Sports briefs
AJGA at Southpointe
Chaemin Kim of Austin, Texas, maintained her six-stroke lead despite shooting 4-over-par 76 in the second round Wednesday in the AJGA Junior at Southpointe golf tournament.
Kim sits at even-par 144 through 36 holes. The 2022 high school graduate is looking for her second career AJGA win, and her first since 2019. The final round will be played today.
In second place in the girls division at 6-over, and shooting 4-over 76 during the second round is Ka Hei Kong of Arcadia, California. Kong notched three birdies and only one double-bogey during her round. In third place is a three-way tie at 7-over 151 including Lily Zhang of Buffalo, New York, Cynthia Zhang of Milpitas, California, and Maggie Ni of Cypress, Texas.
Leading the boys division is Quinlan Polin of Cary, North Carolina, who is at even par 144 through 36 holes. Polin is one of two juniors in the tournament to shoot under par in the second round. He carded two birdies to go with a bogey-free front nine to shoot 1-under 71. Polin will be a 2023 graduate and is trying for his first AJGA win.
Sitting in second place at 2-over is hometown junior, Rocco Salvitti of Canonsburg. Salvitti shot even-par 72 with three birdies and a bogey-free back nine. In third place is Ariihau Faana of Lake Mary, Florida, who shot 2-under 70 in the second round. Faana had five birdies.
In a tie for fourth place are Connor Ritter of East Sparta, Ohio, and Ryan Ford of Westfield, Indiana, at 6-over 150.
Cal picked 3rd in PSAC West
The California University football team was selected to finish third in the PSAC West poll released by the league office Wednesday afternoon.
The Vulcans rank third in the poll after finishing the 2019 campaign with a 7-4 overall record with three of the losses being on the road to nationally ranked teams. Cal was second in the PSAC West standings in 2019 with a 5-2 mark in division play. The 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic.
Slippery Rock is the preseason favorite in the West with four first-place votes. IUP earned three first-place votes. Cal received the remaining first-place vote and Mercyhurst was slotted in fourth place. Rounding out the predicted order of finish were Edinboro, Seton Hill, Gannon and Clarion.
In the PSAC East, Shepherd is the preseason favorite with six first-place votes, followed West Chester, Kutztown, Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Lock Haven.
The PSAC championship game will be played Nov. 13 at the site of the top team in the East standings.
Cal opens the season Sept. 2 at Fairmont State.