Welcome to This Week in Golf (TWIG). We are looking to highlight special moments, school records, impactful people, and other unique stories as the golf season unfolds. We don’t hear about everything, so if there is something you would like to be included, please reach out to us on social media or email us with a small recap of what you would like to be posted.

Tournament Results

We are trying to keep tabs on all tournament scores. We will have separate pages for Conference Tournaments and Regular Tournaments. Any scores that are not posted, please feel free to send over (bolinr@hudson.k12.oh.us). Unfortunately, we aren’t able to post scores from 9 hole matches as there are too many to keep track of.

Sectional Results

This past week was loaded with Sectional tournaments across Northeast Ohio. In Division 1, the top four teams from each of the four Sectionals qualified for the District Tournament, which will be played on Tuesday, October 6th at Tanglewood Golf Club. In Division 2, the top four teams from each of the three Sectionals qualified for the District Tournament, which will also be played on Tuesday, October 6th at Good Park Golf Course. All Sectional results are included on our Sectional and District Tournament page.

In Division 2 at Pine Lakes, it was a tight race as the Champion Golden Flashes outlasted the Columbiana Clippers by six strokes. A 74 from sophomore Avery Robinette proved to be the difference as she was the medalist by six strokes. Lakeview and Bristol also advanced as teams. Individual qualifiers were Claire Urchek from Maplewood, Abigail Hochendoner from Jackson-Milton, Audrey Beck from Salem, and Claire Whetstone from United, who won a three way playoff to advance. It was a little bittersweet for Whetstone as she had to defeat her teammate Alaina Brewer in the playoff, as well as Ursuline’s Sophia Scianna.

Another close contest took place at the Division 2 Sectional at Punderson. Elizabeth Pollock from Chagrin Falls and Sammy Morgan from Southeast tied for medalist honors with scores of 79 as they both led their teams to the District Tournament. Nobody was within seven shots of either of them in the rest of the field. Chagrin Falls took the team title by three shots over Southeast, while Independence and Gilmour both also qualified. Kirtland’s Maggie Kothera cruised through her round with 86 to take the first individual spot. She will be joined at Good Park by Mao Edwards of Lake Catholic, Sophie Sivon from Perry, and Peyton Ludwig from Woodridge. Ludwig was preparing for a playoff for the final spot but her opponent had already left the course, meaning she automatically took the fourth spot.

While the other two Division 2 Sectionals were tight, there was no doubt about who was the best team at The Pines. Keystone took first by 41 shots over second place finisher West Branch. The Wildcats had three of the top four scorers in the tournament, including medalist Sophia Clarico, who shot 81. Mineral Ridge and South Range held off Tuslaw to take the third and fourth qualifying positions. Laney Meek from Hillsdale was two shots better than Lily Headley from Akron Springfield as both players will move on as individuals. Brooklynn Yoder, a freshman from Dalton, and Avery Rodocker of Tuslaw will join them in Akron on Tuesday.

Magnificat once again could not be stopped in the Division 1 Sectional at Big Met. Their score of 291 was 25 shots better than Brunswick, who shot an impressive 316 themselves to finish in second place. Orange’s 330 team score was probably the biggest surprise of Sectional Week as they took third place in what many would consider their best round of the year. Anuja Patel’s medalist round of 66 is the biggest reason for that. In a race to the finish, Avon was able to hold off St. Joseph Academy by four shots to take the final spot at Districts. The consolation for the Jaguars is they did have two individuals qualify, seniors Ella Babcock and Willa Streeter. Joining the teammates are Strongsville’s Kanishka Badri and Padua’s Selah Schaefer.

The Division 1 Fox Den Sectional went about as anticipated. Walsh Jesuit shot a stellar 304 behind a 69 from Yumi Kohara, a 71 from Sarah Vojtko, and a 73 from Vivian Eich. Behind them were Hudson with 321, Revere with 327, and Kent Roosevelt with 332, one of their top scores of the season. The race for the individual spots was very competitive. Super freshman from West Geauga Anna Phillips took the first spot with a 77, closely followed by Alexis Urigel from Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin, who shot a 78. Polly Loney from Nordonia carded an 80 to move on while Aryana Puleo of Streetsboro birdied two of her final three holes to cement herself into the top four by one shot over Hoban’s Lily Taylor.

