Category: Media

Division 1 Sectional Storylines

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Highland looks to keep the streak alive at Fox Den

The Highland Hornets have been dominant at the Fox Den Sectional, winning the tournament each year since 2020. This year looks to be no exception. Hudson, Walsh Jesuit, and Nordonia have the best chance to give Highland a run at the title but they will most likely be battling for second place. Last year, Nordonia edged out Hudson for second place on a tie breaker and used the momentum to propel them all the way to the State Tournament. Walsh Jesuit was kept out of advancing by a strong performance from the North Royalton Bears, a team that will look to make a similar run this year.

Isabella Goyette from Highland is the favorite to be the medalist for the third consecutive year. She has already set the course record and had a hole-in-one at the Fox Den Sectional and now looks to add to her legend. Paige McKendry and Elizabeth Coleman will add to Highland’s high flying attack, while senior Kavya Chada also hopes to have a very strong showing. Hudson will have Emmy Burling back after missing two weeks with an injury. Burling and Sherry Du combine for a formidable one-two punch for the Explorers, who have more depth than they’ve had in previous years, getting scores throughout the year from Julia Van Bokkelen, Elena Varga, and Ellie Davis. Walsh Jesuit will look to the veteran leadership of seniors Annie Stencel and Annie Cors along with the rising talent of Yumi Kohara and Colleen Stadler as they battle for one of the four qualifying spots. Julia Gulla from Nordonia could give Goyette the best run at the individual title. Gulla won the Suburban League National player of the year and would love to add a Sectional Championship to her resume. North Royalton will feature freshman Chloe Yoon and has their sites on jumping in for one of the final spots. Another team right on the brink is the Minutemen from Revere. They will showcase three freshmen with the intent of gaining valuable tournament experience.

Individual players that will contend for District berths include Emily Lamb, who has had a terrific season for Shaker Heights, Alexandria Vardon from Firestone, and several players from Revere, one potentially being junior Saumya Mahajan.

Things will be tight at Old Avalon

Low scores tend to abound during Sectionals Week in Warren. There are a good number of teams looking to take advantage of a scorable course on a day where the forecast looks to be ideal. Hathaway Brown lapped the field in 2022 but this year looks to have more parity. The Blazers still have Dixon Hill, one of the top players in Northeast Ohio, but lost two important scoring seniors to graduation. Blake Cody and company will look to support Hill and move on to Districts.

With the reemergence of Brooklyn Millard and the significant improvement of Gracyn Vidovic, Aurora has a dynamic duo that can compete with any top two players in the state. They will head to Old Avalon as the favorites. Millard and Vidovic will be supplemented by Manisha Girn and Nina Newkirk, both of whom have had some strong finishes this season.

One of the hottest teams in Northeast Ohio over the past two weeks have been the Stow Bulldogs. Stow won both the Summit County Cup and the final Suburban League National tournament and would love to add in a Sectional Championship. Behind sisters Gabby and Olivia Berlingieri, Sophia Thompson has been on fire recently, and the Bulldogs have been able to get fourth scores from Jules Leffel-Elliott and Lily Gualtiere.

Another team eyeing a spot at Brookledge in the District Tournament is the Rough Riders from Kent Roosevelt, who have shown some signs of brilliance this year but have also struggled on occasion. Maddie Kost can put up a low number and Kent will rely on Ashlyn Leavery and Izzi Wood to help give the team a chance to move on.

Other team contenders include the Cardinals from Canfield and the Comets from Solon. If Solon does not make it out of Sectionals, Serena Wu will be a heavy favorite to grab an individual spot along with several players from Canfield, including junior Miya Cohol and sophomore Chloe Leskovac. Another individual to watch for is Sophia Rivera from Boardman, who has experience at Districts from last year.

Who jumps in behind Magnificat at Springvale

Similar to Highland, Magnificat has the firepower to boat race the competition at Springvale. Behind national phenom Cara Heisterkamp and a cast of many, including Cammy Reed and Maureen O’Leary, Magnificat has more depth than any team in Northeast Ohio. The Blue Streaks have thrived under first year head coach Danny Gallagher and Sectionals should be just another step in the process to reach their ultimate goal.

