PT’s Lusk, Watterson qualify for states
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Colton Lusk of Peters Township watches his shot as it approaches the hole during WPIAL Class AAA boys’ individual golf championship finals action at Valley Brook Country Club.
Colton Lusk of Peters Township watches as his putt shot fall short of the hole during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championship finals held at Valley Brook Country Club.
Photos by Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Colton Lusk of Peters Township finished in fourth place at the PIAA Class 3A Boys Golf Championships.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ryan Watterson of Peters Township pumps his fist after sinking his putt on No. 18 to finish his round of golf with a 76.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Ryan Watterson of Peters Township sinks his putt on No. 18 to finish his round of golf with a 76.
Ryan Watterson of Peters Township tees off on No. 18. He parred the hole to finish his round of 76.
Ryan Watterson of Peters Township puts his chip shot on the green on No. 17 during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championship. In the final round played at Valley Brook Country Club, Watterson shot a 76.
Sam Bishop of South Fayette focuses on putting the ball on the green during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual championship final action.
Sam Bishop of South Fayette lets his tee shot sail during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championship final action.
Nick Haught of Peters Township hits his approach shot during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championship action.
Nick Haught of Peters Township chips his way onto the green during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championship action.
Nick Haught of Peters Township tees off during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual championship final action at Valley Brook Country Club.
Tanner Mizenko of Canon-McMillan tries to coax his putt into the hole during WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual championship action. During the final round of competition, he carded an 89.
Tanner Mizenko of Canon-McMillan watches his putt on the 18th hole of the WPIAL Class AAA boys' individual golf championships.
McMURRAY – Colton Lusk and Ryan Watterson are used to playing the 6,526-yard, par-72 course at Valley Brook Country Club.
The junior duo plays it at every home match hosted by the Peters Township golf team.
Lusk and Watterson used the knowledge of the course and some solid play to advance to the state tournament after finishing in the top 14 Monday afternoon at the WPIAL Class 3A Golf Championship’s final round.
Lusk shot a 75 to finish in a tie for sixth place. He carded a 78 in the first round of the WPIAL championship last Monday at Latrobe Country Club for a two-round total of 153.
“That course was muct tighter last week, so you had to hit it much straighter, and I think it was a little longer,” Lusk said. “You have to put that behind you, but I put myself a little bit behind in the first round. I figured if I could keep saving par, then I would be fine.”
Lusk qualified for the state championship tournament last season and finished in a tie for 10th place. He is looking forward to his second trip to Penn State on Oct. 16 and 17.
“I know it will be on the blue course, and I played the blue course like four times this season,” Lusk said. “I have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done.”
Watterson entered Monday’s play in a tie for 20th place, and it appeared he wasn’t going to make the cut after shooting 5-over on the front nine and starting the 10th hole with a bogey, but he carded a 1-under-35 on the back nine to finish with a 76 and a tie for 10th with a two-round total of 157.
“I didn’t have the best start on the front nine,” Watterson said. “I know this course well, so I tried to used that to my advantage. I knew I had a chance to make up some ground on the back nine if I played well. I got hurt last year and didn’t even make the starting lineup, so to qualify for the state tournament after that makes this even more special.”
Watterson birdied the 11th hole and scored an eagle on the par-five, 575-yard 14th hole.
“Off the tee, I saw it was down-wind, so I just went for one,” Watterson said. “There is a spot over the first hump of the fairway, and if you get it there, it will take a big hop. I got it there and was in the middle of the fairway, like 240 (yards) in and I hit five-iron down there right next to the green, just chipped it up and it hit the pin and went in.”
Peters Township coach David Kuhn was happy for Lusk and Watterson but disappointed for Nick Haught, who entered the final round in a tie for eighth place but dropped to 19th after shooting 82.
“I thought they all played well,” Kuhn said. “A little rough start early, but we’re disappointed for Nick Haught. He had a rough start to the day. He really hung with it. Ryan played an incredible back nine. He took himself from out of contention and put himself back in contention. Every one has a clean slate at the state tournament.”
The good news for Haught and the other starters for Peters Township is that the Indians have qualified for the semifinals of the team tournament next Tuesday at The Links at Spring Church in Apollo. The top three teams advance to the championship Oct. 12 on Cedarbrook’s gold course in Belle Vernon.
“We have been in the final match 19 times in the last 20 years and we’ve won six of them,” Kuhn said. “We like where we are at and we like our team. We have a really high standard in what we do.”
Penn-Trafford’s Nick Turowski won the championship with a 2-under-par 70. He was even-par in the first round. Upper St. Clair’s Connor McKenzie was five shots back and Butler’s Hunter Swidzinski was eight back in third place.
South Fayette sophomore Sam Bishop finished in a tie for 14th place, but carded a bogey on the tiebreaking hole to determine the final spot for the state tournament to finish behind Plum’s Wes Lorish and Fox Chapel’s Carson Kittsley, who had a birdie and par on the playoff hole. Lorish qualified for states while Kittsley is the alternate.
The Lions have qualified for the team semifinals next Tuesday at Duck Hollow Golf Course in Uniontown.
South Fayette sophomore Brady Newman finished in a tie for 30th with a two-round total of 167.
Canon-McMillan senior Tanner Mizenko was 36th with a two-round total of 171.