Riverside’s big win over Canfield was another big story from the Division 1 Sectionals. The Beavers got a 79 from Morliana Victor along with three more scores in the 80s to put up a strong number of 329 and win the tournament. Canfield was the favorite coming in and managed to finish in second place with a 346. Hathaway Brown and Aurora rounded out the field. Aurora was one of two unseeded team to make it to the District Tournament as they held off Kenston and North Royalton. The Bombers and the Bears each had one individual qualify for Districts. Maddie Pehanic of North Royalton earned the second individual spot while Stefania Mighton of Kenston won a sudden death playoff against Gianna Ross from Boardman to move on. Hubbard’s Madelyn Fox and Edgewood’s Payton Lamson took the first and third spots respectively in tiebreaking fashion as they equaled the 84 of Pehanic.

At the Elms, Hoover got a morale boosting victory by 12 shots over second place Lake to advance to the Division 1 District Tournament. Medalist Ellie Hutzler’s magnificent round of 70 played a huge factor in the scoring difference. Avon Lake and GlenOak claimed the remaining spots as they finished within two strokes of each other and just ahead of Jackson. GlenOak joined Aurora as the two teams who made it to the District Tournament after going unseeded. Anna Yacknow from Copley shot 79, which was good enough for both a second place finish overall and the first qualifying spot for Districts. Kennedy Farrell finished one shot behind her to take the second spot and was one in front of Cloverleaf’s Quinn Malarkey, who took the third position. Rounding out the individual qualifiers was Addilyn Morrison, a junior from Massillon Perry.

Previewing the District Tournaments

Division 2

Three teams will be able to make a return trip to Akron after conquering Good Park on Tuesday at the Division 2 District Tournament. Their next trip will be to Firestone Country Club for the State Tournament less than a week later.

Bristol- The swan song from senior Anistyn Williams. A really good day could be enough to move on, but the Panthers are playing with house money.

Chagrin Falls- Elizabeth Pollock is good enough to carry this team to a District Championship and they have the four scores needed, but will it be enough? The Tigers are playing some of their best golf right now.

Champion- A young team with a bunch of star power, especially sophomore Avery Robinette. They have a very similar makeup to their competition and have a legitimate shot to move on.

Columbiana- They are always in the mix but haven’t been able to get over the hump in quite a few years. This team once again has a good shot. They need a good round from team leader Maddie Jackson and some help from their support players.

Gilmour Academy- Probably not enough depth to be one of the favorites, but a good round from sophomore Callie Dennison could go a long way for the Lancers.

Independence- A deep roster and a team that has achieved a lot this season. They are on the cusp of competing but will need to have their best round of the year to advance.

Keystone- Clear favorite to win Districts, but there is no guarantee. They will rely both on their top player Sophia Clarico but also on the depth provided from the rest of their roster.

Lakeview- A puncher’s chance of qualifying as a team and a better chance for Olivia Norris to qualify as an individual.

Mineral Ridge- A quality senior class will look to put a bow on a terrific season. If a lot of things go right they could still be playing next week, but regardless, they will be proud of what they accomplished.

South Range- With a diverse amount of grades represented, this probably won’t be their last time at Districts, and you never know what they could put together on Tuesday.

Southeast- A team that has been there before. Their experience, especially from junior Sammy Morgan, will really come in handy as they look to hold off some really good competition.

West Branch- An outside chance to get one of the top three spots. Bella Linger is a solid player who will put up a number but they will need a quality fourth score to move on.

Top individuals to watch include Claire Urchek from Maplewood, Laney Meek from Hillsdale, Maggie Kothera from Kirtland, and Avery Rodocker from Tuslaw.

Division 1

In Division 1, we have run multiple simulations and two things have become very evident. First, Magnificat should win the District Tournament, then after that it is pandemonium. Tuesday at Tanglewood should be a great day as four teams and four individuals will start making travel plans to head to NCR Country Club in Dayton. Here is a snapshot of each team.

Aurora- Led by juniors Kelly Macsurak and Bennett DeLuca, Aurora turned some heads at Sectionals as they swept away the fourth spot. They should be able to play a relaxed and pressure free round at Tanglewood and look to make some magic happen.