The real storylines start after Magnificat as at least five teams will be battling for the final three spots. Greater Cleveland Conference foes Strongsville and Medina battled neck and neck the entire season with the Bees barely edging out the Mustangs for the conference title. The two teams tend to post very similar scores but do it in very different ways. Strongsville is led by standout senior Natalie Kostalnick and junior Hannah Lee, who both can go low on any given day. Medina brings a more balanced attack, although 2023 has proven to be a breakthrough year for senior Stella Burns. Medina features a lineup of all seniors who are all very similar players and that balance has benefited them this year.

St. Joseph Academy is a team that on a good day can also compete for that second spot at Springvale. Their style is nearly identical to Strongsville. Junior Gianna Reginelli will lead the way for the Jaguars but their fate may be in the hands of the performance of sophomore Emerson Glending, who has had a fine year up to this point. Rocky River is a formidable team featuring senior Chloe Holton and junior Mia Ginetti. The Pirates won the LEGGA this season and will look to get out of Sectionals as a team. Southwestern Conference champion Avon Lake is also in the mix to get into the top four. The Shoregals have five starters who can all step it up on any given day. Olivia Tobin, Ava Lamb, Sarah Quayle, Mia Machovina, and Olivia Ritter all could end up in the scoring column on Wednesday.

Outside of the players on contending teams, contenders for individual spots include Madigan O’Leary from Avon, Jessica Buzinski and Aislinn Leffel from Brunswick, and Lizzy Iliff from Amherst. On top of those candidates, players from Westlake, Olmsted Falls, and North Ridgeville will also have an outside chance of qualifying.

Federal League may dominate The Elms

Throughout the history of girls golf in Northeast Ohio, Stark County has been dominant most years. While the talent has spread out more over the past few seasons, there are some teams from the Elms Sectional that will make a splash at Districts. Hoover, a state qualifier from a year ago, will lead that Stark County charge. They return Ava Kemp and Kylie Porter and feature star freshman Ellie Hutzler, a threesome that will compete with anyone in Northeast Ohio. A good day from junior Alyssa Evans will mean Hoover is dominating the competition.

Districts would not be the same without the Polar Bears from Jackson. It looks like a good bet that they will also be making the trip from North Lawrence to Cuyahoga Falls next week. Cara Murphy has had a remarkable season and the team looks to be at full strength with Katie Sieverts, Milena Grametbauer, Charlotte Raketich and Katie O’Connell all healthy and ready to go.

There looks to be a decent gap from Hoover and Jackson to the rest of the field at The Elms. Lake has improved a significant amount throughout the season and Green has the pedigree to move on. Audrey Nichols and Evanne Mast will lead the Blue Streaks while Sydney Shocklee is the star of the show for the Bulldogs. They will be challenged by GlenOak, Louisville, and Cloverleaf for the final spots.

Individuals to watch for at The Elms include Zoe Mort, a very strong player from Marlington, Miya Downing from Dover, who will be playing in the Northeast District for year two now, Corrie Schorsten from GlenOak, and Peyton Biery from Louisville.

Best of luck to all Division 1 teams and players this week!

Division 2 Sectional Storylines

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Depth of Punderson Sectional

Punderson Golf Course will see a large amount of quality teams, making this arguably the most difficult Sectional Tournament to get out of in the state of Ohio. Independence is the perennial top dog at Punderson but they will see a challenge from some up and coming teams this year. Southeast has had an excellent season to this point and will be in contention. Laurel has improved a ton over last year and have one of the top players in the state, senior Siena Maschke. Chagrin Falls and Edgewood are both teams that will be contending for one of the top four spots to move on to Good Park. Teams on the brink of making an impact include Perry and Lake Catholic while Bristol, Rootstown, and Berkshire could have a chance to sneak in. Several of these schools would have had a chance to get out of the other two Sectionals but will have to play very well to compete at Punderson.

