Tag: girls golf

NCOGGL/Ohio Cardinal Conference Preview

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Wooster and Mapleton will both be losing key members of their team to graduation and will need to find a way to replace them. The Generals will be looking to senior Payton Haynes to lead the team while Mapleton has three incoming seniors who have a chance to make an impact on the team. Ashland and Lexington will probably be the two teams at the top of the OCC this season.

Impact Players

Payton Haynes (SR) Wooster
Kailey Kartisek (JR) Wooster
Emma Roar (SR) Mapleton

Freshmen to Watch

Mapleton Mounties

Head Coach- Adam Harding
Last Year’s Results- 14th at The Pines Sectional

Wooster Generals

Head Coach- Mark Snowbarger
Last Year’s Results- 8th at The Elms Sectional

All-American Conference Preview

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The Canfield Cardinals edged the Boardman Spartans to win the All American Conference in 2022. Boardman used an epic finish at Old Avalon to edge Stow by one shot to advance to the District Tournament last year. Canfield has a group of freshmen with a good amount of potential and will look to repeat at the top of the conference. Austintown Fitch and Howland both look to be in rebuilding mode, with Howland returning a lot of contributors from last year and Austintown Fitch coming in with a young group of players.

Impact Players

Jane Bronson (SR) Howland
Miya Cohol (JR) Canfield
Chloe Leskovac (SO) Canfield
Taylor Morrone (SR) Canfield
Sophia Rivera (SR) Boardman
Haily Rusnak (SR) Boardman
Natalie Sawicki (SO) Canfield
Victoria Vaccaro (SR) Austintown-Fitch

Freshmen to Watch

Alex Conley (Canfield)
Aubree Philibin (Canfield)

Austintown-Fitch Falcons

Head Coach- Daniel Horacek
Last Year’s Results- 12th at Old Avalon Sectional

Boardman Spartans

Head Coach- Lee Christman
Last Year’s Results- 4th at Old Avalon Sectional, 16th at Districts

Canfield Cardinals

Head Coach- Dean Conley
Last Year’s Results- 7th at Old Avalon Sectional, AAC Champions, 13-0 in regular season.
Coach Comments- The girls have invested a lot of time into our winter program and offseason tournaments so we are really excited to compete this season! We also have great leadership from our upperclassmen and have expanded our coaching staff to include Coach Eileen McHale and Coach Ryan Philibin.

Howland Tigers

Head Coach- Rex Rager
Last Year’s Results- 14th at Old Avalon Sectional

Independent Schools Preview

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The two Independent schools with the best chances of getting to the State Tournament are the Magnificat Blue Streaks in Division I and the St. Vincent-St. Mary Irish in Division II. Both teams made appearances in Columbus last season and have a really good shot at making another appearance. Other Independent schools to watch for are Hathaway Brown and St. Joseph Academy, both strong Division I programs, along with Ursuline High School in Division II, who will be under the direction of Michael Murphy in 2023.

Impact Players

Kristina Chill (SO) Magnificat
Blake Cody (JR) Hathaway Brown
Caitrin Coyle (SO) St. Vincent-St. Mary
Joslyn Delsignore (JR) Lowellville
Cara Heisterkamp (SR) Magnificat
Dixon Hill (JR) Hathaway Brown
Raygan Hoover (SR) St. Vincent-St. Mary
Rylee Hoover (SO) St. Vincent-St. Mary
Zimo Hu (SO) Lake Ridge Academy
Morgan Joy (SR) Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy
Grace Kirkhart (SR) Chippewa
Siena Maschke (SR) Laurel
Sofia Miklic (SR) Archbishop Hoban
Camryn Morris (SO) Wellington
Maureen O’Leary (JR) Magnificat
Cammy Reed (JR) Magnificat
Gianna Reginelli (JR) St. Joseph Academy
Lauren Riccobelli (SR) Gilmour Academy
Gia Schiavone (SR) Ursuline
Mya Skarlinsky (SR) Pymatuning Valley
Alexandria Vardon (SR) Firestone
Hannah Weinberger (JR) Hathaway Brown
Addison Williams (JR) Bristol

Freshmen to Watch

Kayla Knaze (Magnificat)

Bristol Panthers

Head Coach- Kyle Quinn
Last Year’s Results- DNS at Punderson Sectional

Chippewa Chipps

Head Coach- Jason Egli
Last Year’s Results- DNS at The Pines Sectional

Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy Royals

Head Coach- Maddie Prentis
Last Year’s Results- 13th at Punderson Sectional

Elyria Catholic Panthers

Head Coach- Rick Montgomery
Last Year’s Results- 5-3 record, limited schedule
Coach Comments- Looking forward to playing a full schedule this year and growing as a team.

