Warren Area High School had a couple of stellar efforts on Saturday at District 10 Class AAA championship golf tournaments.

Seniors Nate Sandberg and Megan Smoulder made sure to turn those into championships.

Both golfers trailed their respective tournaments after the first day of play on Friday, and both golfers said they played the best golf of their lives – despite cold and windy conditions – to come back and win D10 titles on Saturday.

At The Country Club of Meadville, Nathan Sandberg, who entered Saturday’s play three strokes back and in third place with a 77, shot an 18-hole 72 to win the Class AAA tournament by two strokes over Friday’s leader, Ryan Podeful of Cathedral Prep. Both Sandberg and Podeful advance in individual play to the West Regional Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Tom’s Run Golf Club in Blairsville.

“Playing Meadville Country Club six times prior to districts made me very familiar and confident going into the weekend,” said Sandberg. “And, yes, it’s safe to say that this is the best I’ve golfed under pressure. But playing with a great group of players at Conewango Valley Country Club made me feel very comfortable about districts and playing under these conditions.

“Practicing every day and working on every aspect of the game prepares me to be able to perform at pressure-filled moments,” he said. “After the first five holes, I was 2-over par. So I knew I had to make something happen and make some birdies. I played the last 13 holes bogey-free at 2-under. The key for me was that I played in the present. I didn’t let past mistakes dwell on the rest of the round.”

Meadville won the team championship with golfers also finishing third and fourth, respectively, with Charlie Holt’s 154 and Kyle Luben’s 155.

Sandberg is a first-time District 10 champion – in golf. He has a District 10 championship in boys doubles tennis with his older brother, Matt.

Sandberg was the only Warren golfer to make Friday’s first-round cut. He said he has a “supportive” family that makes this possible.

Smoulder’s father is her head coach for the Warren girls golf team. She made her father and coach proud with a best-ever second-round 79 on Saturday at Riverside Golf Course in Cambridge Springs. She had to come back after a first-round 87 on Friday.

“When you see a girl on your team fight it out in 40-degree temperatures to come from four strokes behind after the first day win, that’s awesome,” said Warren girls coach Tom Smoulder. “When that same girl shoots in the 70s on that same day, that’s awesome. When that girl is your daughter, that’s priceless.”

Smoulder, who has advanced to districts all four years, finished with a two-day 166, winning by six strokes over McDowell’s Lyndsey Swanson.

“It feels great,” she said. “It feels even better to know that all my hard work and time that I put in was worth it. I thought I had it after 14 holes, but I wasn’t sure until my dad told me on the last hole that I was eight strokes up. I was just trying to play safe golf after the first nine and to make sure I had no bad holes. I also tried to stay positive and focused. After the first two holes, where I had a long putt and then a chip in, I was feeling really positive, and knew that if I kept this up I could win it. Mostly every aspect of my game was working because I trusted in my abilities, which is hard to do sometimes. I’ve played in districts all four years so I know the course very well. Also, every weekend for the last month I would drive up there to play it so I am comfortable on the course.”

Smoulder will be the lone female individual representative from Class AAA at states at Tom’s Run; only the D10 champion advances.

“I knew I had a good chance at it this year,” said Smoulder. “I would just have to play the game the way I know I can. Over the past three summers I have played golf almost every day to be able to play this well. My freshman year I played four sports and after my sophomore year I quit them all to just focus on golf. I played in the EDGA Junior tournament this summer and it helped me with tournament play.”

Coach Smoulder said golfers with 100 or better on Friday advanced to Saturday play; that included Warren freshman Rachel Wilson, who equaled Megan Smoulder on Friday with an 87.

“In sports it always comes down to one last day,” said coach Smoulder. “Unfortunately, as a team, our last day came Friday. Plus, it was the last day for three of our Lady Dragons. Libby Hammond has been there for four years. She was the rock of our lineup. We knew she would always get it done in the middle. Clancy Fyock became this year’s most improved golfer. She brought her ‘A game’ on Friday when she shot in the 40s for her first time ever under such incredible conditions. Katelyn Hecie returned this year to lead us in some great showings at invitationals.

“Rachel Wilson is going to go far in golf,” said coach Smoulder. “Every tournament she kept getting better. As a freshman, she led the team at Union City with a 37. Just making it to districts is fantastic your first year. Rachel qualified for the second day of districts and, after the first day, she was only four back from the lead. Plus, on the first day, she drove a par four. There isn’t a coach in the state that could not wait for next year if they knew Rachel was in their lineup.”