Players to Watch
Taylor Blazek- Southeast
Emily Capitosti- Perry
Sam Holtz- Chagrin Falls
Annie Johnston- Edgewood
Theresa Lazanich- Lake Catholic
Siena Maschke- Laurel
Molly McGreal- Independence
Avery Vencill- Edgewood
Gracie Westover- Southeast
Anistyn Williams- Bristol

Teams that could step up at The Pines

St. Vincent-St. Mary looks to be a lock to take the Sectional title at The Pines but Canton South will have their voice heard on Wednesday. It gets much more interesting after that. Columbia is not as strong as their magical 2022 year but still have a good chance to move to Districts. There are several other teams that will have their shot with a good day. East Canton is listed as only sending individuals so it appears that they will not be able to post a team score. Keystone and Woodridge could be two teams to watch for to catch fire at The Pines.

Players to Watch
Abby Ankenman- Orrville
Caitrin Coyle- St. Vincent-St. Mary
Josephine Eifert- Manchester
Raygan Hoover- St. Vincent-St. Mary
Isabella Jenior- Waterloo
Delaney Kruger- Canton South
Taylor Kuhrt- Columbia
Reese Latta- St. Vincent-St. Mary
Dally Meek- Hillsdale
Mia Steigerwald- East Canton

Pine Lakes will be Tight

There are legitimately five teams that could win the Pine Lakes Sectional. With only four spots available for Districts, that means someone will be going home. Ursuline, West Branch, and Columbiana have all been very competitive with each other throughout the year, so it is only fitting that they could be fighting it out on Thursday. Champion and Poland will also be very competitive to try to take home the Youngstown area crown in 2023. There are some excellent individuals that will be on display at Pine Lakes, including United’s Mati Zines and several players on the top teams.

Players to Watch
Addison Bycroft- East Palestine
Kennady Grace- Champion
Ellie Jackson- Columbiana
Kennedy Lewis- Southern Local
Shaylee Muckleroy- West Branch
Katie Pregibon- Cardinal Mooney
Katie Santee- West Branch
Gia Schiavone- Ursuline
Mati Zines- United

New Caddie Program at Lake Forest Country Club

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Lake Forest Country Club is making an investment to establish a caddie program at the club. 

Well established caddie programs have at their core a solid training program, caddies who love the game, and players who understand that walking is a better golf experience.  In addition to being a great way for a teen to earn money, they also learn responsibility, make connections in their community, and gain a deeper appreciation for the game of golf.

Lake Forest Country Club has partnered with ClubUp, a leading provider of caddie solutions, to establish a caddie program at the club.  We are looking for prospective caddies who would like to participate in a formal training program to develop the skills needed to be an effective caddie and to provide caddying services at the club this summer.  Interested participants will be expected to attend training the evenings of May 9-10 at Lake Forest (100 Lake Forest Drive, Hudson.)  Training will include some classroom style learning as well as outdoors, on-course training.  Participants will learn the finer points of caddying and the basics of the course to prepare them to caddie.  Caddies will be certified after completing training and passing a test. 

After certification, caddies will have access to an app where they can be hired by golfers to provide caddying services.  Members will request a caddie when they make a tee time (typically a week ahead of the date of play.)  The tee time system will automatically notify all certified caddies that the loop is available.  Caddies can review the date and time and decide if they want to accept the offer.  After the round, caddies will receive feedback on their performance via the app.

Caddies are considered independent contractors and are not employees of Lake Forest.  The caddie fees are negotiated between the caddie and the golfer prior to the round.  Suggested ranges of fees are provided to both the caddy and the golfer and are based on relative experience and skill of the caddie.

Please pass this note along to anyone who may be interested in caddying this summer.  Anyone interested in attending training is asked to email LFCCCaddie@gmail.com to notify us of your interest.  Further information will be sent to anyone interested.

Sincerely

Gary Grant

Golf Committee Chair

Lake Forest Country Club

NEO Futures Tour Expects Junior, High School, and College Girls’ Memberships to Grow Again in 2023

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The NEO Futures Tour expects another increase in female memberships in 2023 as the Tour has now expanded to include a total of 19 events at 19 outstanding golf courses covering Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties. The mission statement remains the same, “To make junior golf accessible to all the youth of Northeast Ohio.”


In addition, the NEO Futures Tour is proud to be partnering with OhioHSGolf.com, the preeminent source for information regarding and showcasing girls golf in Northeast, Ohio. “We are delighted to be partnering with a media source focused on highlighting the great things our female youth are doing on the golf course and in the community.”


