The top golfers in the WPIAL will be challenging each other, the golf course and, maybe, the elements over the next two days.

The WPIAL Boys Golf Championship takes place today at Butler Country Club, with 48 golfers looking to be among the top 24 to advance to the PIAA West qualifier Oct. 21 at Tom's Run Golf Course in Blairsville.

"It's supposed to be rainy with high winds," Freeport coach Dave Panach said of today's forecast. "The best golfers will be out playing late in the day when it might be sunny and calmer. That could be a factor."

The top 16 golfers in today's 18-hole event will be medalists. Four Butler County golfers are among the field. Three of them — Jason Fitzpatrick of Mars, Zach McQueen of Freeport and Blake Henderson of Seneca Valley — will play in the same group.

The trio were scheduled to tee off at 9:16 this morning. Christian Locher of Mars had a teetime of 10:12 a.m.

The WPIAL Girls Championship is slated for Thursday at South Hills Country Club. Four Butler County players — Marissa DeCola and Mara Shingleton of Butler, and Jennifer Suder and Paige Wojdyla of Seneca Valley — are among the field of 24 for that event.

Looking at the boys event, Henderson played the front nine at BCC Tuesday. He shot a 39 in the Raiders' 201-209 team victory over Butler.

"Blake is familiar with the front nine at Butler, but he's never played the back," Seneca Valley coach Steve Mayes said. "I rode around the back on a cart (Tuesday) trying to do some scouting for him.

"Butler Country Club has been very gracious and accommodating to the kids. They allowed any of the qualifying WPIAL golfers to come up and practice over the weekend. Blake had another commitment, so he couldn't take advantage of that," he added.

Locher shot a 78 in the WPIAL semifinal round, the lowest score among Butler County golfers, and Planets coach Tim Tyler likes his attitude entering the finals.

"Christian consistently shoots in the high 70s when we play 18," Tyler said. "He got this far last year, but was playing on a banged up knee from basketball and only shot an 87.

"The weather's supposed to be nasty, so we'll see. A windy day could affect everybody."

Fitzpatrick has played the BCC course many times. He worked there over the summer, doing some caddying and working with the golf carts.

"Jason was hoping he'd qualify this year since he knows the course so well," Tyler said. "It gives him an advantage in that he's comfortable playing there."

McQueen shot a 38 in Freeport's 63-stroke victory over Apollo-Ridge Tuesday.

"Zach is so focused and locked in right now," Panach said. "He's played the Butler course many times before and he does well there. He's one of the best golfers I've had in my 20 years at Freeport.

"He knows how to control the ball. He hits a straight ball and he's consistent. He's chipping and putting well, too," the coach added.

Norwin's Jesse Doverspike had the lowest score in the WPIAL semifinals with a 71. Latrobe's Will Wears, one of three freshmen in the field, shot a 73 and is Arnold Palmer's grandson.

In the girls event, the top eight finishers medal and the top 12 advance to the Western PIAA qualifier Oct. 21, also at Tom's Run.

DeCola, a Butler sophomore who reached the state tournament last year, had the lowest score in the girls semifinal round with a 74.

DeCola also won an International Junior Golf Tour event over the weekend at Hershey Country Club, carding a two-round score of 159 and winning by three strokes over Scotland Preston of New Jersey.

"Marissa is simply a phenomenal player," Butler coach Sarah Parker said. "She has her own game. I don't need to say anything to her out there.

"She's averaging a 35 or 36 this year with a low score of 33. Mara is averaging 40 or 41 with a low of 36. I like both of their chances a lot."

Shingleton, a senior, is being recruited by Division I and II college programs.

SV's Wojdyla is in the second-to-last group to tee off Thursday. Suder will be among the first golfers on the course.

"I love the work ethic of both," Seneca Valley coach Lynn Wagner said. "Both are juniors and didn't take up the sport until just before their freshman years.

"They've come a long way in a short time."