2024 Boys Division 1 Previews

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A huge thank you to the many coaches who took the time to send in their team information!

Alliance Aviators

Coach- Jeff Graffice
Conference- Eastern Buckeye Conference
Home Course- Sleepy Hollow
Team Website
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- 0-10

Returning Players
Ben Craig- 12th
Cade Blatt- 12th
Adam Burse- 12th
Evan Winans- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Cainen Baker- 11th

Coach Comments- We are trying to improve each day out to be competitive

Amherst Comets

Coach- Mitch Gillam
Conference- Southwestern Conference
Home Course- Fox Creek Golf Club
Team Website
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- 7-0 in dual matches. Southwest Conference Champions, SWC Tournament Champions, SWC Mid Year Tournament Champions, Midview Invitational Champions, Bellevue Invitational Champions, Ravenna Yank Heisler Champions, Keystone Invitational Champions. Sectional Runner-Up, Edison Invitational Runner-Up, Norwalk Jim Denos Runner-Up, SWC Preview Runner-Up, Elyria Catholic Invitational Runner-Up.


Returning Players
Prince Tran- 12th
Jacob Sprinkle- 12th
Alek Kissane- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Michael Haddix- 12th
Jordan Miller- 11th
Landon Wolf- 11th
Jaxson Yoder- 10th

Coach Comments- Returning three all conference players. Prince Tran SWC POY, Alek Kissane 2nd team and Jacob Sprinkle an honorable mention selection. Several solid newcomers will be counted on for scoring depth. Posting a solid 4th score will be the key to the season.

Aurora Greenmen

Coach- Gus Mehallis
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Walden and Barrington
Last Year’s Results- 3rd in Suburban League- American

Returning Players
Gannon Brady- 12th
Wilson Brainard- 12th
Cameron Phillips- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Brady Allenick- 10th
Joel Fletcher- 10th
Matthew Harrell- 12th
Jackson Sarver- 10th
Logan Sadd- 12th

Coach Comments- We will be having a 3 round qualifier for approx 25 players which includes 10 incoming Freshmen

Avon Eagles

Coach- Jeff Stevens
Conference- Southwestern Conference
Home Course- Bob-O-Link
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- 6-1 SWC record – 2nd place

Returning Players
Tim Mai- 12th
Tommy Urbancic- 12th
Cooper Lodge- 12th
Wyatt Austin- 12th
Jack Hecei- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Zack Snyder- 10th
Ethan Olszowy- 10th
Jake Arnold- 11th

Coach Comments- Strengths – our experience and depth and our desire to practice and improve. Keys to Success – getting off to a good start, staying positive, and making good decisions.

Barberton Magics

Coach- David Kaser
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Pine Valley
Team Website
Schedule
Instagram- @magics_golf
Last Year’s Results- Record was 8-3, League finish was 6th place

Returning Players
Marco Silva- 12th
Cole Macko- 12th
Maverick Oktela- 12th
Tony Arthur- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Braylon Trout- 12th
Vincent Wieland- 12th

Coach Comments- Our top 2 golfers have been improving every year and look to do the same for their senior seasons. Marco Silva has advanced to districts the last two years.

Bay Rockets

Coach- Rick Manderine
Conference- Cleveland West Conference
Home Course- Legacy
Last Season’s Results- Overall Record 81-27 Great Lake Conference 27-6 Dual Record 11-3, Tournament Results: 1st: Pioneer Classic, 3rd: GLC Championship, 3rd: GLC Preview, 3rd: Keystone Classic

Returning Players
Ian Williams- 12th
Jack Chalmers- 12th
Travis Ropelewski- 11th
Ryan Reed- 12th
Ben Shuster- 12th
Jayson Miller- 11th
Trevor Ormsby- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Tommy Mack- 12th
Ben Wagner- 11th
Jayden Perrine- 11th
Matthew Mileti- 10th
Emmitt Naughton- 10th

Coach Comments- The Bay Village squad is returning three high level players from last season. Our team goals are high. (Sr.) Ian Williams will be a force for the up-coming season. He is one of the elite players in the area. Ian’s been an integral player the past two seasons earning 1st GLC honors both seasons.

(Sr.) Jack Chalmers will join forces with Ian to be the catalysts of the squad. Jack earned 2nd team GLC honors last season. He’s played all summer and is ready to take the next step. Jack is a smart player that grinds out pars.

(Soph.) Travis Ropelewski will round-out the top three. He gained valuable experience at the varsity level last season, earning 2nd team GLC honors. Travis plays with power. He’s a high level competitor. His short game is improving.

All three are strong iron players. With improved consistency and decision making, they can all become elite players in the area. They are putting in the work and are ready to make some noise @ D-2.

We are looking forward to a competitive season. Our goal is to compete with the high level teams in the area, win the GLC Championship and make a run deep into the Division II tournament. It will be an exciting season for the Rockets.

Berea-Midpark Titans

Coach- Jim Cook
Conference- Southwestern Conference
Home Course- Royal Crest Golf Club

Returning Players
Andrew Greger- 12th
Luke Nedoma- 11th
Oliver Marcelo- 10th
LJ Krek- 12th
Luca Santori- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Leo Smith- 12th
Gavin Wagner- 10th

Coach Comments- Our team had no seniors last year but was a mix of players with varsity experience added by a couple of hungry Freshman players. I look forward to the team taking the next step in conference & tournament play.

Brunswick Blue Devils

Coach- Colin Smith
Conference- Greater Cleveland Conference
Home Course- Pine Hills
Schedule
Twitter- @brunswickhsgolf
Last Year’s Results- Shot a season low at Sectionals (Goodpark)

Returning Players
Dayten Bobula- 12th
Jonas Hinderer- 12th
Ethan Kovacs- 11th

Coach Comments- Really looking forward to another season of growth. The Varsity team has a good core of returning players, and we are excited to see how some of the young players will progress.

Canfield Cardinals

Coach- Michael Kerensky
Conference- All-American Conference
Home Course- Mill Creek Metroparks
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- 8-0 Head-to-Head

Returning Players
Jake DeLisio- 12th
Michael Ambrose- 11th
Nathan Miller- 11th
Bryce Roberts- 11th
Danny Chaplow- 10th

Coach Comments- I am looking forward to working with this group of men as they are first and foremost, team-oriented and all have the same goal on their minds.

Firestone Falcons

Coach- Scott Westphal
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Good Park Golf Course

Returning Players
Aidan Russell- 12th
Landon Johnson- 12th
Jake Soful- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Luke Rhamy- 12th
Jonathan Stefanko- 9th
Josiah Perry- 9th

GlenOak Golden Eagles

Coach- Scott McCahan
Conference- Federal League
Home Course- Arrowhead Golf Club

Returning Players
Ben Sibert- 12th
Dylan Wiles- 12th
Evan Negulis- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Eddie Karam- 9th
Patrick Arway- 11th
Gavin France- 11th

Coach Comments- We will have a mix of some returning experience and some new faces on Varsity. Excited for the incoming freshman class and their potential.

Harvey Red Raiders

Coach- Scott Cummings
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Painesville Country Club
Facebook- Harvey Red Raider Golf Team
Last Year’s Results- 12-6, 3rd in CVC Chagrin

Returning Players
Micah Cannon- 11th
Aidan Englehart- 11th
Alex Boskovic- 11th
Julian Baker- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Adam Raphael- 10th
Luke Cvelbar- 10th

Coach Comments- We have a good group of return lettermen this year who understand we have an opportunity to win the conference. I will come down to their execution and contributions of our newcomers to be a complete success. They are up to the challenge.

Archbishop Hoban Knights

Coach- Quinn Parker
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Mud Run Golf Course
Twitter- @Hobanboysgolf
Last Year’s Results- Division 1 State Runner-Up

Returning Players
Brett Bagatti- 12th
Ray Dress- 12th
Braden Herstich- 12th
Chris Pollak- 12th
Ethan Cooper- 11th
Ben Berridge- 10th
Carter Stircula- 10th
Thomas Grasson- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Ray Koeberle- 9th

Coach Comments- This team will be led by are four seniors. All of the returning golfers have had really good spring/summer tournament season so far. I believe this could be a very special year for this group. I can’t wait to see what we can accomplish.

Hoover Vikings

Coach- Scott Snyder
Conference- Federal League
Home Course- Arrowhead Golf Course
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- 3rd place in the league, 8th place in the sectionals

Returning Players
Dan Gambone- 12th
Luke Stutzman- 12th
Carter Russell- 12th
Joey Stehura- 10th
Owen Casper- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Anthony Gambone- 9th
Carter Hershberger- 9th

Coach Comments- We’re excited about the upcoming season. We have several returning players with quite a bit of experience and a good incoming freshman class.

