Pictured above: Scranton Prep’s Miranda Karoscik plays from the sand on the way to her District 2 Class 2A title earlier this month. (Tony Callaio Photo)
By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
GREENFIELD TWP. – Miranda Karoscik and Gianna Cafarella had been to two Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Golf Championships as members of the Scranton Prep girls team.
Now they get to make it a three-day stay on their third appearance, playing in Monday and Tuesday’s individual tournament at Penn State before competing as part of the team Wednesday.
One week after Karoscik led the Classics to the District 2 Class 2A team championship, she won the Class 2A individual title, holding on for a one-stroke victory over her teammate.
“In the beginning of the season, I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Karoscik said, “but as it got toward the end, I knew I wanted to keep it together because I wanted to go to states individually, not just with my team.
“We’ve gone as a team for two years. I’m really excited now.”
Karoscik shot 86 Oct. 3 at Elkview Country Club to win the championship. Cafarella shot 87.
Only a playoff victory by Holy Redeemer’s Arden Brunn prevented Scranton Prep from taking all three available individual berths. Brunn beat Chloe Lynch in a one-hole playoff after each shot 92.
Cafarella, Karoscik and Lynch made up the team score last season when Scranton Prep, now a Class 2A team, finished fifth in the state in Class 3A for the second straight year.
Karoscik took an interesting route to the title with two different strong “starts.”
Beginning her round on 17, Karoscik belted a drive down the middle, reached the par-5 in two and dropped a four-foot putt for eagle.
She did not stay under par for long, however, when a triple bogey, 7 followed on 18.
“I just kind of left that behind because that was the back nine,” Karoscik said. “When I started on the front, I knew I needed to keep composed.”
Starting at the usual beginning of the course – the tournament used a shot-gun start – Karoscik put together the best nine-hole score by a Class 2A girls on either side, posting a 5-over, 41.
That gave Karoscik room to overcome double bogeys trying to navigate tough pin placements while completing the back nine.
Brunn parred the par-5 first when the players went back out for a playoff hole.
MORE DISTRICT COVERAGE
Full scoreboard: District 2 individual golf championship scores – NEPA Sports Nation.
Boys photo gallery: District 2 Boys Golf photo gallery – NEPA Sports Nation.
Girls photo gallery: District 2 Girls Golf photo gallery – NEPA Sports Nation.
Class 3A girls story: Powell takes strong game to states – NEPA Sports Nation.
Class 3A boys story: ‘Paupack’s Wortmann takes title – NEPA Sports Nation.
Class 2A boys story: Par-breaking round produced title for Wyoming Seminary’s Werner – NEPA Sports Nation.
