This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy’s Madison Koshko fired a second-round, five-under par 67 on her way to winning the PIAA 2A girls golf championship Tuesday on the Blue Course at Penn State.
Koshko, a junior at the Boalsburg high school, shot a one-over 73 on Monday in the first round of the tournament but then came back on Tuesday with a bogie-free 67 to overtake second place Kate Sowers from West Middlesex.
Sowers entered the second day one stroke back, but, playing together with Koshko, shot a 33 on the front nine on Tuesday, tying Koshko for the lead heading into the second nine.
Sowers kept the pressure on by birdieing holes 11, 12 and 13 to move a stroke ahead with five holes to play.
Both players parred 14, 15 and 16, and when Sowers made a bogie 4 on 17, the two dramatically walked up to the par-5, 18th tee tied at 3-under par.
In the end, it would be Koshko’s day as she turned in a clutch birdie four on 18 as Sowers slipped to a bogie 6.
Koshko’s almost flawless performance in the tournament’s final round added another trophy to her case to go along with the District 6 Championship Gold she won on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Koshko’s sister, Olivia, also had a solid showing in the 2A tournament, shooting an 81-75, 156 to finish in ninth place.
Both Madison, a junior, and Olivia, a freshman, will be back next year for the Lady WolfPack.
In the 3A boys tournament, Carson Kittsley from Fox Chapel shot an eight-under 68-68 to take the championship, while State College’s Luke McGraw shot a 69-74 to finish in 19th place with a one-under 143.
Also from State College, senior Chris Warner shot a 79-83 to come in with a 162.
The 2A boys tournament was won by Nick Werner from Wyoming Seminary with a six-under, 138, two strokes better than John Curran from Devon Prep at 140.
Also in 2A boys, junior Jake Lucas shot a 91-81, 172.
Finally, the 3A girls tournament was won by junior Mya Morgan from Elizabeth Forward with a one-under 143, one stroke ahead of Rhianna Gooneratne from Plymouth-Whitemarsh.