Hudson Explorers

Coach- Matt Villenauve and Dave Kurtz
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Country Club of Hudson
Team Website
Twitter- @hudsongolfrocks
Last Year’s Results- Suburban League Champions, Windmill Sectional-1st, Pine Hills District-1st, State Tournament-Team 10th, Sam Fauver 9th

Returning Players
Sam Fauver- 12th
Ben Fauver- 10th
Benjamin Matava- 12th
Jerry Du- 10th
Adam Ruffer- 12th
Koen Vanscoy- 11th

Jackson Polar Bears

Coach- Jim Kish
Conference- Federal League
Home Course- Shady Hollow CC and The Legends of Massillon
Last Year’s Results- 1st in Federal League, 1st place sectionals, 5th place district, 9th place state

Returning Players
Evan Jordanides- 12th
Max Weber- 12th
Raffaelle Scassa- 11th

Coach Comments- We will need several young players that need to step up for us to be competitive this year.

Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders

Coach- Ben Curtis
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Windmill Lakes Golf Course

Returning Players
Liam Curtis- 12th
Jack Puhalla- 12th
Jack Flynn- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Owen Puhalla- 10th
Deacon Smith- 11th
Jackson Turner- 9th

Coach Comments- Returning is 2nd Team All State, POY in Suburban League Liam Curtis and a couple of experienced players in Jack Puhalla and Jack Flynn who both showed signs of improvement last year. Also looking forward to upcoming players Deacon Smith, Owen Puhalla and freshman Jackson Turner. Replacing experienced players who have graduated to new ones is always a challenge but look forward to helping and seeing these younger players develop their golf games and provide a great experience.

Louisville Leopards

Coach- Michael McFerren
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Sleepy Hollow Golf Club
Facebook- Louisville Leopard Boy’s Golf
Last Year’s Results- 6-1

Returning Players
Michael Filipowicz- 12th
Braden Frank- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Joey Duncan- 12th
Brayden Gross- 12th
Jackson Contrucci- 12th
Landyn Fohner- 11th
Grayson Brunoni- 11th
Blake Johnson- 11th
Ethan Gruber- 10th

Coach Comments- We lost our #1, #2, #3, and #4 golfers from last year, 3 of which were 4 year letter winners. We are going to be VERY inexperienced this year. We have a lot of players that are going to be trying out this year, many of which are multi-sport athletes doing so for the first time. It will be a growing year, hopefully we will see our scores drop throughout the year and we will have a few guys step up to take the 4 open spots in our line-up.

Massillon Tigers

Coach- Josh Sykora
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Legends of Massillon
Twitter- @MTigerBGolf
Last Year’s Results- The 2023 season was one of the best on record for the Tigers. We had a winning percentage of 76%. We played 18 invitationals and the Tigers recorded 4 second place finishes and 17 top 10 finishes. Owen Robinson was a District Qualifier. We graduated 4 of our top 5 guys with 3 of them going onto to play at the collegiate level.

Returning Players
Aiden Koehler–11th

Potential New Contributors
Carter Maxheimer–9th
Mason Simons–9th

Coach Comments- We will be in a rebuilding year for the 2024 season. Rising Junior Aiden Koehler has been a strong leader all off season and is a player to keep an eye on.

Medina Bees

Coach- Mike Mozingo
Conference- Greater Cleveland Conference
Home Course- Fox Meadow
Twitter- @medinabeesgolf
Last Year’s Results- 5X GCC champions. Sectional runner up. 7th in District

Returning Players
Eli Zimmerman- 12th
Coen Miller- 12th
Cam Stafford- 11th
Wren Spires- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Miles Coughenour- 11th

Coach Comments- Looking forward to a season full of potential

Mentor Cardinals

Coach- Neil Grantz
Conference- Greater Cleveland Conference
Home Course- Black Brook
Last Year’s Results- Andrew Betz qualified to the District Tournament as an individual. We were fourth in the Greater Cleveland Conference.

Returning Players
Johnny Prentice- 12th
Josh Michaels- 12th
Carter Briskey- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Matt Andre- 10th
Andrew Engler- 10th

Coach Comments- Our 2 seniors had surgery. I don’t know if they will be ready at the beginning of the golf season. The 3 sophomores showed much promise as freshmen. My guess looking at the players trying out is that we are going to have a very young team with a lot of potential for growth.

Midview Middies

Head Coach- Kyle Zimmer
Conference- Southwestern Conference
Home Course- Brentwood
Twitter- @MidviewBoysGolf
Last Year’s Results- 7-5 overall, 3-4 conference, 10th place sectional

Returning Players
Ryan Kemer- 12th
Ethan Taylor- 12th
Jon Klooz- 11th
Patrick Dolin- 11th

North Olmsted Eagles

Coach- Brian Posendek
Conference- Cleveland West Conference
Home Course- Springvale GC
Schedule
Twitter- @NOEagles
Last Year’s Results- Sectional – 11th Place

Returning Players
Landon Graff- 12th
Jacob Schneid- 12th
Kody Schneid- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Jake Perkins- 11th
Ethan Cerny- 11th
Caleb Gilchrist- 11th

Coach Comments- Returning varsity players Landon Graff and Jacob Schneid look to lead the Eagles this year. Kody Schneid will continue to provide consistency at the varsity level. New comer Jake Perkins looks to introduce himself to the CWC with his consistent play.

North Ridgeville Rangers

Coach- Mike Belpulsi
Conference- Southwestern Conference
Home Course- Pine Brook
Twitter- @coachbelpulsi
Last Year’s Results- 2-7

Returning Players
Kyle Urban- 12th
Nicky Mealey- 12th
Nick Forristal- 12th
Tyeson Carter- 12th
Parker Prince- 12th
Michael Shulte- 11th

Potential New Players
Josh Behlke- 11th
Ethan Crevda- 11th
Matt Luca- 10th
Mason Limpert- 10th
James Kingery- 10th

North Royalton Bears

Coach- Steven Sprunger
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Hinckley Hills
Last Year’s Results- 4th place in the Suburban League National League. Overall dual match record of 5-3. No qualifiers to district

Returning Players
Charlie Wilson- 12th
Ryan Kuchta- 12th
Ethan Gubacz- 11th
Jackson Cavenaugh- 11th
Patrick Mansbery- 10th
Lucas Stringer- 10th
Ryan Wilson- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Tyler Kimmel- 10th
Zach Horiba- 10th

Coach Comments- I am hoping to see some big steps from our sophomores to assist our great seniors to achieve our goal of getting back to the district tournament.

Revere Minutemen

Coach- David Archer
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Fairlawn Country Club
Schedule
Twitter- @minutemengolf
Last Year’s Results- Won the Mapleton Invitational (1st of 15), Finished top 5 in 4 of 6 Invitationals entered before then taking 3rd place at the Good Park D1 NE Sectional tournament and moving on to District play.

Returning Players
Jack Kinder- 12th
Angelo Levak- 12th
Liam Gartland- 12th
Tommy Kinder- 10th
Jack Skidmore- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Andrew Ash- 10th
Charles Rogers- 10th

Coach Comments- The boys may have surprised themselves a bit last year, but now they’re excited about what more they can do. Our focus will be on putting in the time to get just a little bit better every time out.

Riverside Beavers

Coach- Mike Pickett, PGA
Conference- Western Reserve Conference
Home Course- Little Mountain CC and Quail Hollow CC
Last Year’s Results- Undefeated 10-0 in WRC Conference Matches, WRC Season-Long Team Champions, Qualified out of Sectionals at Quail to go to Districts as a team.


Returning Players
Caden Boyd- 12th
Griffin Pickett- 10th
Ryan Abbott- 11th
Declan Jackson- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Connor Stein- 11th

Rocky River Pirates

Coach- Paul Roby
Conference- Cleveland West Conference
Home Course- Big Met Golf Course
Team Website
Schedule
Twitter – @RR_BoysGolf
Last Year’s Results- 11-1 on the season, 3rd at Sectional, 7th at District

Returning Players
Caden Lawrence- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Max Lehmann- 12th
Finn Potts- 11th
Joe Brant- 12th
Nolan Toole- 10th
Noah Opdycke- 11th
Angelo Fiutem- 11th

Coach Comments- Entering my first year as the head coach of the Rocky River High School Boys Golf team is an incredible honor. We have a talented group of young men who are dedicated to improving their skills and achieving their goals. Our focus will be on building a strong team spirit, honing our techniques, and enjoying the game. I’m excited to see how our hard work pays off on the course and to watch these players grow both as golfers and as individuals.

