Belle Vernon, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) hosted its first team championships of the 2025-26 academic year at the WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ Golf Team Championships on Thursday, Oct. 9 at Cedarbrook Gold Golf Course.

In Class 3A, it was South Fayette who took the team title after finishing runner-up in last year’s championships. This win marks the first team championship for the Lions since 2005 and their first since moving up into the 3A classification.
For the 2A championships, it was Shady Side Academy that won the title after shooting a 393 to capture their first boys’ golf team championship in school history.

CLASS 3A RECAP
South Fayette faced stiff competition in the finals, going up against North Allegheny and Fox Chapel, who both tied for second with a score of 389 (+29). That ended up being just short, as the Lions came out four strokes ahead with a final of 385 (+25). Senior Sam Bishop led the way with a team-best score of 73 (+1), with Jackson Stephens right behind at 74 (+2). Noah Nickolas (76, +4) and Hudson Vennum (78, +6) rounded out the top scorers for South Fayette, who had the most golfers shoot in the 70s during the finals.

North Allegheny, last year’s champion, tied Fox Chapel, and the tie was settled in a four-hole playoff in which the Foxes narrowly edged the Tigers. Fox Chapel junior and newly crowned WPIAL 3A Individual Boys’ Golf Champion Carson Kittsley led all golfers with a 69 (-3), while teammates Grady Johnson and David DiGregory rounded out the top scorers for the Foxes.

Franklin Regional and Moon each tied for fourth in the finals with a score of 405 (+45), while Peters Township rounded out the group with a 408 (+48).

Fox Chapel’s Kittsley posted the individual low score with a 69 (-3), followed by Bishop (73, +1), Stephens (74, +2), and North Allegheny’s Dylan Mauser (74, +2).
South Fayette will be making its first PIAA Boys’ Golf Team Championships appearance, becoming the 12th different WPIAL school to participate.

CLASS 2A RECAP
The Bulldogs were the only team in the 2A field to score in the 300s, posting a 393 (+33), which earned Shady Side Academy its first boys’ team golf championship. Junior Alex Avi led the way with a score of 71 (-1), followed by Jack Begg (78, +6) and John DiBarolomec (78, +6) to round out the top Shady Side scorers.

Elizabeth Forward narrowly edged Avonworth for runner-up honors with a final score of 407 (+47), highlighted by junior Aaron Didjunas, who led the squad with a 71 (-1). This is the second time the Indians have finished as runners-up, with the first coming in 2018.

Avonworth (410, +50) placed third, followed by last year’s champion North Catholic (412, +52), Beaver (415, +55), and Freeport (417, +57).

Didjunas and Avi recorded the classification’s lowest round with 71 (-1), followed by Freeport senior Ethan Crooks at 73 (+1). Avonworth’s Chase Hogan (74, +2) and North Catholic junior Dylan Murray (75, +3) rounded out the top scorers.

This will be the first time Shady Side Academy has qualified for the PIAA Boys’ Golf Team Championships.

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