Firestone Falcons

Head Coach- Kevin Floyd
Last Year’s Results- 10th at Fox Den Sectional
Coach Comments- The Akron Firestone girls are an experienced team hoping to build off their successful season last year. Senior Alexandria Vardon is hoping to continue her momentum from last year after a strong season advancing to the the district tournament.

Gilmour Academy Lancers

Head Coach- John Malloy
Last Year’s Results- 12th at Punderson Sectional, 6-8 overall record
Coach Comments- I am excited about the growth of girls golf at Gilmour. When I took over the program two years ago we had 6 girls, 5 of which were new to golf. This year we have 6 returning and another 8 to 10 signed up to play.

Hathaway Brown Blazers

Head Coach- Ronald Jones
Last Year’s Results- 1st at Old Avalon Sectional, 5th at Districts

Archbishop Hoban Knights

Head Coach- Katie Camp
Last Year’s Results- 15th at The Elms Sectional
Coach Comments- I am excited to be the new Hoban Girls Golf coach this year. I have met the girls and it is a great group! I can’t wait to see what they can accomplish on and off the course. Looking forward to an awesome season! Go Knights!

Lake Ridge Academy Royals

Head Coach- Freddie Nelson
Last Year’s Results- DNS at The Pines Sectional

Laurel Gators

Head Coach- Marti Hardy
Last Year’s Results- 7th at Punderson Sectional
Coach Comments- Laurel has four returning seniors who will support our strong number 1 golfer, Siena Maschke. Siena has had a solid summer of tournaments and top ten finishes. As captain she inspires her teammates to work hard on their games during the summer and be ready to compete on Day 1.

Lorain Titans

Head Coach- Dino Pappas
Last Year’s Results- Unknown
Coach Comments- We are a mixed (boys/girls) team of mostly beginners. We have been working hard in the off season learning the game and are looking forward to competing against other similar teams in the area.

Lowellville Rockets

Head Coach- Daniel Dougherty
Last Year’s Results- 14th at Pine Lakes Sectional, 2-7

Magnificat Blue Streaks

Head Coach- Danny Gallagher
Last Year’s Results- 1st at Sweetbriar Sectional, 1st at Districts, 5th at State Tournament
Coach Comments- I am excited about all of our returning experience and the opportunity to work with this group. We are establishing our team identity and getting closer as a group. I am confident in our leadership and look forward to a successful season.

Pymatuning Valley Lakers

Head Coach- Jeff Compan
Last Year’s Results- 11th at Pine Lakes Sectional

St. Joseph Academy Jaguars

Head Coach- Maureen Adler
Last Year’s Results- 5th at Springvale Sectional, Gianna Reginelli’25 qualified for States
Coach Comments- Having only 3 varsity players returning leaves many opportunities for some of last years JV golfers to step it up and play varsity golf. Senior Caroline Neitzel, sophomore Emerson Glending and State qualifier Gianna Reginelli provide a strong base for our varsity team.

St. Vincent-St. Mary Irish

Head Coach- Dirk Hartman
Last Year’s Results- 1st at The Pines Sectional, 3rd at Districts, 5th at State Tournament, 11-1 Match Record, Flo Barr Tourney – 1st Place, Lady Irish Invite – 1st Place, Warren JFK Invite – 1st Place
Coach Comments- We had a memorable 2022 season making school history by qualifying for States as a team. We are looking forward to history repeating itself this year, we are returning 5 of our 6 starters from a year ago.

Ursuline Fighting Irish

Head Coach- Michael Murphy
Last Year’s Results- 1st at Pine Lakes Sectional, 5th at Districts

Wellington Dukes

Head Coach- Michael Braddock
Last Year’s Results- 12th at The Pines Sectional

Tri-County Conference Preview

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The Tri-County Conference features a great amount of depth and some quality golf teams from both the Northeast and Southeast Districts. The Garaway Pirates will return a strong team but will face some quality challengers in 2023. Marlington, and their star player Zoe Mort, might be the strongest challenger to Garaway. Dover will contend in a very different style, as they will have four consistent scorers, which is a good recipe for success in girls golf, but will lack a true superstar. Canton Central Catholic had a quality team last year but will need to replace three graduates, which is an almost unheard of task. Canton South, after making it to the District Tournament in Division II last year, is an up and coming program that could make a run. West Branch is in a similar position to Canton South, although they are a more established team. Canton South’s Delaney Kruger and West Branch’s Shaylee Muckleroy will both have a big impact on the league standings. Louisville, Carrollton, Tusky Valley, River View, and Massillon are other teams that will hope to contend in the Tri-County Conference.

