The Northeast Ohio Golf Coaches Association has released the All-District teams for 2023. These awards were voted on by members of the NEOGCA. Please visit https://www.neogca.com/2021-all-neo-teams for all boys and girls honors.
Girls Division I
1st Team
Isabella Goyette – Highland (1st Team All-Ohio)
Cammy Reed – Magnificat (2nd Team All-Ohio)
Cara Heisterkamp – Magnificat
Paige McKendry – Highland
Julia Gulla – Nordonia
Sherry Du – Hudson
Emmy Burling – Hudson
Natalie Kostalnick – Strongsville
Madolyn Kost – Kent Roosevelt
Brooklyn Millard – Aurora
Gracyn Vidovic – Aurora
Serena Wu – Solon
Gabriella Berlingieri – Stow
Elizabeth Coleman – Highland
2nd Team
Ava Kemp – Hoover
Elle Hutzler – Hoover
Maureen O’Leary – Magnificat
Annie Stencel – Walsh Jesuit
Zoe Mort – Marlington
Olivia Berlingieri – Stow
Cara Murphy – Jackson
Stella Burns – Medina
Kavya Chada – Highland
Katie Sieverts – Jackson
Girls Division II
1st Team
Siena Maschke- Laurel – State Champion (1st Team All-Ohio)
Warrensville Heights: The South Course at Westfield Country Club will be the site of an historic event when the first Junior Ohio Cup begins on Saturday (October 28) at 11 a.m.
The Junior Ohio Cup, presented by Cobra Puma Golf, is a Ryder Cup-like event between junior teams from the Northern Ohio Section of the Professional Golfers Association and the Southern Ohio Section.
The teams are comprised of eight boys and eight girls between the ages of 14 and 18. They will compete in Four-Ball (aka Best-ball) matches at 11 a.m. on Saturday and singles matches on Sunday.
The players earned their spots on their teams by winning their respective PGA Junior Section Championship or through their status on the season-long Player-of-the-Year points list.
The NOPGA team will be captained by Drew Pierson, PGA and Ben Chandler, PGA will captain the SOPGA team.
MEET THE NOPGA TEAMS
CAPTAIN: Drew Pierson, PGA
The Boys ARYAN AHLAWAT Age: 18 Residence: Broadview Heights Attends: North Royalton High School Grad Year: 2023 2023 Highlights: Won NOPGA Junior Tour events at Shawnee Hills and Mill Creek . . . Had 21 Top-10 finishes. RYAN CZENSZAK Age: 15 Residence: Twinsburg Attends: Walsh Jesuit High School Grad Year: 2026 2023 Highlights: Was the winner of NOPGA Junior Tour events at Trumbull Country Club, Wooster Country Club, Manakiki and Gleneagles … Overall, had 18 Top-10 finishes. RYAN DINAN Age: 17 Residence: Akron Attends: Coventry High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Won NOPGA Junior Tour events at Fox Den and Columbia Hills . . . Added Top-10 finishes in 10 events. DANIEL GAMBONE Age: 16 Residence: North Canton Attends: North Canton Hoover High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Was the winner of the NOPGA Junior Section Championship at Oberlin, giving him automatic bid to the Junior Ohio Cup . . . Overall, had 12 Top-10 finishes. DEXTER JAMES Age: 14 Residence: Hudson Attends: Hudson High School Grad Year: 2027 2023 Highlights: Was a dominant player in his age group with victories at Trumbull Country Club, Black Brook, Plum Brook, Eagle Creek, Wooster Country Club, Shawnee Hills and Tannenhauf. That’s seven wins and 25 Top-10 finishes. TREY LAUTENSCHLEGER Age: 18 Residence: Dover Attends: Massillon Washington High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Among his 11 Top-10 finishes was a victory in the NOPGA Junior Tour event at Avon Oaks Country Club. NATHAN MENAPACE Age: 17 Residence: New Philadelphia Attends: New Philadelphia High School Grad Year: 2024: 2023 Highlights: Finished the season with 10 Top-10 finishes. SION PARK Age: 18 Residence: Westlake Attends: Westlake High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Was an individual qualifier to the OHSAA state tournament after getting Junior Tour wins at Plum Brook, Eagle Creek, Turkeyfoot Lakes, Wooster Country Club and Riceland.
