STATE COLLEGE — West Middlesex golfer Kate Sowers willingly engaged with fellow players, fans and media after Tuesday’s final round of the PIAA tournament.
The junior neither looked nor sounded like someone denied a state title because of a penalty shot.
An 18th hole penalty shot.
Sowers and Madison Koshko of St. Joseph’s Academy were tied atop the Class 2A girls leaderboard at 3-under par when they approached the par-5, 432-yard closing hole for Penn State University’s Blue Course.
Several dozen fans gathered around its green in anticipation of the title being determined there or, if needed, through a playoff.
The victor was determined before either scenario.
While Koshko cleared two fairway ponds with her drive, Sowers watched hers splash into the left one. The ensuing penalty shot ultimately resulted in her double-bogey seven.
Koshko’s birdie four on that same hole left her at 4-under 140, good for a two-stroke victory over District 10’s champion.
“I wanted to keep the (tee shot) left,” Sowers said, “but not that. It wasn’t just that hole, though. I missed some birdie putts on other holes too.
“I played well all day. I’m disappointed, but I know I can still come back here next year.”
Had Sowers prevailed, she would have become the district’s first female state titlist who wasn’t a Swan sister.
North East graduates Lydia Swan (2019) and Anna Swan (2023) were PIAA 2A champs the years they won. Each currently compete for Oral Roberts University’s Division I women’s golf team in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
More: District 10 golf, girls volleyball, tennis and more results for the week of Oct. 21-26
‘Being in that mode’
Sowers and Koshko separated themselves from the rest of Wednesday’s contenders during their back nines. So much so, they were the only 2A girls who finished with red numbers.
Koshko mentioned two personal plusses as her de facto match play against Sowers progressed.
First, the junior was extremely familiar with Penn State’s adjacent 18-hole courses.
St. Joseph’s is located in Boalsburg, which is nearly an eastern suburb of State College. That’s permitted her to regularly play Penn State’s courses during summer weekends.
Second, though, was Koshko’s blissful ignorance of her situation as Tuesday’s round wound down.
“Honestly, I didn’t know our scores,” she said. “I did know she was making some birdies, but I was just trying to focus on my own game.
“It was intense out there, but it was fun. And I like being in that mode.”
Olivia Koshko, Madison’s younger sister, also medaled. The freshman, at 12-over 156, was part of a five-way tie for ninth.
District’s other honorees
The top 10 golfers and ties in each of the tournament’s four divisions received state medals. Besides Sowers, Fairview’s Cora Hirz (fifth at 5-over 149) and Grove City’s Zoe Stern and Hickory’s Luciana Masters (tied for sixth at 9-over 153) also were awarded.
Wilmington’s Santino Toscano was the tournament’s only other district medalist outside the 2A girls field.
Toscano’s, the district’s small-school boys titlist, finished in a three-way tie for ninth among the 2A boys. The sophomore, highlighted by an opening round of 1-under 71, posted a score of 2-over 146.
“All in all, this was really fun,” Toscano said. “The weather was way better than I thought it was going to be. The fairways were very hard, so you were getting a lot more (roll).”
Fairview junior Anthony LaBoda, another player in Toscano’s group Tuesday, finished in a tie for 14th at 4-over 148.Saegertown freshman Mason Gjovik, at 3-over 147, finished one stroke shy of the medal cut.
Conn’s comments
The district was limited to three total players in the tournament’s large-school fields, which included Fort LeBoeuf’s Cassidy Conn as the lone female at State College. The sophomore competed on Penn State’s White Course.
Conn, who won the district tournament, went 87-86-173 for her state debut. She confessed to first-time jitters while simultaneously relishing the two-day experience.
“I was fine warming up each day,” Conn said, “but I couldn’t translate that to the course. I hope I can (qualify) again next year and do way better.”
Meadville freshmen Luke Ferry and Patrick Mahoney represented the district in the 3A boys field.
Ferry, son of Country Club of Meadville professional Mike Ferry, finished at 7-over 151. Mahoney was 11-over 155 for his PIAA debut.
Tigers talk team title
Hirz has a chance to have a second state medal hung around her neck before returning to Fairview’s campus. The junior will be the Tigers’ No. 1 starter when they tee off for Wednesday’s one-round PIAA team tournament.
Play begins at 9 a.m., with Fairview the favorite in the 2A girls division. The Tigers won the district meet when their top three golfers combined for a low score of 239.
“We are very excited for this,” Hirz said. “We’ve been working all year and want this payoff. Whatever happens (Wednesday), we’re going to have fun.”
Hickory, which finished seven strokes back of Fairview at districts, still qualfiied with an at-large berth.
The Hornets, though, are no long shot. They are, in fact, the state’s three-time defending champs.
Hickory would make unprecedented history if it prevails. No golf program, male or female, has ever won four consecutive PIAA team golf titles since such state play started in 2006.
Cathedral Prep (311), led by individual state qualifiers Cooper Wierzchowski and Connor Laird, and Saegertown (319), paced by Gjovik, are seeded second and third in Wednesday’s 2A boys standings.
District 6 West Shamokin (298) is the favorite.
The McDowell Trojans will drive, chip and putt in the 3A girls competition. The district will be absent a 3A boys team, as Meadville was eliminated in an earlier state subregion tournament.
Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcoppper.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: West Middlesex golfer Kate Sowers second in PIAA 2A girls golf
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