Membership grew to over 50 female members in 2022 representing over 20 high schools and colleges. The expectation is that we will exceed 75 female golfers for the 2023 season with over 30 high schools and colleges represented.


The tour is available to both male and female junior golfers from 4th grade through college age. Divisions are created based on skill level. We utilize modified tees for the younger golfers who play nine-hole tournaments and we have 18-hole tournaments for the High School and College players. There are both male and female divisions as well as A & B flights.


Membership registration is available at www.neofuturestour.com through 2/28/23 for $35. Post 2/28/23 membership registration is $60. Additional information regarding the NEO Futures Tour is available on our website.


Our 2023 tournament schedule is listed below with costs. Individual tournament registration will be live and available for registration by the end of February.

Questions: Please email neofuturestour@gmail.com

Welcome to Ohio HS Golf!

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

My name is Bobby Bolin, and I am the Girls Varsity Golf Coach at Hudson High School. If someone would have told me when I took this position four years ago that I would be publishing a website promoting girls golf, I would have told them they were certifiably insane. My wife, Dr. Megan Bolin, still does say that I’m crazy, yet her support for me and my cause is uplifting and inspiring. My passion for this sport has grown immensely due to several factors that I have experienced while coaching.

The first and most important factor is the people who I have encountered on this journey. Some of the most amazing student-athletes, coaches, and parents spend much of their fall season on the golf course. The stories, advice, and interactions I get while coaching are unmatched in anything else I do.

These athletes are unbelievably talented on the course, in the classroom, and in the community. For example, Dixon Hill from Hathaway Brown School is not only their top golfer, but she is nationally ranked as a squash player. I have had the pleasure of meeting players who participate in Academic Challenge, act in theatre programs, play a variety of varsity sports, and speak multiple foreign languages, just to list a few accomplishments. On top of that, the pure skill of these golfers is so fun to witness. I strongly believe that female athletes possess better technical skills and fundamentals than their male counterparts. This is on display all over interscholastic, college, and professional athletics for those who pay attention.

Saying that girls’ and women’s sports are underrepresented is nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering. Seeing how girls and women are sometimes treated on the golf course can be, at times, downright appalling. We have become much more inclusive of female golfers over the past couple decades, but there is still some work to do. The purpose of this website is to give recognition to a sport, especially on the female side, that is often overlooked by the general population. These athletes deserve to be honored for their achievements and accomplishments. This website is designed to give them the space they should rightfully have.

I have always been fascinated by the sport of golf. I grew up playing as much as my family would allow me and spent a great deal of time watching golf on television. I played at Buckeye High School in Medina and continued to play casually after that. I started my coaching career as the girls coach at Padua Franciscan High School and coached the boys JV team at Hudson before taking over the girls program. The funny part is that my biggest passion for the sport has not been the game itself, but golf course architecture. In other words, I’m a huge nerd. As my coaching career has evolved, I have become more and more interested in the instruction aspect of golf. Coaching has made me both a better instructor but also a better (but still not great) player.

The relationships that are built through this sport are deep and lifelong. My assistant coaches, Marc Zustin and Brian Mangol, are two of my best friends. Our now-retired team booster representative (team mom), Kristen Grant, along with her husband Gary and two daughters, Lizzy and Meaghan, are like an extended family for me. Our players and their families have made me a better person and have become a huge part of my life. All this is because people have been given access to and the chance to embrace this sport.

To end my rambling, here is the mission of this website. I am not a journalist, so do not expect any Pulitzer Prize-winning writing. I’m not here to make any profit, to promote my team over others, or to disparage any other team, coach, or player. The purpose of this website is to showcase girls high school golf in Northeast Ohio by highlighting the teams, coaches, and players who make a positive impact on their school and community. Please join me in shedding light on our sport and the people who make it what it is.

If anyone would like to contribute in any way, please feel free to contact me at bolinr@hudson.k12.oh.us. We are always open to suggestions, ideas, and any kind of help.

Thank you to all who are here for promoting girls high school golf in Northeast Ohio. Also a huge thanks to Tim Naujoks for his dedication to creating a logo for the site and to Allison Noga for her proofreading skills.

Bobby Bolin