YORK — Madie Smithco stood over her ball on the second playoff hole and tried to control her nerves.

That was easier said than done.

“My hands were shaking really bad,” Smithco said, laughing.

But the Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic sophomore was able to quell those jitters and sank her short putt to beat Vileska Gelpi of Rockwood to win the PIAA Class AA Girls Golf championship Tuesday.

It took a little longer for what she had accomplished to sink in than her putt.

“I was so happy,” said Smithco, a Cranberry Township resident who finished second last year at the PIAA championships. “I started to tear up a little.”

Her winning putt was the culmination of an up-and-down two rounds of golf at wind-swept Heritage Hills Golf Resort.

Smitcho shot a 4-over 76 in the first round and entered Tuesday's final round tied for the lead.

But Smithco struggled on the green and was two strokes back after a bogey on No. 15 Tuesday.

With her hopes at a state title dwindling, Smithco refocused and hit a second shot a foot from the hole on No. 16 and made her birdie putt.

She then shot par on the final two holes to finish with another 76 and force a playoff.

“I was really proud of myself,” Smithco said. “I was so far behind and battle back. I was very proud.”

Smithco and Gelpi were the only two girls Class AA golfers in the field who shot better than 10-over during a windy final round.

“The first day the course was set up long,” Smithco said. “It was actually easier (Tuesday), but there was so much more wind. That made it tough.”

Smithco, though, adapted and was strong striking the ball.

It bailed her out on a few holes, she said.

“My putting ... was not very good,” Smithco said, chuckling. “I had an off day for sure. But I was striking the ball so well, I kind of made up for it.”

Smithco also said she had a good mental approach.

Smithco said she played it a little safe on Tuesday.

On the two playoff holes, she continued that approach.

“I wasn't worried about what (Gelpi) was doing,” Smithco said. “I was just trying to focus on making the shot I was on and getting as close to the pin as I could.”

It worked.

On the decisive playoff hole, Smithco reached the green in three and Gelpi in four.

Smithco only needed to make her short putt to win.

And she nailed it.

It culminated a long road for Smithco to the state title that included a long season, WPIAL individual events and the state qualifier.

“It was a really difficult to get to this point,” Smithco said. “I was lucky because I put myself in a good position on the first day. I really couldn't be happier.”