Saint Edward Eagles

Coach- Douglas Sessor
Conference- Independent
Team Website
Twitter- @sehs_golf
Instagram- sehs_golf_eagles
Last Year’s Results- 4th place Sectionals, 1 individual district qualifier

Returning Players
Vinh Lai- 12th
Michael Tyler Polca- 12th
Sean Curran- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Nick Yonadi- 9th
Ryan McGuire- 12th
Chris Najda- 11th
Rocco DeBolt- 9th
Sam Variglotti- 10th
Charlie McGurer- 12th
Carson Torek- 10th
Evan Duenas- 11th

Coach Comments- Another strong off season for our program. Our youth camps were very successful along with our squad playing a very competitive schedule. Once again, the overall outlook is on reaching our potential as a person & golfer. Qualifying for OHSAA states will and always be our direction. This season we are tasked with filling the slots left by multi-year captain Jack Myslenski and Thomas Marshall.

Saint Ignatius Wildcats

Coach- Kevin Neitzel
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Elyria Country Club
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- Last year the team finished 7th in the State at Scarlet. Bradley Chill was 2nd team All State. Finished in first place at Sectionals played at Quail Hollow with a score of 302. Finished 3rd place at Districts with a score of 301.

Returning Players
Craig Carneval- 12th
Joseph Maloof- 11th
Alex Stiegele- 11th
Fitch Farina- 10th
Kyle Malicki- 10th
Dominic Castellucio- 10th
Ryan Hvizd- 12th
Jackson Sommers- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Patrick Myers- 9th
Ethan White- 9th

Coach Comments- We look forward to the season as we have a young but talented group of young men. We have a deep team that will be unified and push each other to be their best.

Saint Vincent-Saint Mary Irish

Coach- Jim Currie
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Good Park
Team Website
Instagram- stvmboysgolf
Twitter- @stvmboysgolf
Last Year’s Results- 10-3 in matches. 2nc at the St Eds Tournament, 5th place finishes at Strongsville, CVCA, Alliance, TCC Inv, Cardinal Classic, Nordonia, Rough Rider Inv and Midwest Prep Classic. 5th at the Windmill Lakes Sectional. Paul Witschey advanced to the District tournament at Pine Hills where he tied for 27th

Returning Players
Paul Witschey- 12th
Nick Wierzbicki- 12th
Angelo Puglia- 12th
Jackson Vesco- 12th
Nate Sparhawk- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Matt Large- 12th
Quinn Yori- 11th

Coach Comments- The seniors need to lead us. We have the experience to be good, just need to be consistent and play well every time we play and see where the season takes us.

Shaker Heights Raiders

Coach- Paul Sampliner
Conference- Greater Cleveland Conference
Home Course- Highland Park GC and Shaker Heights CC
Last Year’s Results- Team District Qualifier for the 4th year in a row.

Returning Players
Joey Moore- 12th

Coach Comments- Rebuilding after graduating our top five players.

Stow-Munroe Falls Bulldogs

Coach- Chet Feldman
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Fox Den
Last Year’s Results- Second in league and a state qualifier

Returning Players
Austin Wilhoit
Tyler Cheetham
Eddie Norman
AJ Halsne
Oliver Huff

Potential New Contributors
Gavin Schneider

Coach Comments- We have a great leader in Austin Wilhoit. I hope the other players watch his habits and emulate them and understand what it takes to be a great golfer and teammate.

Strongsville Mustangs

Coach- Steve King
Conference- Greater Cleveland Conference
Home Course- Bunker Hill
Twitter- SHS_Golf14
Last Year’s Results- 4th Sectional, 2nd in GCC, District qualifier

Returning Players
Harrison LaBahn- 12th
Nick Colagiovanni- 11th

Tallmadge Blue Devils

Coach- Scott Campbell
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Brookledge
Twitter- @Tallmadge_BGolf
Last Year’s Results- 7th in Suburban

Returning Players
Gabe Jones- 12th
Warner Carter- 12th
Andrew Byron- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Caleb Reifsnyder- 12th
Mario Case- 11th
Jesse Ambrose- 11th
Thomas Huth- 10th

Coach Comments- We will be lead by our 3 returning Varsity players and will look to be competitive. We are excited to see who will compete for our other Varsity spots.

University School Preppers

Coach- Aaron Sayre
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Sand Ridge
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- 2nd Place in Sectionals, 6th Place in Districts. 1st Place finish in the Reese Alexander Tournament 2023, Returning all starters (4 seniors).

Returning Players
Adam Sands- 12th
Jackson Pinney- 12th
Ethan Roberts- 12th
Slater School- 12th
Bennett Johnson- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Nathan Chege- 10th

Coach Comments- With 5 returning starters (3 of which are 4-year letterman golfers) expectations are high. We have missed the state tournament by a few strokes the past two years, and this year our attention is on qualifying as a team. Players to watch are our two senior captains Jackson Pinney and Ethan Roberts. Both players have potential to medal at any tournament they play in, and expect to shoot state qualifying scores.

Valley Forge Patriots

Coach- Mitchell Hartel
Conference- Cleveland West Conference
Home Course- Ridgewood
Team Website
Schedule
Instagram- @vfhartel
Last Year’s Results- Overall, we finished 7-5 last year, and pushed through one player, Ryan Repko, to the district tournament.

Returning Players
Billy Jobes- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Nick Turko- 11th
Steve Baker- 12th
Brandon Beach- 12th
Hera Obloy- 10th
Myles Wisniewski- 10th
Aidyn Petito- 10th
Nolan Orlowski- 10th
Brody Daniels- 10th
Brandon Samarin- 12th

Coach Comments- After three straight winning seasons, the Valley Forge Golf Program saw the departure of five of its six student-athletes from a year ago due to graduation. With that being said, we are really excited about the new additions we are bringing on, and the youth movement that is coming along with that. Our hope and expectation is to get better one shot at a time this year, and use it as a learning year for many of the players in our program.

Wadsworth Grizzlies

Coach- Steve Ferris
Conference- Suburban League
Home Course- Pine Valley

Returning Players
Landon Blizzard- 12th
Michael Fahey- 11th
Cam Croley- 12th
Lukas Porter-12th

Potential New Contributors
Jack Ishee- 12th
Ben Stuchal- 12th
Chase Otradovec- 10th
Colin Gerber- 11th

Coach Comments- We have high expectations this year. I believe Landon & Michael have a good chance to make it to the State Tournament.

Walsh Jesuit Warriors

Coach- Bill Reilly, PGA
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Ellsworth Meadows and Brookledge GC
Twitter- @WJHS_golf
Last Year’s Results- Men’s varsity golf team had another very successful campaign in 2023
The team had seven top three finishes throughout the season, including two championships, crown conference and Strongsville invitational. 3rd Red Tail,WJ, Ashland, 2nd Green Invt and sectional. The team did not make it to the state championship this year, but was led individually by sophomore, Anthony Spain, who did qualify and finish 21st in the state.

Returning Players
Anthony Spain- 10th
Steven Voinovich- 12th
Ryan Czenszak- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Logan Mackey- 12th
Mossimo Russo- 10th
Ben Yeager- 10th
Matthew Czenszak- 9th

Coach Comments- Individual Personal bests were achieved this past year as 72-73 (145) from Junior, Steven Voinovich, 71 from Anthony Spain 73 from Ryan Czenszak. The Warriors look to be very strong this year led by the experience of Voinovich, Czenszak, Spain, additionally, Logan Mackey, Mossimo Russo, Matthew Czenszak and Ben Yeager. These gentlemen will offer a great push to a very positive post season run.

Westlake Demons

Coach- Luke Harris
Conference- Cleveland West Conference
Home Course- Big Met
Team Website
Schedule
Twitter- @Demons_Golf
Last Year’s Results- Undefeated in conference play, won GLC, 1st place at EC Golf Invite, 1st place at GLC Preview, 2nd place at Midview Invite, made it to Districts

Returning Players
Mitch England- 12th
Josh Turk- 12th
Peyton Wolf- 10th
Matt Brown- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Cooper Albers- 11th

Coach Comments- We lost our State contender Sion Park as well as two of or consistent scoring seniors. However, Mitch England and Josh Turk have made large strides and are ready to be major contributors. In addition, rising Sophomore Peyton Wolf was one of the best 9th graders in the area last season. Look for him having a breakout season this year.

Willoughby South Rebels

Coach- Matt Fundak
Conference- Western Reserve Conference
Home Course- Manakiki
Twitter- @SouthRebelGolf
Last Year’s Results- 11-7, Western Reserve Tournament Champions, Michael Lavrisha – District Qualifier

Returning Players
Michael Lavrisha- 12th
Tyler Hace-11th
James Miller- 12th
Ralph Zappola-10th
Lukas Gennarelli- 12th

Coach Comments- We hope our off season work pays off this fall.

Wooster Generals

Coach- Brent Dillon
Conference- Ohio Cardinal Conference
Home Course- Wooster Country Club
Schedule
Twitter- @woogolf
Last Year’s Results- 3rd place OCC

Returning Players
Sam Fleming- 12th
Aidan Cleveland- 12th
Anthony Long- 12th
Grady Hahn- 11th
Andon Hart- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Colton Lawrence- 11th
Riley Jones- 12th

2024 Boys Division 2 Previews

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

A huge thank you to the many coaches who took the time to send in their team information!

