Kelsey Patterson has been a district golf champion. Counting this season, she has been to the regional stage three times in her career. Only one thing was missing from an otherwise remarkable careera trip to the PIAA tournament.

That all changed a week ago.

Patterson, who was one of three Emmaus golfers competing at regionals, qualified for the final spot in the state tournament by shooting a 9-over par 81 at the PIAA Class AAA Girls' East Region Golf Championships last Tuesday at Golden Oaks Golf Club.

"That's a good score for that golf course and the conditions that they were playing in," Hornet head coach Mike Mihalik said. "She played decent last week, and I was really happy that she made it to states. This has been the one thing that has kind of eluded her in her high school career.

"She has done everything that you can do except make it to states. I think last week it seemed that experience came out, and she kept it together for 18 holes. That's really what you have to do at regionals. You have to keep it together. At the end of the day, as long as you move onto the next round, that's what is most important."

After missing out on the cut for states in the last two years, Patterson put the past behind her in her final season. With the PIAA tournament scheduled for October 20-21 at Heritage Hills Golf Resort, Patterson got her opening round started with an 86 after competitors endured a one-hour frost delay. She played the second round on Tuesday, after Press deadlines.

"It's her senior year, and it was her third year going to regionals," Mihalik said. "Every golfer wants to make it to states. When you fail for two years in a row, and you have your senior year coming up, that's a huge motivator."

Samantha Fritzinger, after winning the District 11 Class AAA girls championship, shot a 12-over par 84 at regionals and just missed the cut by one stroke.

"She was just on the outside looking in," Mihalik said. "She was really disappointed with the way she played. She didn't play her best, and she didn't putt her best. At the same time, she improved tremendously from her freshman year. She's still going to have two opportunitiesher junior year and senior yearwhere I fully expect her to be at states."

A total of 24 boys advanced from regionals onto states, but Max Harrington's solid round of a 7-over par 79 wasn't enough. He was the 25th-place finisher.

"He was the first man out for the boys division, which is tough," Mihalik said. "He played really well. When you get to regionals, there are so many good golfers. He went into the last couple of holes thinking that he needed to go birdie, birdie. He may have gotten a little too aggressive end."

As a team, the Hornets advanced to a subregional against St. Joseph's Prep on October 10 after securing the District 11 team title. They might have come up short on their bid for regionals, falling 300-333, but as a team, the Hornets put together one of the best seasons in the area this year.

"I knew that they had a chance to do this," Mihalik said. "I was expecting there to be a little bit more competitiveness among the other teams, because I thought this year more than ever all of the teams were so equal. I really didn't think that any one team was going to be able to win the league, win the tournament and then win districts. I'm pleasantly surprised that we were able to do all three of those."