WPIAL golf championships: Freeport’s Ethan Crooks, North Catholic pair advance to PIAA tournament
Prior to Tuesday, just one Freeport boys golfer had made a PIAA Boys Golf Individual Championship in the program’s history.
Ethan Crooks doubled that number. The senior became the program’s second male golf and sixth overall to reach states after shooting a two-round total of 17-over to finish tied for 14th at the WPIAL Class 2A Boys Golf Individual Championships, which held its final at Valley Brook Country Club.
Nate Covey did so in 2022, and the last Yellowjackets girls golfer to qualify was Lillie Snow in 2023, according to head coach Joe Sprumont.
“It’s amazing,” Crooks said. “I’m really happy about it.”
Joining him at the state tournament Oct. 20-21 at the Penn State Golf Courses White Course will be North Catholic’s Eric Proie, who finished tied for 10th with a 15-over, and Christopher Faber, who tied for 12th at 16-over.
OLSH’s Jonah Schollaert won the WPIAL tile with a 1-over, shooting a 2-under in Round 1 and a 3-over in the final.
Crooks shot 12-over in the first round last week at Hillcrest Country Club but improved it by seven strokes Tuesday. Hillcrest has challenging greens that make putting tough, Crooks and Sprumont said.
“First hole (today), very first tee shot, put it down the right side” of the fairway before hitting a wedge to within 15 feet of the hole, Crooks said, “and from there I knew it was gonna be a good day.”
Crooks made the WPIAL final round last year, tying for 26th with consecutive rounds of 84.
Sprumont said Crooks averaged a 35.8 on nine-hole rounds throughout the 2025 regular season and never shot in the 40s.
“He’s had a truly outstanding season and it just seems fitting he’ll make it to states,” the coach said. “It’s very fitting that such a truly all-time great season makes it (special).”
