Two- time champ battles on
Madie Smithco had to take a 15- minute break on the eighth hole of the PIAA Class 2A individual finals last year after she had a dizzy spell that clouded her vision and she became nauseous.
Having post- concussion symptoms at such a critical juncture didn’t stop her from winning her second consecutive state title.
Now, as she prepares for her senior year at North Catholic, she is still dealing with the lingering effects of the concussion nearly 18 months later.
“I still have to deal with them, but it’s easier to manage with golf, so that’s good,” Smithco said. “I still have headaches every day, but the issue I ran into at states only happens twice a month. I still get the dizzy spells a lot.”
Despite dealing with the aftereffects of her third concussion, Smithco has been a dominant force. Not only is she the two- time PIAA defending champion, she also won the WPIAL crown for the first time last year. In addition, she recently verbally committed to play collegiately at Youngstown State.
“I definitely liked the golf program, they have a very good golf program that keeps improving every year,” Smithco said. “I also have a few friends that are on the team, which is a huge deal, and the coach [ Nate Miklos] really stood out for me. He’s a real good guy and I think he could help me a lot with my game.”
One area where Smithco is looking to improve is her distance. She hits about 220 yards off the tee, so adding another 10 would help her drop a full club length on her second shot.
Still, even with college set and her concussion symptoms waning, the goal remains the same as she heads into her final season at North Catholic.
Girls
“Ultimately, I would like to try to win WPIALs and states again, but I also want to go lower than I did in the past year.” Smithco said. “I want to win, but I also want to try to go low in those tournaments this year.”
One thing Smithco won’t be able to do is win a team championship. North Catholic does not have a full girls team, so she competes with the boys throughout the regular season and into the team tournament.
Greensburg Central Catholic has won the past four team titles and will once again head into the year led by the Zambruno sisters. Last year there were three, but with Abby Zambruno gone, the reins have been passed on to sophomore twins Meghan and Ella, both of whom finished in the top 10 individually in the WPIAL last year.
Class 3A
Lindsey Powanda shot one of her best rounds of the season a year ago to finish second behind Caroline Wrigley in the WPIAL Class 3A individual finals.
This year, with Wrigley off to play at Furman, the expectations on the Mt. Lebanon sophomore as the top returning finalist are a bit higher.
“I’m excited to see what the season has in store,” Powanda said. “I know playing on the team this year will always be a lot of fun, the team comes first before the individual season. I’m looking forward to the team season.”
Mt. Lebanon got some experience in the team playoffs last year when it finished fourth, but North Allegheny put on a record- setting performance with a 298 to win its fourth consecutive title. This year, the Tigers will be without Wrigley and Christina Lewis, but should still be formidable with returning seniors Esha Vaidya and Isabella Walter leading the way.
Individually, Powanda will get pushed in her quest for a WPIAL title by several returning players. South Fayette sophomore Caroline McConnell had a great run after a tie for third in the WPIAL finals with a fourth- place showing at Heritage Hills in the state finals. Upper St. Clair senior Sara Steve also returns after a top- 10 finish at the PIAA championships.