Teams are starting to round into form as we hit the peak of the season. 2024 is proving to be an extremely competitive season with some big surprises.
(Please keep us updated on tournament results, team/individual accomplishments, and other interesting stories as they develop this season!)
Heading to the far east part of our coverage area, it is great to welcome the Brookfield Warriors as one of the newest girls golf teams in the state of Ohio. Brookfield is coached by Shawn Hammond and they have gotten off to a very respectable start. We will have an updated page for the Warriors on our site asap.
The week started off with the first of several co-ed events of the year at Arrowhead Golf Club. The host Hoover Vikings swept the tournament by winning on both the girls and boys side with nearly identical scores of 315 and 314 respectively. The boys defeated Canfield on a fifth score tiebreaker. For the girls, Ellie Hutzler, Ava Kemp, and Kylie Porter all shot in the 70s to pace the Vikings as they outplayed Dublin Jerome and Walsh Jesuit.
Hoover wasn’t done with just one tournament win. In historic Zoar, Ohio, the Norse of North Canton also won the Dover Lady Tornado Invitational, bettering their score from Arrowhead by one stroke. They beat second place Jackson by 20 shots. Kylie Porter’s even par 72 was four shots better than Jackson’s Cara Murphy, her closest competition. Led by an 87 from junior Olivia Gant, Lake managed to help the Federal League take all three of the top three spots in the tournament.
At Alliance Country Club, the North Royalton Bears claimed their first tournament victory of the season at the Marilyn Jackson Invitational, besting the Massillon Tigers by 24 strokes and the Louisville Leopards by another 16. Rena Steffas and Lily Pastore matched 95s to lead the Bears to a victorious team score of 387. Marlington’s Zoe Mort continued her impressive run as she claimed the medalist spot with a round of 81. Natalie Warner from Louisville finished second with a 94, one better than the Bear Pair.
Dublin Jerome brought their A team to Mill Creek and dominated the Canfield Invitational with a remarkable team score of 291. Walsh Jesuit edged out Canfield for the runner up spot by one stroke with a 323. Ellie Ryu added another first place trophy to her case as she carded an impressive 68. Scores were low across the board as Caitlyn Mundwiller from Jerome tied Magnificat’s Cammy Reed with a round of 70.
Hathaway Brown checked in with a win at the Chagrin Falls Invitational at Tanglewood as superstar Dixon Hill shot 72 for the Blazers. Look for a lot more news out of Tanglewood as they are under new ownership and have really dedicated themselves to supporting high school golf. Hathaway Brown took a big step forward as they pursue a deep run in the postseason.
At Spring Hills Golf Club in Clinton, the Northwest Indians hosted the Griffiths Cup. The Quakers of New Philadelphia were the tournament champions as they held off Massillon Perry by 10 strokes and the hosts from Northwest by 13. A three way tie for medalist included Sadie Villers from Northwest, Hailey Franks from Canton South, and Kiersten Creighton from New Philadelphia, all shooting rounds of 86.
The Suburban League had a quick turnaround as both the boys and girls headed out to Aurora to play the beautiful Club Walden. The American Division was once again won handily by Highland as they soared to a 31 stroke victory over Aurora, Kent Roosevelt, and Revere. The Hornets shot 314 while the others shot 345. Highland’s Elizabeth Coleman shared the top spot in the American Division with Gracyn Vidovic from Aurora, each shooting 73. The National Division didn’t put up the team scores to compete with Highland, but the individual scores were impressive. Serena Wu from Solon tied Olivia Berlingieri from Stow with three under par rounds of 69. Julia Gulla of Nordonia also went under par with a 71 and Emmy Burling from Hudson added an even par round of 72. Hudson held off Nordonia to win the National Division by two shots, 329 to 331. Hudson and Nordonia are now tied with one tournament victory each, while Highland has won both tournaments on the American side.
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
Ohio High School Golf 