A year ago, temperatures for the 3-day PIAA State Golf Championships held at Penn State’s Blue and White courses south of University Park were in the low 80s – truly unseasonably mild weather which was way above normal. At the 2025 championships October 20-22, things got back to about normal with temperatures in the upper 40s and winds funneling out of the west with gusts over 35 mph. Despite the near wintry conditions, players shot plenty of scores in the upper 60s and low 70s, which stands as a testament to the quality of play for high school players in recent years. The trend continues to see scores lower, and the shot-making ability increase every year, it seems.
The first two days of competition featured the individual championships – a 36-hole stroke play event. Class AA played on the White Course, which features open, rolling terrain where tee shots face little danger. Built in 1922 by Willie Park with views of golden-hued Mount Nittany in the background, the golf course also features small greens well bunkered that place a premium on precise short-iron shots. Given the windy conditions, poorly struck golf shots went wayward rather easily.
In the Class AA girls’ tournament, Trinity’s Veronica Maddux finished 17th with a 36-hole total of 162. On the boys’ draw, York Catholic’s Tyler Salko finished tied for 64th with a 168 total.
Both the Trinity girls’ and the York Catholic boys’ competed in the 18-hole team championships October 22 on what was a very windy and cold Happy Valley autumn day.
The Fighting Irish finished 7th with a team score of 315, +27. The Trinity girls were in the hunt to capture the school’s first ever PIAA state championship, trailing by only 4 shots heading into the back nine. But a tough stretch early on the second nine derailed the ’Rocks, who finished third with 247, +31, 10 shots off the pace of the winner, West Middlesex. Led by seniors Ella Brechbiel (captain) and Addyson Hoover, junior Claire Grindle and sophomore Veronica Maddux, it was a strong showing for a program that still remains in its infancy in its third year.
(Photos by Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)
By Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness
