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Making a states-ment: Mounties embark on trip to finals

Philipsburg-Osceola golfers Brandon Singer and Chad Frank will begin play at the boys golf individual Class 2A PIAA Championship today at Heritage Hills Golf Course in York.

Both golfers will also play for the Mounties on Wednesday in the team championships on the same course.

“Our goal was to get as many through (regionals) as we could,” Philipsburg-Osceola coach Jordan Albright said. “We knew it would be tough to get all four through. I’m a math teacher, two out of four is exactly the odds since half the (regional) field make it. I feel bad for Ky (Bender) and Keegan (Soltis), who really grinded it out (but were eliminated in the PIAA Western Regional), but it will be big having Brandon and Chad down there. Brandon has played Heritage Hills before three years ago when our team was at states. Those two will get to play Sunday, Monday and Tuesday down there before the team event, which is huge.”

Singer was a freshman on a senior-heavy team in 2016 and shot a 92 on a Philipsburg-Osceola team that finished sixth in the state.

“It’s a tough setup,” Singer said. “But, you can score there. It’s not too hard.”

Frank also said playing the course prior to the team championships should help.

“Experience on a course that I have never seen before is really going to help,” Frank said. “I’m just excited for team and individual play.”

Bedford’s Jared Turner, who will also compete in Monday and Tuesday’s Class 2A individual competition, got his experience when he qualified for states as a junior last season.

Turner finished 27th in the 36-man field with a two-day score of 168, but his 82 on the second day could have been much better if he had not shot 5-over on his last two holes.

“I was just really nervous there last year,” Turner said. “I had never played there and didn’t get a practice round. Now I know what to expect, and it’s just about keeping my confidence up for two days.”

Philipsburg-Osceola won’t be the only local team competing for a state championship. The Central Cambria girls will compete for the Class 2A title on Wednesday as well.

“I just want us all to shoot our best rounds and take this as a growing opportunity,” Central Cambria’s Jaylee Sikora said. “The other girls will all be back. I’m the only senior leaving, so if they make it back next year, they’ll know exactly what to do. It will be a great learning experience.”

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