The Girls JULIA VAN BOKKELEN Age: 16 Residence: Hudson Attends: Hudson High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: 15 Top-10 finishes in NOPGA events; member of the Hudson team that qualified for the OHSAA state tournament. EMILY BURLING Age: 17 Residence: Hudson Attends: Hudson High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Had three victories on the NOPGA Junior Tour – Old Avalon Stableford; Catawba Island Club and Fox Den . . . Posted 11 Top-10 finishes . . .Member of the Hudson team that qualified for the OHSAA state tournament. KRISTINA CHILL Age: 15 Residence: Columbia Station Attends: Magnificat High School Grad Year: 2026 2023 Highlights: Had NOPGA Junior Tour wins at Black Brook, Glenmoor, Columbia Hills and Manakiki . . .Had 13 Top-10 finishes . . . A member of the Magnificat team that finished as the Division I state runner up in the OHSAA state tournament. BROOKLYN MILLARD Age: 17 Residence: Aurora Attends: Aurora High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Won the Junior PGA Section Championship at Oberlin Golf Club, giving her an automatic bid to the Junior Ohio Cup. ANNELISE STENCEL Age: 17 Residence: Akron Attends: Walsh Jesuit High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top-10 in 10 events. ALEXANDRIA VARDON Age: 17 Residence: Akron Attends: Firestone High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Recorded 13 Top-10 finishes GRACYN VIDOVIC Age: 16 Residence: Aurora Attends: Aurora High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Had NOPGA Junior Tour victories at Ellsworth Meadows, Wooster Country Club, Shawnee Hills and Gleneagles . . . Was an individual qualifier to the state tournament . . .Had 11 Top-10 finishes. SERENA WU Age: 15 Residence: Solon Attends: Solon High School Grad Year: 2026 2023 Highlights: Won the NOPGA Tour Championship at Club Walden and was an individual qualifier for the OHSAA state tournament . . . Arguably was the NOPGA Junior Tour’s dominant player, winning 11 times at Old Avalon, Ashland, Lake Forest, Plum Brook, Legends of Massillon, Turkeyfoot Lake, Mill Creek, Windmill Lakes, Pine Hills and Punderson . . . Overall had 18 Top-10s.
MEET THE SOPGA TEAMS
Captain: Ben Chandler, PGA The Boys CAMERON PHILLIPS Age: 17 Residence: McDermott Attends: Lucasville Valley High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Had one SOPGA Junior Tour victory this summer. ANDY STEED Age: 16 Residence: Wilmington Attends: Clinton-Massie High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: He was the Division II state runnerup by two strokes in this year’s Division II state tournament at Northstar with consecutive rounds of 75 . . . Posted 10 victories and 19 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer. GRIFF TURNER Age: 17 Residence: Enon Attends: Grenon High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top 10 in 12 SOPGA events this summer. ZACH HARTLEY Age: 18 Residence: Dayton Attends: Centerville High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Finished in the Top 10 in 12 SOPGA events this summer. JAMES WEI Age: 16 Residence: Dublin Attends: Dublin Jerome High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Had one victory and 10 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer.