Impact Players

Peyton Biery (SR) Louisville
Katie Hout (SR) Massillon
Miya Downing (JR) Dover
Anna Eversdyke (SR) Alliance
Kaydee Goff (SR) Fairless
Delaney Kruger (SR) Canton South
Zoe Mort (JR) Marlington
Shaylee Muckleroy (SR) West Branch
Addison Rey (SO) Canton Central Catholic
Sadie Villers (JR) Northwest
Natalie Warner (SO) Louisville
Madison Wright (SR) New Philadelphia

Freshmen to Watch

Brooke Barkan (Northwest)
Angela Boyles (Fairless)
Saige Daughtery (Canton South)
Kay Givens (Northwest
Aubrie Hamilton (Dover)
Claire Rice (Marlington)
Hannah Sanblainet (Canton South)
Kira Syrios (Northwest)

Alliance Aviators

Head Coach- Phillip Yarian
Last Year’s Results- DNS at The Elms Sectional

Canton Central Catholic Crusaders

Head Coach- John Crane
Last Year’s Results- 2nd at The Pines Sectional, 4th at Districts

Canton South Wildcats

Head Coach- David Mullett
Last Year’s Results- 3rd at The Pines Sectional, 12th at Districts, All-Time Canton South School Record for Wins with 12 last season and only 6 losses.

Coach Comments- We finished 3rd at our D2 Sectional @ The Pines Golf Course, which qualified us for Districts for the First Time in School History!!! We are in the PAC Athletic Conference but unfortunately the bylaws say we need 6 teams to have a conference and we only have 4 right now! We only lost 1 senior last year so we are hoping for a great upcoming season. I was so proud of these young ladies last year, and the setting of records which included All-Time School Wins with 12, All-Time School Record 3rd Place Finish at the D2 Sectional Tournament, and a First Time in School History D2 District Appearance has these Lady Wildcats wanting so much more this season!! These ladies are truly special to me and they all know how humbling this sport really is. Senior Delaney Kruger is our top player and the engine that just keeps performing, she is the model of consistency and is looking to continue her golfing career in college! Seniors Erin Foster and Mia Zellers are truly major contributors to this team and will be counted on immensely this year! Youngster Hailey Franks will be golfing in the #2 spot this year so she knows what she has to do, and I believe she will get it done! Also, we are going to need some help from another youngster Leah Cramer who got a great look at things last year and I believe she is willing and eager to help this team reach new heights!!!!

Dover Tornadoes

Head Coach- Steve Spradling and Benj Miller
Last Year’s Results- 6th at The Elms Sectional, Match Record: 11-1, Tournament Record: 68-35, Overall, Record: 79-36, Tri-County South League Champs

Fairless Falcons

Head Coach- Brian Schultz
Last Year’s Results- 9th at The Pines Sectional
Coach Comments- After graduating a big senior class last year, we are very excited to see what our new girls are capable of. We are also really excited about our returning lettermen Kaydee and Ella

Louisville Leopards

Head Coach- Bart Keiser
Last Year’s Results- 7th at The Elms Sectional, Regular Season 10-5
Coach Comments- Repetition is the key to confidence and “the harder you practice the luckier you get” – Gary Player

Marlington Dukes

Head Coach- Shawn Dillon
Last Year’s Results- 5th at The Elms Sectional, 13-2 Overall. Won the EBC and Tri-County. Zoe Mort (SO) made it to Districts
Coach Comments- We are a very young team with 3 girls that have never played golf before. Zoë Mort has been playing very well and I expect big strides from Kelsey and Mady.

Massillon Tigers

Head Coach- Justin Van Dyke
Last Year’s Results- 12th at The Elms Sectional, 13-3 record for season 10-1 in Tri County League
Coach Comments- Hoping to win the division this year in our league.