Beachwood Bison

Coach- Drew Pierson
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Highland Park
Team Website
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- Last season we were 2-2 in the CVC Conference Metro Division and 5-7 in head to head matches. We finished in 10th place in the Boys Division 2 Sectional at Pine Hills.

Returning Players
Gavi Lappen- 11th
Ethan Malek- 11th
Lucius Venditti- 11th
Cameron Feuerman- 11th
Arel Magence- 11th
Ethan Papcum- 11th
Jordan Uria- 10th

Coach Comments- We are a young team and are returning all of our starting lineup from last season. We are lead by Gavi Lappen who tied for 1st Place individually in the Metro Division of the CVC Conference Championship. Also showing promise is Ethan Malek. I expect us to contend to make it out to Districts. We have multiple players who have the potential to qualify individually.

Chagrin Falls Tigers

Coach- Anne Caja
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Tanglewood Club
Team Website
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- 4th in State Championship; District – 2nd place; Sectionals – 1st Place; finished in top 5 in 5 tournaments

Returning Players
Charlie Pollock- 12th
Jack Watson- 11th
Brad Russell- 12th
Noah Riman- 10th
Xander Burnight- 12th

Coach Comments- Charlie Pollock, a 2023 All-Ohio player, is returning to hopefully lead us into the State Championship for the third straight year. We will also have Jack Watson, Brad Russell, Noah Risman returning with State experience. These guys along with over 6 other returning members have been working hard during the off-season and summer tournament play to reach our team and personal goals.

CVCA Royals

Coach- Adam Armstrong
Conference- North Coast Conference
Home Course- Brookledge Golf Course
Last Year’s Results- 2nd in PAC, 2nd Place @ Sectionals, 8th Place @ Districts

Returning Players
Andrew Van Hala- 10th
Cord Steigmeier- 12th
Carter Klein- 12th

Coach Comments- With three quality players returning to our varsity squad and with a competitive JV program we hope to field a competitive team from our #1 to our #5 golfer.

Gilmour Academy Lancers

Coach- Andy Deehr
Conference- Independent
Team Website
Schedule
Twitter- @GALancerBGolf
Instagram- @galancerbgolf
Threads- galancerbgolf
Last Year’s Results- 1st place Karpis Invitational, 1st place Margaretta Invitational, 1st place Sectionals (Pine Hills), 3rd place Tiger Invitational, 3-1 Match Record

Returning Players
Ryan Panzica- 11th
Aedan Aerni -11th
Christian Kerner- 11th
Mike Wu- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Iulius Braho- 10th
Theophany Goudas Ksenyak- 10th
Brody Phillipp- 11th
Mason Kaprosy- 11th
Zach Titas- 12th
Gavin Kiebler- 12th

Coach Comments- We lost a great core of Seniors last year with Charlie Tzefronis, Aidan McKito, and Hayden Lee. There will be a huge opportunity for the younger players to step up and perform. We are eager to see who that is this year to supplement our core of Ryan Panzica, Aedan Aerni, and Christian Kerner.

Hubbard Eagles

Coach- David Cooper
Conference- Northeast 8 Conference
Home Course- Pine Lakes
Last Year’s Results- 3rd in sectionals and advanced to districts, league record 9-3 (3rd in Northeast 8), 10-7 over all

Returning Players
Garrett Brajkovich- 12th
Gabe Rusnak- 12th
Jonathan Adamson- 11th
Colten Smith- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Chase Yoman- 12th
Sam Wagner- 12th

Coach Comments- My expectations are high after last years success. The four returning varsity players give us a real chance at winning our league title and advancing through sectionals and districts. A state visit is the goal .

Keystone Wildcats

Coach- Greg Morgan
Conference- Lorain County Conference
Home Course- Grey Hawk
Last Year’s Results- LC8 champions

Returning Players
Brady Schacht- 11th
Austin Duta- 11th
Brody O’Boyle- 11th
Quinn Otto- 11th
Liam Goran- 10th
Ryan Younglas- 10th

Lutheran West Longhorns

Coach- Dale Lehrke
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Red Tail Golf Club
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- Conference Champions

Returning Players
JJ Hughes- 12
Ray Pavlick- 11
Trey Kemper- 11
Peyton Wenz- 12
Ryan Albrecht- 11

Potential New Contributors
Tommy Mattey- 12th
Jackson Lundenberger- 12th

Coach Comments- We have a good mix of returning players and new players that I feel will contend for a conference championship as a team.

Marlington Dukes

Coach- Rick Snode
Conference- Eastern Buckeye Conference
Home Course- Tannenhauf Golf Club
Last Year’s Results- 6-4, 3rd place

Returning Players
Garett Dillon- 12th
Sam Yoder- 12th
Ben Warner- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Deegan Cowden- 9th
Isaac McIntyre- 11th
Logan Misch- 10th

Coach Comments- Our top 3 should be strong, need our young players to step up.

Norton Panthers

Coach- Mike Maile
Conference- Metro Athletic Conference
Home Course- Spring Hills
Last Year’s Results- 7-8 MAC, 5th place MAC tournament

Returning Players
Matt Fowler
Evan Easterling
Will Goff
Noah Landers

Potential New Contributors
Jack Pazernak
Braden Gunter
Stone Hardy

Coach Comments- Norton will compete in every match.

Orange Lions

Coach- Rick Clark
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Highland, Country, Mayfield
Twitter- @OHSBoysGolf
Last Year’s Results- Qualified for D2 district tournament with a 3rd place showing at Pine Hills in Sectionals.

Returning Players
Jayden Park- 11th
Sammy Heiser- 10th
Jordan Clotman- 10th
Tyler Diviney- 12th

Potential New Contributors
Russell Melvey- 10th
Michael Nemer- 10th
Dillon Mathur- 10th

Coach Comments- We are going to be an overall young team this upcoming season, but we are looking for some of our young players to take a step forward. Last year’s district appearance was an opportunity for that young group to gain valuable experience.

Springfield Spartans

Coach- Jack Morgan
Conference- Metro Athletic Conference
Home Course- Chenoweth Golf Course
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- 22 wins and 3 losses – 2023 Metro Athletic Conference Champions – Brady Hahn (Graduated) Division II State Qualifier

Returning Players
Logan Porter -12th
Wyatt Bartholomew- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Trenton Shrock- 12th
Nathan Meyer- 9th
Liam Miller- 9th

Streetsboro Rockets

Coach- Bruce Thomas
Conference- Metro Athletic Conference
Home Course- Boulder Creek
Last Year’s Results- 10-7 (10-4 in the Metro Athletic Conference)

Returning Players
Zach Schramm- 12th
Andrew Burton- 12th
Brett Epple- 11th
Bryce Pocek- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Jack Batton- 12th
Trevor Murray- 12th
Evan Reger- 11th
Dominic Marcini- 10th

Coach Comments- We should be much improved this year with the individuals we have coming back and the new additions to the team. The competition level this year should be outstanding, on any given match, it could be any of the top 8 playing.

Tuslaw Mustangs

Coach- Matthew Halter
Conference- PAC 7
Home Course- The Elms Country Club
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- 19-5 overall, 10-4 PAC 7 Conference – 3rd place, The Tuslaw 2023 team advanced to the District Tournament.

Returning Players
Lincoln Cocklin- 11th
Nick Lytle- 10th
Kole Back- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Elijah Cockrill- 9th
Hudson Hoffman- 9th
Jase Beal- 9th
Kyle Tapp- 9th

Coach Comments- We are going to be very young starting mostly freshmen and sophomores. However, the kids have put a lot of time in over the summer and will be ready to go. I look forward to watching grow and develop into solid players.

Ursuline Fighting Irish

Coach- Michael Murphy
Conference- Independent
Home Course- Henry Stambaugh
Last Year’s Results- Sectional Champ, District Champ and 9th Place Boys d2 State Championship

Returning Players
Nolan Froehlich- 12th
Luke Rowland- 12th
Anthony Bako- 11th
Breen Dahman- 11th
Finn Thornton-11th
Alexander Simon- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Christopher Sammartino- 10th
Chase Ogden- 10th

Waynedale Golden Bears

Coach- Melinda Budd
Conference- Wayne County Athletic League
Home Course- Riceland Golf Course
Team Website
Last Year’s Results- Wayne County League Champions, Season Record 21-3 overall, WCAL record 16-2

Returning Players
Jordan Miller- 11th
Hank Miller- 11th
Brayden Schlabach- 11th,
Caden Snyder- 11th
Adi Weirick- 11th
Mason Henderson- 11th
Hudson Barkman- 10th
Logan Troyer- 10th
Micah Gessel- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Rayce Jacobs- 9th
Sadie Gatti- 9th

Coach Comments- With several players returning with varsity experience we look to compete for league and tournament titles. Smithville and Dalton will be tough league and area opponents.