COLIN CLEARY Age: 18 Residence: Columbus Attends: Grandview Heights High School Grad Year: 2023 2023 Highlights: Nine Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer. LUCAS MASSA Age: 14 Residence: Howard Attends: Home schooled Grad Year: 2027 2023 Highlights: He won four SOPGA events enroute to having 17 Top-10 finishes this summer. OWEN WHITE Age: 15 Residence: Tipp City Attends: Tippecanoe High School Grad Year: 2027 2023 Highlights: Posted three SOPGA victories and 12 Top-10 finishes this summer. The Girls ADDIE YARBROUGH Age: 17 Residence: Dublin Attends: Dublin Jerome High School Grad Year: 2024 2023 Highlights: Was a member of the Division I state championship team after posting one victory and three Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events this summer. PAIGE WEISS Age: 16 Residence: Orient Attends: Westfall High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Was the medalist – placing T4 individually — for the team that finished eighth in the Division II state tournament. Had six victories and 13 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events. KATELYN MILEY Age: 16 Residence: Galion Attends: Northmoor High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Turned in 13 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA events. GRACE BOONE Age: 16 Residence: Blanchester Attends: Clinton-Massie High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Two victories and nine Top-10 finishes in SOPGA tournaments this summer. AVA BRESSLER Age: 16 Residence: Dayton Attends: Centerville High School Grad Year: 2025 2023 Highlights: Did not win an event but had a whopping 15 Top-10 finishes in SOPGA tournaments this summer. ABBY HARWOOD Age: 18 Residence: Dayton Attends: Centerville High School Grad Year: 2023 2023 Highlights: Had a prosperous SOPGA summer with five victories and eight To-10 finishes. CADENCE MONROE-MCCOY Age:14 Residence: Springfield Attends: Northwestern High School Grad Year: 2027 2023 Highlights: Her name was on many SOPGA leaderboards this summer with five victories and a stunning 17 Top-10 finishes. REBEKAH HARTLEY Age: 15 Residence: Dayton Attends: Centerville High School Grad Year: 2026 2023 Highlights: Three SOPGA victories and 16 Top-10 finishes suggests a future as bright as the present. THE SCHEDULE: Friday, Oct. 27, Practice rounds; Saturday, Oct. 28, Four-Ball matches, 11 a.m.; Sunday, Oct. 29, Singles matches, 10 a.m..
SATURDAY FOUR-BALL PAIRINGS(NOPGA players listed first) First match goes off at 11 a.m. Girls MATCH 1: Gracyn Vidovic & Kristina Chill vs. Paige Weiss & Katelyn Miley; MATCH 2: Brooklyn Millard & Julia Van Bokkelen vs. Addie Yarbrough & Rebekah Harley; MATCH 3: Serena Wu & Annelise Stencel vs. Grace Boone & Abby Haywood; MATCH 4: Emily Burling & Alex Vardon vs. Cadence Monroe-McCoy & Ava Bressler. Boys MATCH 1: Ryan Dinan & Aryan Ahlawat vs. Andy Steed & Griff Tuner; MATCH 2: Sion Park & Ryan Czenszak vs. Cameron Phillips & Lucas Massa; MATCH 3: Daniel Gambone & Nathan Menapace vs. Zach Hartley & Owen White; MATCH 4: Trey Lautenschleger & Dexter James vs. Colin Cleary & James Wei.
SUNDAY SINGLES PAIRINGS(NOPGA players listed first) First match goes off at 10 a.m. Girls MATCH 1: Brooklyn Millard vs. Paige Weiss; MATCH 2: Gracyn Vidovic vs. Addie Yarbrough; MATCH 3: Serena Wu vs. Abby Haywood; MATCH 4: Emily Burling vs. Katelyn Miley; MATCH 5: Kristina Chill vs. Ava Bressler; MATCH 6: Annelise Stencel vs. Cadence Monroe-McCoy; MATCH 7: Alex Vardon vs. Grace Boone; MATCH 8: Julia Van Bokkelen vs. Rebekah Hartley. Boys MATCH 1: Ryan Dinan vs. Cameron Phillips; MATCH 2: Sion Park vs. Andy Steed; MATCH 3: Daniel Gambone vs. Zach Hartley; MATCH 4: Trey Lautenschleger vs. Griff Turner; MATCH 5: Nathan Menapace vs. Colin Cleary; MATCH 6: Aryan Ahlawat vs. Lucas Massa; MATCH 7: Dexter James vs. Owen White; MATCH 8: Ryan Czenszak vs. James Wei.
Hey, 19: Four players in the Junior Ohio Cup share a stat from the recent girls Division I state tournament. The NOPGA’s Gracyn Vidovic (Aurora), Emily Burling (Hudson) and Serena Wu (Solon) and the SOPGA’s Addie Yarbrough (Dublin) were all part of a six-player tie for 19th, all at 154. Burling had the lowest 18 holes with a second-round 73.