New Philadelphia Quakers

Head Coach- Brian Migoni
Last Year’s Results- 14th at The Elms Sectional

Northwest Indians

Head Coach- Laura Traganza
Last Year’s Results- 10th at The Pines Sectional, 3 Wins and 7 Losses

West Branch Warriors

Head Coach- Dan Hall
Last Year’s Results- 3rd at Pine Lakes Sectional, 6th at Districts

Chagrin Valley Conference Preview

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The Independence Blue Devils have dominated the Chagrin Valley Conference the past several years and are bringing back another contending team in 2023. They will have to do it without Karl Schuld, the founder of the program and the only coach the team has ever known. Hawken will need to bounce back after losing two time state champion Ella Wong. The Edgewood Warriors are a team on the rise and could make an impact in the CVC this season. Chagrin Falls is another team that is always in contention and will look to make a splash after a solid 2022 season. Along with the addition of Madison High School, the CVC will have a new divisional alignment in 2023, which can be found by visiting the CVC Page on our website.

Impact Players

Jocelyn Bancroft (JR) Madison
Emily Capitosti (SR) Perry
NeVaeh Carlo (JR) Lakeside
Ellie Conrad (SR) Chagrin Falls
Juliana Faraguna (JR) West Geauga
Sam Holtz (SR) Chagrin Falls
Annie Johnston (SO) Edgewood
Tessa Kemelhar (JR) Orange
Aurora Martin (SR) Berkshire
Macey McGhee (JR) Independence
Molly McGreal (SR) Independence
Shai Moore (SR) Cuyahoga Heights
Alexis Shuttleworth (SR) Geneva
Isabel Trombetta (JR) Independence
Avery Vencill (JR) Edgewood
Helena Yanchar (SR) Hawken

Freshmen to Watch

Kennedy Huges (Lutheran West)
Anuja Patel (Orange)

Berkshire Badgers

Head Coach- Doug Lory
Last Year’s Results- 10th at Punderson Sectional

Chagrin Falls Tigers

Head Coach- Kristin Reboul
Last Year’s Results- 3rd at Punderson Sectional, 7th at Districts

Cuyahoga Heights Red Wolves

Head Coach- Erin Zink
Last Year’s Results- 11th at Punderson Sectional

Edgewood Warriors

Head Coach- Christina Fischer
Last Year’s Results- 5th at Punderson Sectional, Finished 16-1 regular season last year. 1st place CVC Valley Division, 5th Place Team finish at Sectionals, Annie Johnston went to Districts as individual

Coach Comments- Good core group returning for the 2023 season. Looking for Avery Vencill, Annie Johnston and Zoe Naus will move up to the top 3 spots and push each other to improve from where they left off last year and Emma Hart-Wood and Hannah Brunell to round out the team and contribute as well. Need to stay healthy and conditioned since our numbers are down.

Geneva Eagles

Head Coach- Randolph Ankrom
Last Year’s Results- 15th at Old Avalon Sectional

Hawken Hawks

Head Coach- Jennifer Creech
Last Year’s Results- 2nd at Punderson Sectional, 2nd at Districts, 6th at State Tournament

Independence Blue Devils

Head Coach- Marty Hyland
Last Year’s Results- 1st at Punderson Sectional, 1st at Districts, 3rd at State Tournament

Lakeside Dragons

Head Coach- Bryan Schlaich
Last Year’s Results- DNS at Old Avalon Sectional

Lutheran West Longhorns

Head Coach- Megan Miller
Last Year’s Results- DNS at Punderson Sectional

Madison Blue Streaks

Head Coach- BJ Titman
Last Year’s Results- 11th at Old Avalon Sectional

Orange Lions

Head Coach- Cody Kovach
Last Year’s Results- 17th at Punderson Sectional, 1-6 in conference; 1 tie
Coach Comments- This season we have a great group of women who will be ready to compete. Our returning 1 and 2 (Tessa Kemelhar and Alex O’Connor are back with some added golfers who include Annabelle Blake and Bree Turner). Anuja Patel is a freshman coming in with experience. Also returning are Giada Klisovic and Charlotte Goykhberg.

Perry Pirates

Head Coach- Blanche Davidson
Last Year’s Results- 6th at Punderson Sectional

West Geauga Wolverines

Head Coach- TBA
Last Year’s Results- Unknown

Southwestern Conference Preview

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Avon and Avon Lake have battled back and forth the past few years for supremacy in the Southwestern Conference. That trend appears to continue in 2023. Avon Lake returns all of their scoring players while Avon will be losing some key contributors. Olmsted Falls has some young talent coming up and will look to create a foundation based off those freshmen. North Ridgeville will have a lot of talent to replace if they want to contend this season. Amherst and Midview will both also have a say in the SWC this year. Berea-Midpark and Elyria will both be trying to add depth to their programs.