Wellington Dukes

Coach- Tom Guyer, Jr
Conference- Lorain County Conference
Home Course- Echo Valley

Returning Players
Blake Carruthers- 12th
Noah Clark- 12th
Nathan Glavich- 12th
Colson West- 11th

Potential New Contributors
Zach Kehl- 9th
Luke Sword- 9th
James Wacker- 9th

Coach Comments- Wellington brings back some experienced golfers along with a promising group of freshman. Early development will be needed. Should that happen The Dukes will be a competitive-improving team this year

2024 Boys Division 3 Previews

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

A huge thank you to the many coaches who took the time to send in their team information!

Cardinal Huskies

Coach- Mike Topalian
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- Pleasant Hill
Twitter- @CardinalHSGolf
Last Year’s Results- Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Champions 8-0, Northeast District Qualifier D3, Sectional 3rd Place D3

Returning Players
Matt Hissa- 12th
Austin Jones- 12th
Reese Soltis- 12th
Bryce Blystone- 11th
Evan Jones- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Deano DeCaro- 11th
Blake Strever- 11th
Ayden Maze- 12th

Coach Comments- The Huskies lost the CVC Player of the Year from last season but have a handful of golfers with Varsity experience.

Columbia Raiders

Coach- Josh Scharf
Conference- Lorain County League
Home Course- Pine Brook
Team Website
Twitter- @CHSBoysGolf6

Returning Players
Logan North- 11th
Mason Bledsoe- 10th
Cody Rose- 10th
Tyler Surgenor- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Alex Henry- 12th
Avery Goodman- 11th
Ricky Fatica- 10th
Noah Scharf- 9th
Tanner Cochrane- 9th

Coach Comments- Logan North should have a breakout season.

Columbiana Clippers

Coach- Bob Hall
Conference- Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference
Home Course- Valley Golf
Last Year’s Results- EOAC League Champs

Returning Players
Blake Unger- 12th
Trenton Hall- 10th
David Masters- 10th
Nick Klindworth- 10th
Troy Fry- 10th
Geoffrey Malcomson- 10th
Alex Mascher- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Beckett Wilson
Thatcher Smith

Coach Comments- Very young team – looking to gain more experience & contend for league title

Kirtland Hornets

Coach- Sam Kless
Conference- Chagrin Valley Conference
Home Course- St. Denis
Last Year’s Results- 7-12 in all matches

Returning Players
Nick Nead- 10th
Knox Crisci- 12th
Ryan Green- 10th
Danny Shafer- 11th
Maggie Kothera- 11th
Nolan VanLoan- 11th

Coach Comments- Should be very much improved from last year. Nick Nead is much improved and should have a very strong year.

LaBrae Vikings

Coach- James Bailey
Conference- Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference
Home Course- Riverview Golf Course
Last Year’s Results- 15-5. 2nd place MVAC Gray Tournament, 6th place D3 District at Riverview Golf Course

Returning Players
Adam Bartholomew- 12th
Austin Rowe- 11th
Jacob Simpson- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Bryce Taylor- 10th
Landon Taylor- 11th
Ethan Howard- 9th

Coach Comments- Going to be inexperienced but working to get better every day.

Mineral Ridge Rams

Coach- Shawn Brown
Conference- Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference
Home Course- Olde Dutch Mill
Team Website
Schedule
Twitter- @RamGolf1
Last Year’s Results- 10-6 Record, 1st Place Mineral Ridge Invitational, 3rd in league.

Returning Players
AJ Sandy- 12th
Cody Gongaware- 12th
RJ Jensen- 12th
Jackson Geddes- 11th
Grant Wiscott- 11th
Eric Chirstoff- 11th
Caiden Powell- 11th
Vinny Simone- 10th
Kyle Ague- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Blake Basista- 11th
Dylan Robbins- 9th

Coach Comments- We have an upperclassman heavy team with some experience. If they will put in the work and get better, then we should be competitive in the MVAC and maybe peak come tournament time.

Mogadore Wildcats

Coach- Chris Mossa
Conference- Portage Trail Conference
Home Course- Paradise Lakes GC
Last Year’s Results- 14-5 record. District Qualifiers

New Players
Jude Thiry- 11th
Tyler Pendergast- 11th
Tristyn McCaman- 12th
Max Shannon- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Gavin Gardner- 10th
Noah Hopkins- 10th
Alex Jarvis- 10th
Mason Storey- 10th
Landon Shaffer- 10th
Jackson Lanham- 10th

Coach Comments- A very young team with lots of potential. Look for us to be playing our best golf by the end of the season. As always, we expect to compete for league, sectional, and district titles.

Open Door Christian Patriots

Coach- Eric Wagner
Conference- Lake Effect Conference
Home Course- Grey Hawk
Team Website
Schedule
Last Year’s Results- 12-1, 1st place Lake Effect Conference, Lake Effect Conference Tournament Champs, Will Giesbrecht – district qualifier, Blake Hopkins – State qualifier

Returning Players
Will Giesbrecht- 12th
Titus Sooy- 12th
Timothy Sooy- 12th
Abby Hopkins- 11th
Evan Reed- 11th
Coltan Burrer- 11th

Sebring McKinley Trojans

Coach- Shannon Hutchison
Conference- Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference
Home Course- Berlin Lake Golf Course
Last Year’s Results- 0-16

Returning Players
Michael Moyer- 12th
Tate Wickersham- 12th
Jay Zheng- 12th
Connor Helmick- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Reese Runyon- 12th

Coach Comments- We are still a young team of golfers with truly only one experienced golfer on the team. Looking forward to to another season with this group and hoping for a few wins this year. Hoping to find a few new players for next year with only one underclassman on the team.

Southern Local Indians

Coach- Kyle Exline
Conference- Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference
Home Course- Twin Springs GC
Team Website
Schedule
Facebook
Last Year’s Results- 7-13, 5th in EOAC

Returning Players
Wyatt Bach- 12th
Ethan Richards- 12th
Logan Howell- 11th
Zac Mayfield- 11th
Trevor Groff- 11th
Aiden Andrenok- 10th

Potential New Contributors
Chance Smith- 11th
Austin Harshbarger- 10th
Preston Pitts- 10th

Coach Comments- While we return 6 out of our 9 golfers, there is still a “rawness” to the team. We are looking to replace last year’s number 1 with a group of student-athletes who are working hard to develop their game. After clawing out 7 wins last year while replacing 5 seniors from 2022, this group looks to create their own history and complete around the area.

Waterloo Vikings

Coach- Matthew Flanagan
Conference- Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference
Home Course- Paradise Lake Country Club
Twitter- @WHSVikingGolf
Last Year’s Results- 15-5 overall, 10-2 League (2nd place), 4th place D3 Riverview Sectional

Returning Players
Trevor Simons- 12th
Clayton Smith- 12th
Mitchell Shepherd- 12th
Blade Ascarrunz- 11th

Potential New Players
Sarah Hylton- 10th
Trevor Flarida- 9th
Cole Kaiser- 9th
Mason Long- 9th

2024 Golden Age Classic Recap

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

I am going to take a quick break from covering high school golf to share something that is really special to me. This past Sunday, I gathered some of my best friends, family members, fellow coaches, and Hudson golf alumni and we played in a fun, and slightly competitive, golf tournament at Manakiki Golf Course. I called it the Golden Age Classic to pay homage to my passion of golf course architecture but also because I truly feel that I am living in a golden age of my life. I have so many relationships that I hold so dear and it’s great to see those paths cross while doing something we all love and enjoy. Fittingly, we held the tournament at Willoughby’s Donald Ross gem, which fits right into my favorite era of golf course design.

The weather at Manakiki was perfect and the course showed its muscles for most of the players in the field. The par fives played formidable and the par threes actually were gettable. Michael Schuller overcame the difficult conditions by winning the men’s Black Division with an impressive +3 75, beating his closest competitors, Jerry Du and Brandon Sopko, by nine shots. Schuller birdied the first hole and didn’t drop a stroke until number 8. He finished +1 on the front nine and got some strokes back by getting birdie on the back-to-back par fives, 12 and 13. He played consistent golf from beginning to end, posting no score worse than bogey. High school phenom Jerry Du finished with an 84 and Brandon Sopko tied that score as he came in with the last group. Bobby Bolin and Devin Cunningham, one of four sibling rivalries on the course, ended up tying at 88, followed by Darren Butler and Ryan Sopko with 91.