For questions regarding the Jr. Ohio Cup, contact Northern Ohio’s Haleigh Gray at hgray@pgahq.com or Southern Ohio’s Alex Heban at aheban@pgahq.com
About the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour Founded in 1982 the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour is dedicated to providing competitive golf opportunities for junior golfers in the Northern Ohio area. The tour offers a variety of events for players of all skill levels, including a 9-hole Futures Tour, 18-hole tournament series, Collegiate Preview events, and 36 Hole championships. Through its programs, the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour strives to foster a love for the game of golf, develop sportsmanship and integrity, and prepare young golfers for the next level of competition. Find out more at thenorthernohiopga.com.
About the Southern Ohio PGA Junior Tour The SOPGA Jr. Tour was established in 2008 by the Southern Ohio PGA as an extension of the association’s more than 500 Members and Associates teaching juniors the game of golf throughout Central and Southern Ohio. Through the Players Series and Junior Series, the SOPGA Jr. Tour aims to develop young golfers while providing outstanding competitions on a local level. For almost 15 years, the SOPGA Jr. Tour has fostered the values of the game, like sportsmanship and integrity, among its members. Find out more at southernohiojuniorgolf.com.
Four team spots and four individual spots to the State Tournament are up for grabs at Brookledge Golf Club on Wednesday, October 11th. Sixteen Division 1 teams and sixteen individuals from non-qualifying teams punched their tickets to Brookledge last week. Here is all the information you need to follow along with the District Tournament.
Live scoring can be purchased through the OHSAA Golf App
The Course
Brookledge Golf Club
Par 71 5,337 Yards (District Tees) Architect- Arthur Hills
Brookledge Golf Club is nestled on over 120 acres of rolling hills and woodlands, the challenging Arthur Hills layout is unlike any other in the area. The club was opened in 1992 and has consistently improved throughout the years, now ranked as the ninth best golf course in Ohio per PGA.com’s ranking. The course is always in excellent condition and has recently undergone irrigation and bunker improvements to make the course even better! (from Brookledge Official Website)
Aurora won the Old Avalon Sectional with a score of 314. They finished second in the Suburban League American Division and Brooklyn Millard finished as the conference Player of the Year. The team won the Parma Flamingo Frenzy and Millard was the medalist in that tournament. Aurora’s top two players, Millard and Gracyn Vidovic, make up one of the best tandems in the state of Ohio and will look to carry the team to Columbus.
Canfield snuck into the fourth spot at the Old Avalon Sectional, edging out Stow by one shot. They are the champions of the All American Conference. Their best tournament finish was 5th in the morning flight of the Hudson Lady Explorer Invitational. Canfield has a young core that will gain some valuable experience competing in the District Tournament as a group.
Green finished fourth at The Elms Sectional with a team score of 365. Green has two fourth place tournament finishes, The Elms Sectional Preview and the Summit County Cup. They also finished fourth in the Federal League this fall. Freshman Leah Dang has emerged as a top player for Green and the two Shocklee sisters, Sydney and Brooke, have both become more consistent players.
The Blazers from Hathaway Brown finished second in the Old Avalon Sectional, ten shots behind Aurora. They have third place finishes in the morning flight of the Lady Explorer Invitational, the Lady Bruin Invitational, and the Canterbury Invitational. Hathaway Brown has one of the most talented players in Northeast Ohio, junior Dixon Hill, and she is joined by a young core group of layers that will leave a lasting legacy at HB.
Highland won the Fox Den Sectional with a team score of 293, led by medalist Paige McKendry’s personal best score of 67. Coming off a fourth place finish at the 2022 State Tournament and returning every scoring player, Highland has had an expectedly good 2023 campaign. They easily won the Suburban League American Division and took the top spot in four separate tournaments. They are led by superstar Isabella Goyette but are at least six deep in quality players.
Hoover took the top spot at The Elms Sectional with a very good team score of 324 while Ava Kemp tied with Jackson’s Cara Murphy for medalist honors. Hoover was the champion of the Federal League again in 2023 coming off finishing 8th in the state in 2022. Hoover raced up three tournament wins this fall, the Mahoning Valley Invitational, Dover’s Lady Tornado Invitational, and the Stark County Championships. They are led by the duo of Kemp and Kylie Porter but have really thrived after the emergence of freshman Ellie Hutzler.
