2018 GIRLS GOLF SEASON PREVIEW CAPSULES
BOYERTOWN Head coach:
sixth season Country Club Tom Koch,
Home course:
Golf Course
Home course:
Twin Ponds
Last year’s record:
3-5 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 4-5 overall.
Players to watch: Emma Hauser. Outlook: The Bears’ lineup sheet in their season-opening match against Downingtown West featured just two players — Hauser and Sydney Brensinger. Gone from last year’s squad are Savanna Haas, a District One Championship qualifier, and Natalie Stabilito, who played in the PAC Individual Championship. As the youth works its way up to varsity, Koch has confidence in the Bears. “We have a young team but look forward to each player making improvements and achieving some personal bests throughout the course of the season.”
PAC, 4-8 overall.
Seniors:
DOWNINGTOWN EAST Head coach:
sixth season. Matt Grinwis, Whitford
Last year’s record:
4-8
Players to watch: Senior: Liddie McCook; Juniors: Anisha Sonti, Katelyn Samples; Freshman: Ava O’Sullivan. Outlook: Despite the loss of five seniors from last year’s team, the Cougars will have a strong foundation to build upon with the return of McCook, who finished runnerup DOWNINGTOWN WEST Head coach:
first season.
Home course:
Country Club
Outlook:
Whitford
Last year’s record:
8-0 PAC, 9-0 overall (PAC Champions).
Players to watch: Rosie Byrne, Clara Huston, Maddie Perkins, Abby Bain. Outlook: The Whippets are a perfect 2-for-2 since the program’s inception in 2016. West hasn’t lost a league match and the two-time defending PAC champions are already off to a nice start once again this fall. They’ll look to build off last year’s run, where five players qualified for districts.
GREAT VALLEY Head coach: Last year’s record:
Owen Brown 6-2 PAC, 6-3 overall (Lost to Downingtown East in PAC playoff semifinal).
Players to watch:
Seniors: Elaine Loose, Mae Sharaf; Junior: Amanda Heins.
Heins returns as a two-time Individual District qualifier at the top of a Great Valley team that
Downingtown East’s Liddie McCook returns for her senior year after finishing runner-up at the PIAA Championships last fall. qualified for the District One Team Championships last year. “Elaine Loose and Mae Sharaf will help keep the Great Valley Girls Golf Team competitive in League and District play,” said Brown. “The girls have been recruiting some young talent to keep the Great Valley Girls golf team improving for future years.”
HATBORO-HORSHAM Head coach:
sixth season. Ron Fisher,
Last year’s record:
PAC, 2-8 overall.
1-7 Players to watch: Senior: Hailey Phillips, Katie Quigley; Juniors: Sheila Fisher, Annie Griffith, Sarah Sciubba. Outlook: After a rebuilding season in 2017, the Lady Hatters looked plenty poised to make a run back to the PAC Final Four playoffs this season with a team full of eight returners. Two-time district qualifier Phillips should be a steady rock at the top of the card with Fisher, Griffith and Quigley as steady contributors. “Sciubba appears to be on the brink of a break out season which could spark the Lady Hatters,” said Ron Fisher.
METHACTON Head coach:
fifth season Golf Course Chris Lloyd,
Home course:
Skippack
Last year’s record:
PAC, 5-3 overall.
Players to watch:
5-3
Senior: Ashley Liu; Sophomore: Riley Thomas.
Outlook: Now in its fifth year of existence, the Warriors’ girls golf program made great strides last season with its first ever berth in the PAC Final Four playoffs. Gone from that team are Emma Lawrie and Susan Schafer, though Lloyd says the team is still looking to improve. “Freshman Sarah Lawrie is a key addition to our lineup,” he noted. “Our team goal is to make the PAC Final Four and to send as many players to the PAC and District tournaments as possible.
PERKIOMEN VALLEY Head coach:
Karen Moliver, second season. Gilbertsville
Home course:
Golf Course
Last year’s record:
PAC, 0-8 overall.
Players to watch:
PHOENIXVILLE Head coach:
fifth season.
Home course:
Golf Course
0-8
Senior: Dorian Philpott; Junior: Julie Neild; Sophomore: Tori Bruno.
Outlook: The Vikings will move on following the graduation of their lone district qualifier from 2017 in Katie Pupillo. “We are a young and much improving team,” said Moliver. “Perkiomen Valley should be competitive this year and for years to come.”
Sandy Waltz, Turtle Creek
Last year’s record: 5-3 PAC, 5-4 overall (PAC Final Four playoff qualifier). Players to watch: Senior: Morgan Morris; Junior: Morgan Frampton; Freshman: Chelsea Frampton. Outlook: The Phantoms will move on following the graduation of two district qualifiers — Grace Simenson and Allison Bradley. Back for 2018, though, are Morgan Frampton and Morgan Morris, who each also qualified for districts while Chelsea Frampton will find herself right in the mix as a freshman. Phoenixville has made the PAC Final Four playoffs three straight years, and Waltz doesn’t plan for that to change. “I am confident in this girls team despite the loss of key senior players last year,” she said. “I think we will be a strong contender in the league with the addition of the underclassmen. I look forward to what the team can do this year.”
SPRING-FORD Head coach:
12th season. National. Patty Lebow,
Home course:
Linfield
Last year’s record:
PAC, 2-6 overall. 2-6
Players to watch: Seniors: Cassidy Landis, Bryce Armor, Gabby McHugh; Juniors: Amelia DiCicco, Felicity Thatcher; Sophomore: Aleena Ghanta. Outlook: The Rams return four members of last year’s team who qualified for the PAC Individual Championship last season. SpringFord, whose last winning season came back in 2012, could be a legitimate contender in 2018 with that returning experience. “We are building to be a team that can compete for a spot in the league’s Final Four,” said Lebow. “As always the league is really going to be competitive so we need to be ready to play every time we have a league match.”