In the men’s Blue Division, Fangming Du held off John Schuller by two shots and his 80 was good enough to take the title. He used a stellar short game to recover from a tough start. After bogeying three of the first four holes, Du turned it on and was five over par throughout the rest of the round. Having five scores of three on the scorecard always help keep scores down, and Du did just that as he parred all four par threes and birdied the dogleg right 16th hole. John Schuller played well but fell just short as he ended up with 40 on the front and 42 on the back. Sam Smith put up matching 43s on both nines to finish in third place. Gil Van Bokkelen had a strong front nine with 41 but a 47 on the back took him out of contention late. He tied with Cole Chluda, who played better on the back than the front.

The Du family was not done quite yet. 2023 high school graduate Sherry Du won a very competitive Women’s Division as she posted a six over par 78 to take home the trophy. She did not score worse than bogey and had an eight hole stretch of holes where she played even par with eight consecutive pars. Like her dad, Sherry also had par on each of Manakiki’s memorable par three holes. Finishing second was Julia Van Bokkelen with a very strong score of 80, followed by Ally Siewert’s 82. Lucille Petkac had a good showing with an 85 while Mallory Zammataro and Krystine Frisch finished in 5th and 6th place.

There are so many people to thank for making this tournament a success. First, the participants. You are some of the most important people in my life and some of my best friends. I am so happy we were able to spend a day together on the golf course doing something we can all bond over. A huge thanks goes out to Ryan and Emily Bolin and my amazing wife, Megan, for helping out with logistics and taking all the pictures that you see below. I’d also like to thank Ben Ladaika and Milt Johnson along with the entire staff at Manakiki for helping make this a reality. Also a huge thanks to all those who could not attend this year but were supportive of this venture. We hope to have even more participants next year!

Final Results

Women’s Red Division
1. 78 Sherry Du, Hudson High School Girls Golf ’24, University of Pennsylvania
2. 80 Julia Van Bokkelen, Hudson High School Girls Golf Senior
3. 82 Ally Siewert, College of Wooster Sophomore (Nordonia High School)
4. 85 Lucille Petkac, Padua High School Girls Golf, Ursuline College ’24
5. 101 Mallory Zammataro, Hudson High School Girls Golf ’22, Miami University
6. 108 Krystine Frisch, Avon Lake High School Girls Golf Coach

Men’s Blue Division
1. 80 Fangming Du, China
2. 82 John Schuller, Midpark High School, Bowling Green State University
3. 86 Sam Smith, Normandy High School, Miami University
4. 88 Cole Chluda, Hudson High School, Ohio University
4. 88 Gil Van Bokkelen, Skyline High School, University of California Berkeley, Stanford University
6. 90 Luke Harris, Avon Lake High School, Cleveland State University
7. 91 Mike Dame, Greater Lowell Regional High School, Cossett Creek Golf Course
8. 98 Al Evangelista, Strongsville High School, Kent State and Cleveland State University, Olmsted Falls Girls Golf Coach
8. 98 Ken Frisch, Brookside High School, Bowling Green State University
10. 100 Mike Hayes, Valley Forge High School, John Carroll University
11. 101 Tim Maddocks, Midpark High School, Kent State University
12. 109 Doug Benzel, Amherst Steele High School, Bluffton University
13. 110 Brandon Harris, Avon Lake High School, Case Western Reserve University
13. 110 Kevin Van Bokkelen, Walsh Jesuit High School, Lebanon Valley College

Men’s Black Division
1. 75 Michael Schuller, Berea-Midpark High School, Heidelberg University
2. 84 Jerry Du, Hudson High School Sophomore
2. 84 Brandon Sopko, Valley Forge High School, Geneva College
4. 88 Bobby Bolin, Buckeye High School, Baldwin-Wallace College
4. 88 Devin Cunningham, Cloverleaf High School, Kent State University
6. 91 Darren Butler, Reynoldsburg High School, University of Akron
6. 91 Ryan Sopko, Valley Forge High School, Muskingum University

2024-25 Division Changes

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The OHSAA released the fall sports divisions for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. There are six schools in the Northeast District that will see changes. Moving up from Division 2 to Division 1 will be Beaumont, CVCA, Field, Hawken, and St. Vincent-St. Mary. Moving down from Division 1 to Division 2 will be Akron Springfield, the only school in the state that will fall a division. Other schools that were bumped that may be added to the Northeast District in girls golf include Carrollton and Minerva.

OHSAA Announces 2024 State Championship Sites

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

In a memo to coaches sent out today, the Ohio High School Athletic Association announced the golf State Championship schedule for 2024. The Division 3 boys State Championship will continue to be hosted by NorthStar Golf Club. The Division 2 State Championships will take place at Firestone Country Club in Akron. The boys will play on the North Course while the girls will play on the Fazio (West) Course. The Division 1 State Championships will move to NCR Country Club in Kettering, near Dayton. The boys will play on the South Course and the girls will play on the North Course.

Other information included in the release gave the dates for all postseason tournaments, listed below, and established July 29th as the first official day of the 2024 season.

2024 State Tournament Schedule
September 18-28- Sectional Tournaments
September 30-October 8- District Tournaments
October 11-12- Boys Division 3 State Tournament at NorthStar Golf Club
October 13-14- Boys/Girls Division 2 State Tournament at Firestone Country Club
October 14-15- Boys/Girls Division 1 State Tournament at NCR Country Club

Siena Maschke, 2023 State Champion

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The ultimate goal in high school golf is to have the opportunity to be a state champion, whether it is as an individual or as a member of a championship team. Imagine working for four full seasons to accomplish that goal only to show up to the Ohio State Golf Club feeling terribly sick. Then overcoming that to beat a field of the best players in the state to win the individual State Championship. This is the story of how Siena Maschke, a senior at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, was able to persevere to become the Division 2 individual state champion in 2023. This is also the story of how Siena transformed herself into a top level competitor, a great teammate, and an amazing individual.

The story starts in a very unlikely place: Asia. “I was traveling to Hong Kong with my dad when I was about three,” Siena recalled. The family came upon a driving range and Siena started hitting golf balls. That was the beginning of something special, although not immediately. It wasn’t until she was about six years old that she ever made anything out of golf. Siena ended up joining the First Tee program where she learned the fundamentals of the game and the life skills that have proven to be the ultimate reward that comes out of the game of golf.

Siena did not play golf competitively much before high school and did not get off to the greatest start in her high school career. “I shot a 112 in my first tournament at Lake Forest my freshman year,” she explained. She knew she could do better and looked up to a very successful teammate for help. Jami Morris, who won the Division 2 State Championship as a sophomore and is currently playing golf at Penn State, became Siena’s motivation. “I was inspired by how focused she was,” Siena added. “At first I was intimidated but I became encouraged by what she brought to the course. She showed me what it took to be a state champion.” Following Jami’s leadership by example, Siena continued to work on her game and received some fantastic experience during her freshman year, where Laurel ended up finishing third at the State Tournament and she carded respectable scores of 84 and 85. Jami won the individual tournament once again.

To get to the State Tournament in 2023, Laurel needed to improve over the year. Even with Siena at the top of the lineup, Laurel did not have high external expectations for the season. “We had the same team coming back from last year,” Siena explained. “Four of our top five players were seniors. We had classes together and were friends off the course.” Siena maintained a positive outlook and made sure that her teammates picked up on it. She is very outgoing on the course and would do just about anything to pick up her teammates, whether it was shouting to them in the next fairway, giving them a hug at the end of the round, or shedding actual tears when a teammate had a great round. “Once they saw their improvement, they were encouraged,” Siena said. That improvement was massive. Laurel’s team score at their second event of the season, the Lady Explorer Invitational at Lake Forest, was 404, which put them 16th in a field of 18, albeit some of the top teams in Ohio. At the District Tournament at Good Park Golf Course, Laurel shot 359 to sneak into the third and final qualifying spot for the State Tournament by two strokes over Southeast.

Siena’s individual run started strong in 2023. She received a “coming of age” moment in the Ohio Women’s Open at Scioto over the summer, where she actually finished ahead of Jami Morris, the player she looked up to in high school. She won the Ohio Girls Golf Foundation tournament at Avon Oaks before the high school season started, then won tournaments at Twin Lakes and Pine Hills (in a scorecard playoff). She then lost her swing midway through the season. “Coach (Marti) Hardy and my mom were both telling me it was okay if I didn’t win states, but I was so determined.” Siena worked hard to overcome the adversity along with her coach, Joe Meglen. “He was like my therapist,” she recalled. “I worked on skills, but also mental game and breathing strategies.” She was able to put everything back together and played her best golf when it mattered the most. The State Tournament was on the horizon.