Hudson Explorers
Coach- Bobby Bolin
Projected Lineup 1. Emmy Burling (JR) 2. Sherry Du (SR) 3. Julia Van Bokkelen (JR) 4. Elena Varga (FR) 5. Ellie Davis (SR)
Hudson finished third at the Fox Den Sectional with a team score of 319, two shots short of second place Walsh Jesuit. The Explorers were the champions of the National Division of the Suburban League, winning three of the four tournaments. They had second place finishes at the Flamingo Frenzy and the Summit County Cup with a third place finish at the Brunswick Tee-Off Classic. Emmy Burling has had a strong 2023 season along with Sherry Du, and in order to advance Hudson will need good performances from Julia Van Bokkelen, Elena Varga, and Ellie Davis.
Jackson finished the season on a high note with a second place showing at The Elms Sectional. Cara Murphy also tied for the individual Sectional Championship. Jackson was second place in the Federal League this year and had strong showings in many tournaments. They had three second place finishes, the Lady Tornado Invitational, the Mahoning Valley Invitational, and the Stark County Championships. Murphy is the star of the show for the Polar Bears but will also be able to rely on help from any of the other four players at Districts.
Kent Roosevelt had a good showing at the Old Avalon Sectional with a score of 330, good enough for third place. The Rough Riders finished in third place this season in the Suburban League’s American Conference behind Highland and Aurora. They had one tournament win this season at Hudson’s Lady Explorer Invitational and a second place finish at the Terlesky Invitational. The team is led by senior Maddie Kost with a strong supporting cast.
After losing a couple very strong seniors to graduation, the Lake Blue Streaks reloaded and were able to finish third at The Elms Sectional. They also managed a third place finish in the always strong Federal League. Their best tournament finishes this year were at the Lady Tornado Invitational and the Stark County Championships, both third place. The Blue Streaks are led by three experienced seniors who look to have a strong finish to their high school careers.
The Blue Streaks of Magnificat easily won the Springvale Sectional with an amazing team score of 287, 41 strokes ahead of second place St. Joseph Academy. Magnificat won four Northeast Ohio tournaments behind one of the deepest teams in the state. They are led by national phenom Cara Heisterkamp and get plenty of help from Cammy Reed, Maureen O’Leary, Kristina Chill, and freshman Kayla Knaze. The Blue Streaks will look to all five of their stars to punch their ticket to Columbus.
Medina came home from Springvale Golf Course with a third place Sectional finish and a trip to the District Tournament. This postseason run capped off an impressive regular season for the senior-led Bees, who won three of the four Greater Cleveland Conference tournaments to take the league title. in regular season tournaments, the Bees finished fourth at both the Hudson morning wave and the Brunswick Tee-Off Classic. Stella Burns had a breakout year and she leads one of the strongest senior classes in Medina history.
Nordonia had a magical season in 2022 and started their 2023 run with a strong fourth place finish in a very competitive Sectional Tournament at Fox Den. The Knights finished third in the Suburban League National Conference while junior Julia Gulla was the Player of the Year. Nordonia’s best tournament finish this year was a third place finish at Chenoweth in the Summit County Cup. Gulla and senior Brooke Barnes both willshould up good numbers at the District Tournament and will look to get assistance from of their sophomore teammates.
The St. Joseph Jaguars have steadily risen to be one of the top teams on the west side of Cleveland over the past few years, as shown by their second place finish at the Springvale Sectional. Their best tournament finish was second place at the Mahoning Valley Invitational at Yankee Run Golf Course. St. Joseph is led by Gianna Reginelli, who has been a star since she arrived on Rocky River Drive. Emerson Glending has had a stellar sophomore campaign and the supporting cast is rounding into form.
Strongsville got out of the Springvale Sectional with a team score of 344, which was good for fourth place. The Mustangs were nearly edged out by Medina in the Greater Cleveland Conference after the two teams went down to the wire in the final league tournament. Senior Natalie Kostalnick did take home the conference Player of the Year award. Strongsville took third place in the Kent Lady Rider Invitational for their best tournament finish of the year. Kostalnick is complemented by Hannah Lee, who had a great day at Springvale, and Kendall Grau, who has been playing the best golf of her career over the past couple weeks.
