PIAA Golf: Evans, Vinc, Maziekas finish strong at state tournament

Schuylkill Haven's Alan Evans warms up on the driving range Tuesday at the PIAA Golf Championships at Penn State (Photo by Aaron Schock).

STATE COLLEGE — Schuylkill Haven golf coach Aaron Schock summed up Tuesday’s performance by Schuylkill League boys’ golfers at the PIAA Golf Championships in four easy words.

“Much better day today,” he texted.

Schuylkill Haven’s Alan Evans, Tamaqua’s Sam Vinc and North Schuylkill’s Jude Maziekas can certainly agree, posting some of the best scores of the two-day, 36-hole Class AA championships at the Penn State White Course.

Evans shot an even-par 72 to finish in a three-way tie for 20th place out of 72 golfers, closing at 8-over with an 80-72—152. The junior had a very clean scorecard, with birdies on No. 16 and No. 18 and bogeys on No. 8 and No. 15.

“I thought the conditions were very hard there,” Evans said. “There were a lot of hidden breaks in the greens that I couldn’t read the past two days, but overall I’m proud of the way I battled back today after a bad Day 1.”

Vinc shot a 4-over 76, finishing with a two-day total of 9-over 77-76—153 to end in a four-way tie for 23rd place. Tuesday, the freshman birdied the par-4 No. 2 and posted bogeys on Nos. 1, 3, 4, 6 and 12.

After starting on No. 1, Vinc closed the state tournament with a 1-over 37 on the back nine and parred the last six holes.

“Overall, I played well over the two days,” Vinc said. “Weather was definitely a factor with the high winds on Day 1.

“Today, I played solid golf. Had a lot of looks for birdie but didn’t fall. Happy with my finish as a freshman, looking forward to the future.”

Maziekas, a senior, also finished strong, shooting a 3-over 75 to finish his tournament in 43rd place at 15-over with an 84-75—159. Maziekas had three birdies, on Nos. 4, 6 and 17, and six bogeys.

Among Evans, Vinc and Maziekas, none of the Schuylkill League boys’ golfers competing Tuesday in Class AA carded a double-bogey.

“The first day was not ideal conditions and I couldn’t get my swing down,” Maziekas said. “The second day I was hitting the ball a lot better and the weather was great.”

On the girls’ side, Lourdes’ junior Vivian Reiprish shot an 89 on Tuesday to finish in 23rd place out of 36 Class AA golfers with an 84-89—173.

In Class 3A, Blue Mountain’s Delaney Walborn carded an 87 to finish 33rd with an 87-87—174 on the Penn State Blue Course. The senior, a late addition to the state tournament, had a birdie on No. 4 and eight pars during her round Tuesday.

Scranton Prep’s Cole Powell won the Class AA boys’ championship at 7-under with a 68-69—137. Madison Koshko was the Class AA girls’ champion with an 8-under 68-68—136, while Mya Morgan of Elizabeth Forward captured the Class 3A title at 3-under with a 69-72—141.