“I haven’t really told anyone else this but I was so sick during the State Tournament,” Siena said. “I went through four bottles of Robitussin. It was at the point where other players were reminding me to take medicine.” She toughed it out for the first day and shot a fantastic score of 70. She was greeted by hugs from her teammates. She was also starting to get attention from other players, parents, and coaches. “I was shocked people knew who I was,” she remembered. High school golfers don’t typically have much experience with sleeping on a lead, because most tournaments are only one day affairs. Siena had a two stroke lead over Garaway’s Sammi Miller going into the second round. “I told myself to stay focused. Don’t get too happy, too upset, and stay stable mentally.” It was a little tougher day and Siena ended up with a 73, but it was plenty enough to earn her the individual title. She ended up winning the State Championship by seven shots over Eva Lim from Columbus Academy and Avery Thompson from Hebron Lakewood. Siena offered this advice as to how she ended up being a State Champion: “Golfing every single day, taking lessons, playing in more tournaments, and learning how to play the golf course are how I did it.”

Siena had many positive things to say about the teammates she was able to play alongside during this magical ride. Fellow seniors Jade Gladue and Liliana Embrescia were the two most improved players from the previous season. “They both showed huge improvement which led to our team success,” Siena said. Every team needs that team player that everyone likes to be around. Stella Kronstain, another senior on the team, was that player according to Siena. “She is one of my best friends,” Siena added. The team will now be in the hands of current sophomore Elizabeth Weingart, who Siena predicts will be their future number one player. “She is my little sister at school. We’ve built a really good relationship and she has improved a ton on the golf course.” Siena is hoping to pass down the State Championship pedigree to Elizabeth.

There is another relationship that Siena treasures and will continue to embrace as she moves on in her golf career and personal life. Marti Hardy, a Spanish teacher, has been Laurel’s golf coach for over twenty years and has seen the growth and development of many talented players and exceptional people. “She opened so many doors for the team and myself,” Siena said. “She is 75 years old and although the golf is a lot, she wants the camaraderie. It keeps her young.” Coach Hardy is a fixture at Laurel. She will take her players out to lunch or dinner, go to school plays and athletic events, write recommendations, and most importantly, provide snacks on the golf course. She also understands the game very well. “She knows people have bad days. She’s always encouraging,” Siena said.

It goes both ways. Coach Hardy was extremely complimentary of Siena, both on and off the golf course. “I would call her genuine,” Coach Hardy explained. “The ways she treats her competition and teammates makes her a great role model. She has been mature since 9th grade. Siena is one of the easiest kids to coach because she came in ready to go.” Coach Hardy bragged of Siena’s respect for her opponents, ability to overcome mistakes, and care for her teammates, coaches, and the golf course. “She is confident without being cocky,” Coach Hardy added. “She is social on the golf course, which helps her not be nervous and not get rattled.” She also bragged about Siena’s role at Laurel, where she is a straight A student, class president, and well liked by her peers and classmates.

Siena will be attending Denison University in the fall and will be playing on the Big Red’s golf team. “Coach (Lauren) Grogan has a drive to win a National Championship and I want to be a part of that,” Siena explained. “I was originally so against being in Ohio but I visited Denison and kept going back, like four times. The community and coaches were interactive and they were the only school that remained engaged. I had lunch with the team and it was like we had always known each other.” She plans to possibly study global commerce and/or psychology.

Siena Maschke is a baker, a chef, a crocheter, and a knitter. She is the editor of the Laurel School magazine, “The Voice”. She is a school ambassador and is part of the “Look Up to Cleveland” Leadership program. And most importantly, she is a State Champion Golfer and an amazing mentor and role model.

Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry, Highland Superstars

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When Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry graduate from Highland High School in May, they will go down as one of the top duos to have ever played together in Northeast Ohio. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. The Hornets won the Suburban League each of the four years that Isabella and Paige played there, they won their Sectional tournament all four years, and they qualified for the State Tournament each one of those seasons, finishing in fourth place twice and fifth place twice. Isabella was the Suburban League Player of the Year twice and finished on the All-Suburban League First Team all four years. Paige was on the First Team three years and the Second Team her freshman year. There are enough awards between the two players to take up an entire database. But having the opportunity to speak with both Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry, it immediately becomes apparent that their achievements on the golf course come second to how amazing they are as people. Neither of them will ever discuss their awards, honors, and accomplishments, but they will be the first two to speak highly of their coaches, parents, mentors, and teammates. And that is what makes these two players special. Young, up-and-coming players wanting to make an impact on the Ohio golf landscape would do well to model themselves after these two players, because the sport will be better for it.

Paige McKendry

Paige and Isabella both started playing the game when they were very young. The McKendrys lived right behind the 16th green at Briarwood Golf Course in Broadview Heights and Paige could be found out on the course with her parents from a very early age. She did not take formal golf lessons until she was in fifth grade but was ready to play varsity golf from the moment she stepped on the course for tryouts her freshman year. She just didn’t know it yet. “As a freshman, I was just hoping to find a spot on JV,” Paige remembered. “I had no idea what high school golf was like.” Paige never ended up playing on the JV team because she made the varsity team from the first day.

Isabella Goyette

Isabella was also really nervous for tryouts her freshman year. Her older sister, Alessandra, was already on the team and Isabella was not sure what to expect. She had been taking golf lessons since she was five years old and had been playing at Westfield Country Club with her sister and father her entire life. “I was just trying to take it all in,” she said about her first day of tryouts. “I needed to get introduced to it and needed to figure out what high school golf was like.” She was probably the only one nervous because it was pretty apparent to everyone at Highland that she was going to make an immediate impact. Highland coach Mary Becker was part of everyone in this scenario. “They were involved in our middle school program,” she said. “Both girls stood out there and in getting to know their families, it was apparent that everyone, girls and families, were all in when it came to committing to development.”

It did not take long for either Paige or Isabella to figure out high school golf. They both became immediate factors on one of the top teams in Northeast Ohio. Highland was in the middle of an impressive run where they already had several conference championships and were becoming a mainstay at both the District and State Tournaments. The two jumped right in and never looked back. “The team kept getting better each year,” Paige said. “We had the same roster my first two years, then (after a couple changes) years three and four we had the same players both seasons.”

Isabella mentioned that having many different personalities mixed together on the team really helped them grown. Paige described her teammates as beautiful and unique. “Everyone has things that make us tick,” she added. Players like Kavya Chada, Kendall Sprutte, and Avery Albright brought the Hornets the depth they needed to be dominant. There was one other player that both Paige and Isabella mentioned that really changed the mindset of the team from the time she showed up to tryouts as a freshman two years ago: Elizabeth Coleman. “Elizabeth is so positive,” Isabella proclaimed. “It’s always sunshine and rainbows with her. She helped us overcome issues of pessimism and negativity. Helping people when they are down brings us all up.” Paige described Elizabeth as bringing “light and positivity” to help the whole team mindset. “She has been a leader since her freshman year,” Paige added. The team will fall into Elizabeth’s hands as she enters her junior year along with Avery and Kendall. Other players that will bring depth to Highland’s 2024 squad include Elizabeth Chester, Gabby Witschey, and many other players. One of those is Caroline McKendry, Paige’s younger sister, currently a sophomore. “We’re best friends in life,” Paige said happily.

Isabella was fortunate to have the opportunity to play with her sister for her first two years. Alessandra Goyette had an extremely accomplished career at Highland and was part of the generation that started the current dominant run the Hornets have been on. “I didn’t realize how special it was until she was gone,” Isabella recalled. “We had always been best of friends, and very competitive. When she went to college it was the first time I had to live without her. She was really a wonderful role model in golf and life, mainly just how she handled things.”

Both Isabella and Paige credited their success to many role models and supporters throughout their careers, but the names they both mentioned were Highland head coach Mary Becker and assistant coach Doug Snelling. Both players were in Coach Becker’s physical education class in middle school. Paige described Becker as patient and respectful. “She takes time to get to know each player,” Paige added. “She was always there when I needed her. She is smart and knows what she is talking about. She is a mentor who gives the team the right mindset. She is a wonderful person.” Paige said that the biggest lesson she learned from Coach Becker was that “being on a team isn’t about yourself, it’s how you fit into the team.” The dedication it takes to be on a team and the ability to improve your game are two other lessons Paige took from her coach. Isabella described Coach Becker as “one of the most determined people I’ve ever met. I have so much respect for where she has taken the team.”

Senior year is always emotional, especially for two players who had been together through three straight years of continued success. “It was not too different,” Isabella mentioned. “But it was definitely more special.” She added that it was her last season with her teammates and that she remembers it for a few new tournaments that made the year special. “We went to Oakland Hills in Michigan and that was a really fun experience,” she said, also mentioning the Terlesky Invitational at the Lake Club. Paige realized that every tournament they played in would be the last time they were at that course. “I knew it would be different,” she said. “It would definitely be a little bittersweet, especially being my last time playing competitive golf.”

