Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) established its fields for the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Golf Team Championships on Wednesday, with 13 teams qualifying by finishing inside the top two, including ties, of their respective sections following the regular season.
Teams competed in four different sections in Class 3A and two different sections in Class 2A, and played each of their section opponents twice. All qualifying teams advanced to the championship round.
In Class 3A, section champions included Pine-Richland (12-1, 11-1) in Section I, Peters Township (12-0, 12-0) in Section II, and Fox Chapel (17-2, 11-1) in Section IV. Elizabeth Forward (13-1, 11-1) and Franklin Regional (12-2, 11-1) shared the top spot for Section III. Fox Chapel has now won or shared a section championship in seven consecutive seasons, while it is six straight for Franklin Regional and Peters Township. Pine-Richland’s title in Section I is its first since 2016.
Emerging as section champions in Class 2A were Greensburg Central Catholic (9-1, 9-1) in Section I and Shady Side Academy (13-3, 13-1) in Section II. Greensburg Central Catholic has now won or shared nine straight section championships, while it is the second in three years for Shady Side Academy.
Last season, Peters Township registered a 322 (+38) to win its third WPIAL championship in four seasons, besting Seneca Valley by 29 strokes for Class 3A. Greensburg Central Catholic won its ninth straight Class 2A crown, recording a score of 379 (+95) to top runners-up Central Valley and Mt. Pleasant by 24 strokes.
The WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Girls’ Golf Team Championships will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10 at Cedarbrook Red Golf Course. The two WPIAL champions will move onto the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Girls’ Golf Team Championships, which will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at Penn State Golf Courses.
CHAMPIONSHIP CAPSULE
Championship Date & Location: Oct. 10 at Cedarbrook Red Golf Course
Class 3A Qualifiers: 9 (Armstrong, Elizabeth Forward, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Moon, North Allegheny, Peters Township, Pine-Richland, Upper St. Clair)
Class 2A Qualifiers: 4 (Greensburg Central Catholic, Mt. Pleasant, North Catholic, Shady Side Academy)
Reigning Class 3A Champion: Peters Township – 322 (+38)
Reigning Class 2A Champion: Greensburg Central Catholic – 379 (+95)
BY THE NUMBERS
- 1975: The first season that the WPIAL held a girls’ golf team championship, which was won by Blackhawk.
- 17: The number of WPIAL girls’ golf team championships won by Upper St. Clair, a league record. The Panthers won in 1981, 1982, 1985, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2019.
- 12: The number of schools who have boasted at least one WPIAL girls’ golf team champion.
- 12: The longest streak of consecutive WPIAL girls’ golf team championships, which was accomplished by Upper St. Clair. The Panthers’ record lasted from 1994 to 2005.
- 9: The number of teams in the 2024 fields that qualified for the WPIAL Girls’ Golf Team Championships last season.
- 9: The longest active streak of consecutive WPIAL girls’ golf team championships, held by Greensburg Central Catholic. The Centurions have reigned over Class 2A since 2015.
- 1: The number of times since 1997 that a playoff was needed to determine the WPIAL girls’ golf team champion. In 2005, Upper St. Clair topped Peters Township in a one-hole playoff for the Class 3A crown after both teams recorded totals of 356 (+72).
CLASS 3A SECTION CHAMPIONS
Section I: Pine-Richland (12-1, 11-1)
Section II: Peters Township (13-0, 12-0)
Section III: Elizabeth Forward (13-1, 11-1); Franklin Regional (12-2, 11-1)
Section IV: Fox Chapel (17-3, 11-1)
CLASS 2A SECTION CHAMPIONS
Section I: Greensburg Central Catholic (9-1, 9-1)
Section II: Shady Side Academy (13-3, 13-1)
#WPIAL