PIAA Golf: Introducing the 2024 Sentinel-area championship field

The 2024 high school golf season has reached its final stage.

The PIAA championships tee off from Penn States Blue and White Courses in State College Monday and run through Wednesday. The individual tournament consists of a 36-hole format Monday and Tuesday while the team competition bookends the action Wednesday.

Six Sentinel-area golfers have qualified for this year's individual championships. The Cumberland Valley and Trinity girls will also participate in the team tournament.

Below is a look at the local field ahead of Monday's proceedings.

Fenton's final waltz

Cumberland Valley senior Megan Fenton is the seasoned veteran of the local contingent, making her third consecutive PIAA Class 3A tournament appearance.

Fenton recorded improvement from her sophomore and junior entries, shooting a two-day 165 strokes (81 and 84) last fall compared to a 176 two years ago. The CV ace's 2024 postseason has included repeat Mid-Penn gold and a tie for seventh finish at the District 3 championships. She carded a 2-over par 74 at the conference circuit before firing an 83 and a 76 in her final district dance.

Callie Will and Emma Leo will join Fenton for the team competition. The pair missed the first-round cut at districts, settling for a 99 and a 106.

Rengen's return

Mechanicsburg's Zach Rengen is the other local with state championships experience. The Wildcat senior advanced to State College as a junior, registering rounds of 81 and 76 for a two-day 157 and a t-54 mark.

Rengen's PIAA qualification walked the District 3 tight rope the last two years. As a junior, he grabbed the second-to-last state spot after tying for 17th and shooting a two-day 152. Last week, he bogeyed his last four holes at Honey Run Golf Club in York to weather a 76-79 performance and snatch one of the final four PIAA bids.

The Mechanicsburg standout has the tools to go low at states, having secured bronze at the Mid-Penn championships earlier this month. He had an even-par 72 for the second straight year.

History heads to Happy Valley

With their PIAA tickets punched, Red Land junior Aiden French and Shippensburg freshman Kaydee Beckenbaugh etched history in their programs.

French is the first golfer in head coach Jevon Ford's 15-year tenure to qualify for the state tournament. The Patriot ace completed a 74-78 District 3 3A run after penciling a 79 at Mid-Penns.

Beckenbaugh became the first female golfer in Greyhound history to reach states. She continues to excel in her debut season, tying for fourth at districts behind a two-day 155 and winning silver at the conference championships with an 82.

Satisfied Samelko

CV's Trent Samelko fell a stroke shy of the PIAA cut line in 2023. Come Saturday at Honey Run, the senior booked his State College flight with a two-day 150 (71 and 79).

Monday will be Samelko's first attempt at the state turn but his familiarity with the Penn State links could rocket him atop the leaderboard. Samelko soared to a 3-under 69 at the season-opening Happy Valley Invite in August.

His postseason also featured a fifth-place medal and a round of 74 at Mid-Penns.

Grindle tackles 2A

Trinity's Claire Grindle is the lone Sentinel-area representative in Class 2A. She stamped her state berth with a two-day 181 at the District 3 championships, signaturing rounds of 92 and 89 for fourth place.

Grindle rose from the regular-season shadows to deliver her postseason statement. The Shamrock sophomore compiled a 91.1 average across six matches, logging season-best 89s at Range End Sept. 9 and Rich Valley Sept. 16. She also posted a 103 at the conference track.

Teammates Veronica Maddux and Addyson Hoover will meet Grindle at Penn State Wednesday for the team tournament. Maddux finished sixth at the district tournament (186) while Hoover missed the opening-round cut.

Christian Eby is a sports reporter for The Sentinel and cumberlink.com . Love