Impact Players

Ella Atkins (SR) Olmsted Falls
Gianna Betonte (JR) North Ridgeville
Sabrina Crowley (SR) Midview
Miranda Haneberg (JR) Berea-Midpark
Lizzy Iliff (SR) Amherst
Madigan O’Leary (SR) Avon
Zoe Pol (SO) Elyria
Sarah Quayle (SR) Avon Lake
Olivia Tobin (JR) Avon Lake

Freshmen to Watch

Addison Mullen (Olmsted Falls)
Ashley Veverka (Olmsted Falls)

Amherst Comets

Head Coach- Dave Svarra
Last Year’s Results- 11th at Springvale Sectional

Avon Eagles

Head Coach- Aaron Millet
Last Year’s Results- 4th at Springvale Sectional, 15th at Districts, SWC Champions, Aubrie Rush qualified for state
Coach Comments- Madigan O’Leary will be entering her fourth year as a varsity player. Allie Day and Rivya Veena will be third year players. They all should provide experience coming into the season.

Avon Lake Shoregals

Head Coach- Krystine Frisch
Last Year’s Results- 6th at Springvale Sectional, 2nd place in SWC, 12-0 in conference, two players advanced to Districts, 3rd place Edison Invitational at Thunderbird Golf Course
Coach Comments- We are looking forward to a competitive season. We have a trip planned to EagleSticks and The Virtues with the boys team in early August. This should get us ready for the season.

Berea-Midpark Titans

Head Coach- Robert Intihar
Last Year’s Results- 16th at Springvale Sectional

Elyria Pioneers

Head Coach- Mel Rainey
Last Year’s Results- DNS at Springvale Sectional

Midview Middies

Head Coach- Jim Brabenec
Last Year’s Results- 14th Springvale Sectional

North Ridgeville Rangers

Head Coach- Joshua Houser
Last Year’s Results- 10th at Springvale Sectional, 3rd in SWC
Coach Comments- Gianna Betonte is going into her 3rd year on varsity and worked hard in the off season. She is looking to improve her scores from last year.

Olmsted Falls Bulldogs

Head Coach- Alan Evangelista
Last Year’s Results- 9th at Springvale Sectional, Record 9-5; 4th SWC; 8th Edison Invitational
Coach Comments- We graduated 11 seniors last year, have a new home course, a new assistant coach in Samantha Torres, and plenty of opportunity for our young ladies to make names for themselves. This is truly a rebuild season. Excited to see how returning Varsity starters Ella Atkins and Aubrey Caraballo perform, as well as a bunch of fresh new faces including sophomore Mya Hovan and incoming freshmen Ashley Veverka and Addison Mullen.

Metro Conference Preview

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The Metro Conference is a competitive league with teams surrounding the city of Akron. Cloverleaf, now under first year head coach Dan Brodnik, has dominated the league the last few years, but they are going to face some tough competition as the league continues to see a rise in talent. Streetsboro returns a lot of talent from last year’s squad and may be the favorite to win the conference this year. Springfield will also be looking to compete for a league title, but will have to do so without District qualifier Cami Leporis, who graduated after last season. Woodridge, Field, and Norton will fill out the league standings as each of those programs are still developing their homegrown talent.

Impact Players

Kendall Brugler (SR) Field
Samantha Clark (SR) Streetsboro
Abigail Collins (SO) Norton
Cortney Evert (SR) Streetsboro
Maggie Putt (SO) Springfield
Sarah Rathbun (SR) Woodridge
Juliana Reyes (SR) Streetsboro
Mackenzie Siewerth (JR) Cloverleaf

Freshmen to Watch

Arianna Jacobs (Streetsboro)
Lola Maglionico (Streetsboro)
Quinn Malarkey (Cloverleaf)

Cloverleaf Colts

Head Coach- Dan Brodnik
Last Year’s Results- Tied 15th at The Elms Sectional

Field Falcons

Head Coach- Amanda Kusar
Last Year’s Results- 8th at The Pines Sectional

Norton Panthers

Head Coach- Dick Castilow
Last Year’s Results- DNS at The Elms Sectional

Springfield Spartans

Head Coach- Kevin Hanna
Last Year’s Results- 13th at The Elms Sectional

Streetsboro Rockets

Head Coach- Tim Foster
Last Year’s Results- 6th at Fox Den Sectional, 16-4, Second Place overall in MAC, Won MAC postseason tournament, Won Spartan Invitational
Coach Comments- I am really excited for the upcoming season. The girls have been working very hard this off-season and have started to show a lot of improvement in their game. I am hoping to build upon last year’s successes.

