the No. 1 guy could be the No. 5 guy and the No. 5 guy could be the No. 1 guy,” said Moore. “Dawson Fowler shot a 78 and that’s a good round anywhere. He really came up big for us.”

Making her final round of scholastic golf was Faith Chapman, a senior at McGuffey, shot 43-43-86, good enough for third on the team. McGuffey finished seventh at 455. Kaleb Hancher led the Highlanders with an 82.

“Both of my brothers (Colin and David) played golf so I think golf runs in my family,” said Chapman. “I don’t think I’m going to play golf in college. I’m going to major in music. I play the piano, I’m in percussion and I’m in the choir.”

Chapman thought the course fit her game.

“There weren’t too many holes I got in trouble on,” said Chapman. “I think I handled myself decently.”

McGuffey head coach Jeff Deems also took his final laps around the course. He is retiring after the season.

In Class AAA, Peters Township advanced to the finals by placing third at The Links at Spring Church in Apollo. The Indians shot 398. Fox Chapel (387) won with Mars (297) a stroke ahead of PT.

Belle Vernon placed sixth at Beaver Valley Golf Club and did not advance.