Walsh Jesuit had their best performance of the season at the right time, as they shot 317 to take home second place at the Fox Den Sectional, two shots ahead of Hudson. The Warriors handily won the Crown Conference Championship in its final year year while senior Annie Stencel was the Player of the Year. Walsh finished second in the Lady Bruin Invitational at Pine Hills and added two third place finishes on top of that. Stencel will lead a young squad to Brookledge and look to get to Columbus to finish off a great high school career.
The Individuals
Gabby Berlingieri (Stow)
Shot 77 to finish tied for second individual Old Avalon Sectional
Medalist at Summit County Cup at Chenoweth
First Team All Suburban League
Olivia Berlingieri (Stow)
Shot 77 to finish tied for second individual at Old Avalon Sectional
First Team All Suburban League
2nd Place at Suburban League #3 at Fox Den
Mia Ginnetti (Rocky River)
Shot 82 to finish fourth individual at Springvale Sectional
2nd Place at Rocky River Invitational at Big Met
Medalist at LEGGA Postseason Tournament at Springvale
Madison Harpley (Revere)
Shot 79 to finish third individual at Fox Den Sectional
15th overall in Suburban League American Division
Shot 85 at Suburban League #1 at Old Avalon
Chloe Holton (Rocky River)
Shot 81 to finish third individual at Springvale Sectional
Medalist at Rocky River Invitational
2nd at LEGGA Postseason Tournament at Springvale
Lauren Iannetta (Eastlake North)
Shot 75 to finish tied for first individual at Fox Den Sectional
Medalist at Western Reserve Conference Tournament at Erie Shores
Set school record by shooting 71 at WRC Tournament at Erie Shores
Emily Lamb (Shaker Heights)
Shot 75 to finish tied for first individual at Fox Den Sectional
2nd overall in Greater Cleveland Conference
Finished 2nd twice and 3rd once in GCC tournaments
Saumya Mahajan (Revere)
Shot 81 to finish fourth individual at Fox Den Sectional
19th overall in Suburban League American Division
Shot 90 in Suburban League #3 at Fox Den
Zoe Mort (Marlington)
Shot 77 to finish first individual at The Elms Sectional
Medalist at Elms Sectional Preview, Marilyn Jackson Invitational, Stark County Championships
Medalist at Tri-County Conference Postseason Tournament at Zoar Village
Anna Myers (Louisville)
Shot 88 to finish tied for third individual at The Elms Sectional (advanced in playoff)
Shot 84 at Tri-County Tournament at Zoar Village
Shot 86 at Stark County Championships at Pleasant View
Madigan O’Leary (Avon)
Shot 77 to finish first individual at Springvale Sectional
Tied for second place in Southwestern Conference Tournament at Springvale
Shot 76 at Edison Invitational at Thunderbird Hills (3rd Place)
Sarah Quayle (Avon Lake)
Shot 79 to finish second individual at Springvale Sectional
Southwestern Conference Player of the Year
Medalist at Southwestern Conference Tournament at Springvale
Sophia Rivera (Boardman)
Shot 79 to finish fourth individual at Old Avalon Sectional
Medalist at All-American Conference Tournament
Shot 77 at All-American Conference Tournament
Caroline Roush (Copley)
Shot 88 to finish tied for third individual at The Elms Sectional (advanced in playoff)
22nd overall in Suburban League American Conference
Shot 84 at Suburban League #1 at Old Avalon
Natalie Ullum (Perry- Mass)
Shot 83 to finish second individual at The Elms Sectional
21st at Federal League Preseason Tournament at The Elms
27th at Federal League Postseason Tournament at The Elms
Serena Wu (Solon)
Shot 68 to finish first individual and medalist at Old Avalon Sectional
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!
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
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.
We would like to take today to honor all our past, present, and future golfers on National Women in Sports Day. We are so proud of the strides we have taken as a society in supporting our female athletes. Thanks to Olmsted Falls High School for sharing this awesome video!
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.
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.