Avon- While they may still be a year away from being dominant, the Eagles earned their spot at Districts and are ready to compete to go to State. The Eagles will be the youngest team at Districts, relying on two freshmen and two sophomores as their top scorers.

Avon Lake- Similar to their competitors south of the railroad tracks, the Shoregals have a young team on the precipice of being a strong contender. Sophomores Adalyn Becker and Presley Martter continue to improve and this will be a great experience for them as they progress.

Brunswick- Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble is the real deal and can carry this team. Emma Gonzalez-Ribble and Rylee Roth both have the capability to put up strong rounds. Getting a solid fourth score could be what vaults the Blue Devils to the next level.

Canfield- They played a fantastic round at Districts last year and are hoping to rekindle that magic. This group of upperclassmen led by Alex Conley and Aubree Philibin will be ready to make some noise.

GlenOak- The Golden Eagles just keep getting better and better. They made some waves in the Federal League and then took the fourth spot at The Elms Sectional. They don’t feature a true superstar but have built up the depth needed to compete at the highest level.

Hathaway Brown- A mainstay at the District Tournament, this year’s Blazers have a strong number one player in Saijal Jawa and a supporting cast that has really emerged over the course of the season.

Hoover- Ellie Hutzler will take this team as far as she can. Hoover has been solid at the top of their lineup but will still need quality third and fourth scores. They have as good of a chance as anyone to take one of the four spots.

Hudson- The Explorers are very strong at the top with Elena Varga and Rachel Rush. Solid rounds from their back three players could be what is necessary to advance.

Kent Roosevelt- The Rough Riders played a really good round of golf to qualify for Districts. Senior Brooke Beatty has had a remarkable season and has a chance to see it extended. Kent will need to play their best to move on as a team.

Lake- The Blue Streaks got off to a hot start at the beginning of the season and have had a very successful year. Good rounds by team leaders Charlie Brophy and Audrey Goebelt could go a long way as the Blue Streaks look to make their run.

Magnificat- Showing up and playing consistent golf is a struggle but Magnificat has done it all year. All four Blue Streak scorers are some of the top in the area: Kayla Knaze, Calli Reed, Korrine Knaze, and Kellen Gleason.

Orange- Orange showed what they are capable up with a strong third place finish at Big Met. Anuja Patel is one of the top players in Northeast Ohio and can singlehandedly carry the team. With some help at the bottom of the order, the Lions can be a contender.

Revere- The Minutemen played their best round of the year at Districts last year and have their entire lineup back. Ryenne Harpley has been playing quality golf lately and looks to lead her team to NCR.

Riverside- The Beavers are one of the most intriguing stories going into Districts. They had a stellar performance as they won the Old Avalon Sectional and are playing their best golf right now. They still have some work to do in order to get to Dayton but they have a group where any player can have a good day.

Walsh Jesuit- Walsh has a top three that can compete with anyone in the state of Ohio. Sarah Vojtko is their number one player but there is no let down with Vivian Eich and Yumi Kohara, who won the Fox Den Sectional. With a respectable fourth score, Walsh will be hard to stop.

Anna Phillips of West Geauga lived up to the hype as she shot an impressive 77 at Fox Den during her Sectional tournament. She will have plenty of competition to advance to NCR Country Club next week, however. Cloverleaf’s Quinn Malarkey and Jackson’s Kennedy Farrell lead a long list of players who all have a legitimate chance of finding one of those elusive qualifying spots. Anna Yacknow from Copley has had a really good year and NDCL’s Alexis Urigel has flown under the radar into the fray. Stefania Mighton of Kenston and Polly Loney of Nordonia have both put up low numbers this year in the Suburban League American Division as they look to do the same at Tanglewood on Tuesday. Ella Babcock and Willa Streeter are the only teammates to be competing on the individual side. Both St. Joseph players have put up similar numbers throughout the year and have potential to go low. Kanishka Badri led Strongsville throughout the season while Payton Lamson did the same at Edgewood. They both look to represent their teams well at Districts and possibly further. Filling out the field of individual contenders include Madelyn Fox of Hubbard, Maddie Pehanic of North Royalton, Selah Schaefer from Padua, Addilyn Morrison from Massillon Perry, and Aryana Puleo of Streetsboro.

We would like to wish the best of luck to all the Northeast Ohio players at their District tournaments on Tuesday!