Woodridge Bulldogs

Head Coach- Kelly Sasavicz
Last Year’s Results- 11th at The Pines Sectional, Finished 4th in the MAC last year
Coach Comments- We have some returners from last year who are looking to step up and fill some big shoes lost to graduation. I know they are up for the challenge.

Suburban League Preview

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The Suburban League has seen a good amount of success over the past several years. In the American Division, Highland has been the class of the league for years, making multiple state appearances. They return every one of their scorers from last year, including superstar Isabella Goyette, fellow senior Paige McKendry, and incoming sophomore sensation Elizabeth Coleman. Aurora, under new coach Collin McEndree, will be knocking at the door, especially with the return of Brooklyn Millard, who individually finished second in the state two years ago before moving out of state. Gracyn Vidovic has had a great summer and will have a huge impact on the league this year. Kent Roosevelt always has a strong team and will see the return of coach Bryan Harvey. Revere is a team to watch as they keep getting better by the year and will be under the leadership of new coach Jeremy Harpley. Copley returns several key pieces from last year’s squad and Tallmadge, also with a new coach in Ali Eads, will also be hoping to improve as the season progresses.

In the National Division, Nordonia made their first ever trip to the State Tournament last year. They will have some work to do to make a return after losing two strong seniors to graduation. Julia Gulla will look to be the National Division Player of the Year for the second straight season. Hudson will also look to replace senior Lizzy Grant, although they return their other top three scorers, Emmy Burling, Sherry Du, and Julia Van Bokkelen. Stow will be led by sisters Gabby and Olivia Berlingieri and will rely on Sophia Thompson for their third score. North Royalton is also a program on the rise as they have immense depth and will hope for one of their experienced players to take the next step after making a run to Districts last year. Another wild card will be the Solon Comets, coming over from the Greater Cleveland Conference. They will be without 2023 graduate Kaitlin Kormuth, but will turn to Serena Wu to lead the team. Brecksville, Wadsworth, now under the direction of Will Virgin, and Twinsburg will round out the National Division.

Impact Players

Cameron Babcock (JR) Barberton
Brooke Barnes (SR) Nordonia
Gabby Berlingieri (SR) Stow-Munroe Falls
Olivia Berlingieri (SO) Stow-Munroe Falls
Emmy Burling (JR) Hudson
Kavya Chada (SR) Highland
Elizabeth Coleman (SO) Highland
Sherry Du (SR) Hudson
Manisha Girn (JR) Aurora
Isabella Goyette (SR) Highland
Julia Gulla (JR) Nordonia
Maddie Harpley (JR) Revere
Anna Hurst (SR) Stow-Munroe Falls
Jaycee Kabasky (SR) Wadsworth
Liana Klepec (JR) Twinsburg
Cassidy Klodnick (JR) Brecksville
Maddie Kost (SR) Kent Roosevelt
Ashlyn Leavery (JR) Kent Roosevelt
Saumya Mahajan (JR) Revere
Paige McKendry (SR) Highland
Brooklyn Millard (SR) Aurora
Ava Moore (JR) Tallmadge
Nina Newkirk (SR) Aurora
Anna Picicco (SR) Kent Roosevelt
Caroline Roush (SR) Copley
Sophia Thompson (JR) Stow-Munroe Falls
Julia Van Bokkelen (JR) Hudson
Gracyn Vidovic (JR) Aurora
Malia Weatherbie (SR) North Royalton
Izzi Wood (SR) Kent Roosevelt
Serena Wu (SO) Solon

Freshmen to Watch

Maddi Adessi (Revere)
Kate Banning (Revere)
Ashley Bodish (Copley)
Amrita Deo (Revere)
Coco Golden (Kent Roosevelt)
Ryenne Harpley (Revere)
Polly Loney (Nordonia)
Hallie McKendry (Kent Roosevelt)
Sarah Riley (Revere)
Clara Roush (Copley)
Elena Varga (Hudson)
Anna Yacknow (Copley)
Chloe Yoon (North Royalton)

Aurora Greenmen

Head Coach- Collin McEndree
Last Year’s Results- 2nd at Old Avalon Sectional, 10th at Districts
Coach Comments- As a first year coach, I am very excited to see what this team can do out on the golf course. I have already noticed that this team is full of experience and talent, with a ton of potential to strongly compete in every tournament we play in. We have a good core of upperclassmen, with a strong group of sophomores and freshmen that will try and push their way into the varsity rotation. I plan to set the bar pretty high for this group, and can not wait to see how many expectations we can exceed.

