Malosh, Bulger Repeat as WPIAL Girls’ Golf Individual Champions

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) hosted the final rounds of its Girls’ Golf Individual Championships in the 2A and 3A classifications on Tuesday at Valley Brook Country Club. In 3A, South Fayette senior Marissa Malosh was victorious for the second consecutive year, while in 2A, Quaker Valley senior Eva Bulger became the league’s second four-time winner in league history.

Malosh is now the 14th different student-athlete to win multiple WPIAL girls’ golf individual titles, and the first to do so in 3A since North Allegheny’s Caroline Wrigley captured three straight from 2016-18. Bulger joins Hopewell’s Jodi Figley (1983-86) as the only girls’ golf student-athletes to win four consecutive titles.

LINK: 2022 WPIAL 3A Girls’ Golf Final Round Results
LINK: 2022 WPIAL 2A Girls’ Golf Final Round Results

Entering the day with a 75 (+3) following her first round at Youghiogheny Country Club, Malosh paced the 3A field with a 77 (+5) this afternoon for a two-round score of 152 (+8), ultimately winning by six strokes over Seneca Valley junior Lihini Ranaweera (158, +14). The senior collected nine pars and three birdies on the day, including a stretch of seven straight pars from the fifth to 11th holes.

Peters Township freshman Ellie Benson completed an impressive inaugural WPIAL Championships, placing third with a two-round total of 161 (+17). The top seven finishers in 3A earned qualification into the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Girls’ Golf Individual Championships, with Malosh, Ranaweera, and Benson joined by North Allegheny senior Katie Rose Rankin (163, +19), Penn Hills senior Lucy Brayton (168, +24), Seneca Valley junior Madison Sharek (168, +24), and Elizabeth Forward freshman Mya Morgan (168, +24).

Beginning with a four-stroke lead following a first round tally of 80 (+8), Bulger posted an 85 (+13) for a two-round score of 165 (+21) to edge Geibel Catholic senior Claire Konieczny (168, +24) by three strokes. The senior netted eight pars in her round to maintain the lead, improving by five strokes between the front and back nine to capture a historic fourth gold medal.

Greensburg Central Catholic junior Izabela Aigner claimed bronze with a two-round score of 169 (+25). The top nine finishers in 2A punched their tickets to the PIAA Girls’ Golf Individual Championships, with Bulger, Konieczny, and Aigner joined by Eden Christian Academy freshman Pearl Lundgren (182, +38), Shady Side Academy senior Neely Nicholson (187, +43), Freeport junior Lillie Snow (188, +44), Deer Lakes senior Anna Yourish (199, +55), Shady Side Academy senior Delaney Mulderig (201, +57), and Seneca Valley senior Kennedy Norton (204, +60). Norton defeated Bethlehem-Center senior Gianna Petersen in a playoff to claim the final PIAA spot. Petersen will serve an alternate qualifier for the PIAA Championships.

Six qualifiers across the two classifications will be returning to PIAA competition. Bulger and Konieczny have now made PIAAs in each of their four varsity seasons, while it will be the third appearance for Aigner. Malosh, Norton, and Rankin played in the 2021 championships.

The PIAA Girls’ Golf Individual Championships will consist of two rounds and is set to be held on Oct. 17-18 at Penn State Golf Courses. The 3A qualifiers will play on the White Course, and the 2A qualifiers will compete on the Blue Course.

Follow the WPIAL: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

#WPIAL