Paige is planning to attend Bowling Green State University in the fall, and while she will not be playing on the school golf team there she does plan to continue with the game by trying out for the club team. She will be majoring in BGSU’s THEM program, which includes Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Isabella will be continuing her golf career at Kent State University. “They were the first school and the best school to reach out to me,” she explained. “I really made good connections to their coaching staff and loved their facilities.” She will be majoring in Fashion Merchandising.

Young players can learn a ton about golf from listening to Isabella and Paige explain the game. They both really enjoy the fact that high school golf is an individual sport in a team environment. “I love how golf is different from any other sport,” Isabella explained. “I definitely love the individual aspect as well. It starts with the team aspect but as you go further it becomes more of an individual sport. I like that you can focus on yourself and play your own game, which is mentally challenging, but someone else on your team can also pick you up.” Paige agreed. “There is individuality in golf, it’s very unique,” she said. “I’m not a very competitive person externally, but I am very competitive with my own self. 90 percent of the game is mental and it’s a challenge to overcome that. But as a teammate you have to be there for your team. There are no days off.” Paige mentioned that she struggled with putting coming into her freshman year. “I was a bit of a hot head when I was younger. But I turned that into a positive mindset. I became more patient and willing to forgive myself.” She became the top putter for Highland her sophomore and junior years.

Coach Mary Becker founded the girls golf program at Highland and has been the only coach in the program’s history. She had nothing but praise for her two graduating superstars. “Paige not only loves playing golf, but strives to play the game well,” Coach Becker said. “She has a great understanding of where her strengths are, and plays to them on the course. Whenever she doesn’t perform to her expectations on the course, she works her tail off to make corrections. Whether it is getting extra lessons or extra range and practice green time, she is determined to play the type of golf she knows she can.

Regarding Isabella, Coach Becker stated, “Isabella is an amazing golfer. She now owns a majority of the te Highland High School Girls Golf individual performance records. A couple of great things I will always remember about Isabella are her steady demeanor on the course, and how other players love playing with her. Not just other top players, either. She makes everyone she plays with feel at ease.”

Paige McKendry and Isabella Goyette are both once in a generation players who are ambassadors of the game of golf. We would like to wish them both the best of luck as they continue their academic and athletic careers!

Big Met to Host Sectional in 2024

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According to multiple sources, the Sectional Tournament that had been previously played at Springvale Golf Course has been moved to Big Met Golf Course in Fairview Park. Big Met prides itself on potentially being the most played golf course in the state of Ohio and has been open since 1926. Stanley Thompson was the original architect of the course, which is owned and operated by the Cleveland Metroparks. The current Division 1 Sectional hosts are Old Avalon in Warren, Fox Den in Stow, and the Elms in North Lawrence.

The Offseason- Division 2

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Here is a look at the current state of some programs and what they will have coming back in 2024.

Changing of the Guard

The Division 2 Girls Golf landscape may be changing significantly in 2024. St. Vincent-St. Mary and Independence both had dominant runs but will need some young players to step up this fall. Both teams have two significant contributors returning from their state qualifying teams but will have some holes to fill to replace what they lose to graduation. For the Irish, Raygan Hoover and Reese Latta both gave four strong years to the program. Raygan’s younger sister Rylee along with Caitrin Coyle, both who will be juniors, will easily be the first two in St. V’s lineup. For the Blue Devils, Macey McGhee and Maria DeCapua will both be entering their senior seasons as the top players, but will need some help to replace Molly McGreal and Adriann Buyansky.

The uncertainty with the last year’s two dominant programs will open the door to some new blood in D2. One team that is looking to take advantage of that opportunity is the Southeast Pirates. Southeast missed going to the State Tournament by two strokes last year and will look to avenge that in 2024. The will lose one key piece of the 2023 team in Gracie Westover but return a deep, talented squad, which will also get some help from a strong freshman class. Senior Taylor Blazek will most likely stay in the top spot of the lineup. Other returners include juniors Aubree Varga and Adrianna Sloan.

In the far reaches of Northeast Ohio, the Edgewood Warriors will be really looking forward to the 2024 season. Edgewood will return their entire lineup from last season. Although they did not make it to Districts, Edgewood should have some very high goals for this upcoming season. Seniors Avery Vencill and Emma Hart-Wood will once again team up with juniors Annie Johnston and Zoe Naus to look to make something special happen in Ashtabula.

East Canton, like Edgewood will see their entire lineup look exactly the same this fall. With a little improvement over their results last year, 2024 could be the best team the Hornets have had. Senior Mia Steigerwald, her sophomore sister Meghan Steigerwald, senior Elyse Mallette, and junior Charlie Robinson are a group that will be very ambitious once August rolls around.

Columbiana might not have a single superstar player, but they may also be the deepest D2 team in Northeast Ohio. The Clippers regularly rotate their young players into matches and tournaments to give them the most experience they can get. 2024 might be the culmination of that strategy. Sisters Ellie Jackson, who is a senior, and Maddie Jackson, a sophomore will lead Columbiana and will receive assistance from seniors Hailey Muntean, Annaka Patrick, and Mackenzie Day along with juniors Sophia Perry, Sydney Spaite, Hannah Moffet, and Emma Gazzaniga. Sophomore Claire Banner will also contribute to the Clippers this year.

Possibly the most surprising team in the area in 2023 was Orange High School. Freshman Anuja Patel became a household name by the end of the season and will look to build on that success during her sophomore year. Two seniors, Tessa Kemelhar and Bree Turner, will join junior Alex O’Connor to provide the depth the Lions need to compete for a trip to the State Tournament. Orange is yet another school that returns their entire starting lineup and that experience will be crucial, especially when competing in Division 2, where many teams are not exceptionally deep.

A final team bringing back their entire starting lineup and on the verge of being competitive is the Bristol Panthers. They will need to take a big step in 2024 but it is possible to see them making a run to Districts and competing to go even further. Senior Addison Williams will lead the Panthers and will receive some help from sophomore Anistyn Williams along with juniors Kayden Gillin and Ava Stammer.

Time to Get Going

Lorain County has a team to keep an eye on. The Keystone Wildcats have quietly been growing their program to the point where 2024 will be a season where they could compete at the highest level. Keystone has built the foundation needed to be successful with seniors Emma Feakins and Lucy Cook. Junior Alexis Askew will also be a strong scorer for the Wildcats. With these three and some talented freshmen rising up, Keystone will be ready to make a run.

Chagrin Falls has had high hopes over the last couple seasons but have struggled to play well at the right times. That could very well change in 2024 as the Tigers have a talented freshman class coming up to assist the team in fighting for a Chagrin Valley Conference crown. Junior Reagan Burnight and senior Gracie Ryan are the returning contributors and the Tigers will also look for some help from a decent sized roster of experienced players.

Sitting right on the outskirts, looking for a place at the table in the D2 conversation are the Vikings from LaBrae High School. Madison Touart, a strong player, will enter her senior year ready for LaBrae to break through. Junior Mia Sloan and sophomore Riley Rowe will help Touart and the rest of the Vikings look to accomplish all they can in 2024.

Hard to Replace

Alongside Independence and St. Vincent-St. Mary, there are several other schools that will need to replace some key pieces in order to stay competitive. Perry will have to learn to play without graduate Emily Capitosti. They will rely heavily on returners Addie Trefzger and Jillian Peters, a senior and junior respectively. Canton South loses three key parts and will have a very young team, led by juniors Hailey Franks and Leah Cramer. Rootstown, minus Audrey Francis, will be a junior dominant team with several players looking to break out. Lake Catholic is in a similar situation, losing Theresa Lazanich. They will have a young core that will look to build together. Finally, Laurel, coming off a trip to the State Tournament will not be able to replace Siena Maschke, who won the individual state championship. They will need junior Elizabeth Weingart to step up and lead an inexperienced group to improve throughout the season.

Congratulations Coach Picicco

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Over the weekend, Kent Roosevelt JV coach Larry Picicco announced that he was stepping down from the position. Coach Picicco had been with the program for over a decade, including a short stint as head coach. Players, parents, and opposing coaches all respected and admired his dedication to his athletes and the program. We would like to offer congratulations to Larry Picicco on an amazing run at Kent Roosevelt. Below is a tribute from the Kent Roosevelt Girls Golf Facebook page.

A bittersweet week for the Lady Rider Golf program. On Monday, Assistant Varsity Coach Larry Picicco announced that he would be retiring from the program after 13 years of coaching. Coach Picicco was one of the founders of this program and gave endless time and effort to ensure its success. We will miss his knowledge, energy and commitment to the team. However, what will be missed the most will be his caring demeanor and ability, to make easy, the difficult transition from middle school to high school for our players. Coach Picicco truly impacted the lives of so many players on our team, on our youth program, and in the golfing community. The picture attached to this post speaks volumes of the importance of relationships and family that make Coach Pic the incredible coach and friend we all love. Best Wishes Coach, you will be missed on the fairways!

#Traditionofexcellence, #hardworkpaysoff