Sep 22, 2021 3 min read

BELLE VERNON — South Fayette’s Marissa Malosh was medalist with 1-under 70 Wednesday afternoon in the WPIAL Section 2-AAA Qualifier held on Cedarbrook Golf Course’s Red course.

Teammates Caroline McConnell (74) and Ally Brennan (88) also qualified, along with Laurel Highlands’ Megan Joyce (74), Uniontown’s Adena Rugola (79), Belle Vernon’s Adreana Scaramucci (84), Mt. Lebanon’s Lindsey Powanda (71) and Natalie Boyd (87), Upper St. Clair’s Bridget Boal (88), Peters Township’s Allison Poon (71), Delaney Kern (72) and Brooke Vowcheck (86), and Oakland Catholic’s Grace Windfelder (83) and Paige Meyers (86).

The WPIAL Girls Class AAA Individual Golf Championship will be played on Oct. 7 at Hannastown Country Club.

McConnell, the defending silver medalist, qualified for her fourth district championship.

“I just played the course. My scrambling was pretty good,” said McConnell. “I had two birdies and just a couple bogeys on the back.”

McConnell went out in 33, but fell to 41 on the back nine.

“One bad swing got me in trouble (on the back nine),” said McConnell. “I was putting well. I saved myself five, six strokes.

“I was confident in my putting today.”

That confidence in her putter helped her to save par on No. 6.

“I dunked in the water, but I made the putt for par,” said McConnell.

Kern also qualified for her fourth WPIAL Championship. She tied for fifth last year, but lost the playoff to advance to the state final.

“I wanted to keep it in play and make some putts. I had a few tap-ins,” said Kern. “I had two birdies and no double bogeys, but I was close.

“I tried to play my own game.”

Kern said she was pretty effective from within 100 yards.

“I hit my 75-yard gap wedge shot on almost every hole,” said Kern. “I drove the first par-4. That gave me confidence.”

Scaramucci is making her first trip to the championship.

Scaramucci had a tough start when she hit her tee shot on the No. 3, a par-3, into the water.

“That was my only double bogey on the front,” said Scaramucci.

Scaramucci closed out the front nine strong with pars on Nos. 6, 8 and 9.

“I banged home an uphill putt on No. 6 for par,” said Scaramucci. “I shot 41 on the front, so I had a feeling I’d be okay on the back.”

Scaramucci shot 39 in Tuesday’s match against Laurel Highlands, and felt she was able to carry some momentum into the qualifier.

“I had a lot of confidence coming into today,” said Scaramucci. “I wanted to go have fun. I liked the group of girls I played with.”

Scaramucci hopes the district final isn’t her last individual tournament of the season.

“That would be nice. Obviously, I’ll try,” Scaramucci said of advancing to the state final.

Ringgold’s Kendyl Seibert missed the cut with 97.

“I think something is wrong with my swing. I tried to figure it out,” said Seibert. “The one thing with my swing, it spiraled into topping and chunking.

“Then, everything went downhill.”

Seibert said she started to do the math on the back nine.

“Around 14 or 15, I started adding them up and said, ‘Oh no’,” said Seibert.

Section 1-AA qualifier — Greensburg Central Catholic’s Meghan Zambruno was medalist at Pleasant Valley Golf Club with 4-over 75 to earn a return trip to the WPIAL Class AA Championship.

Geibel Catholic’s Claire Konieczny finished with 12-over 83 and McGuffey’s Faith Chapman shot 15-over 86 to also earn berths into the district final.