Barberton Magics

Head Coach- David Kaser
Last Year’s Results- Unknown

Brecksville-Broadview Heights Bees

Head Coach- Nick Palumbo
Last Year’s Results- 8th at Fox Den Sectional

Copley Indians

Head Coach- Bob Harris
Last Year’s Results- 10th at The Elms Sectional, 9-7 match record, Finished 3rd Irish Invitational, Finished 5th Warren JFK Invitational, 5th place Suburban League American
Coach Comments- Looking for current Varsity players to continue the next step forward in the improvement of their games.

Highland Hornets

Head Coach- Mary Becker
Last Year’s Results- 1st at Fox Den Sectional, 2nd at Districts, 4th at State Tournament, Won the American Division of the Suburban League
Coach Comments- Retuning all Players from last year’s 4th Place State Tourney finish, we hope to vie for a state championship in 2023! Quality Players at 1-10 have us running a Varsity A and B Team and competition within the program.

Hudson Explorers

Head Coach- Bobby Bolin
Last Year’s Results- 3rd at Fox Den Sectional, 6th at Districts, 2nd in Suburban League National
Coach Comments- We are continuing to build and set high goals for our team. Emmy Burling and Sherry Du are two players to watch and will get support from Julia Van Bokkelen, Ellie Davis, McKenna Kiewatt, and Hannah Lee. Elena Varga should make an impact as a freshman this year.

Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders

Head Coach- Bryan Harvey
Last Year’s Results- 6th at Old Avalon Sectional

Nordonia Knights

Head Coach- Greg Harris
Last Year’s Results- 2nd at Fox Den Sectional, 4th at Districts, 11th at State Tournament, First Place in the Suburban League – National Division
Coach Comments- Our younger players are looking forward to stepping up this year after graduating 8 seniors from our 2023 state qualifying team.

North Royalton Bears

Head Coach- Don Filips
Last Year’s Results- 4th at Fox Den Sectional, 12th at Districts, The Bears were district qualifiers by finishing 4th at the Fox Den Sectional. The Bears were 6-2 in match play this season and finished fourth in the ultra competitive Suburban League which saw three National league teams make it to district competition. The Bears finished in 4th place in all four tournaments (355, 375, 335, 365) including a sizzling 335 which was one stroke off the school record. The team also competed in the Lady Pirate Invitational (3rd place 401), Lady Rider (8th place 387), Flamingo Frenzy (11th 387), Blue Devil Classic (18th 389), and the EBC / TriCounty Tournament (5th 362). The Bears teamed up with Nordonia to defeat St. Joseph and Brunswick in the 3rd Annual Jim Rademaker Ryder Cup.

Coach Comments- Returning lettermen senior Malia Weatherbie and Mia Whitt will look to fill out to the top of the Bears line up that graduated their top four players from the 2022 season. Both players ended the 2022 seaon on an ascending tragetory and will look to fill a leadership role in 2023. Rising sophomore and returning letterman Ava Grugle will look to secure her spot in the Bears lineup. Rising junior Sam Macek will try to parlay her 2022 varsity experience to earn a starting role in the 2023 lineup.

The Bears had one of the largest rosters in northeast Ohio which featured 26 golfers in 2022. Coach Filips expects the group of returners and talented incoming freshmen to battle for all the varsity sports. Those spots are out there for the all the players to earn. He is very excited about the upcoming team and their potential.

Revere Minutemen

Head Coach- Jeremy Harpley
Last Year’s Results- 7th at Fox Den Sectional
Coach Comments- Returning letter winners (4) and suburban all league performers (Mahajan, Harpley and Sucato); the Freshman class will booster our talent roster. We look forward to an immediate impact from the Freshman and continued improvements from our returning letter winners to sectional and district qualifiers.

Solon Comets

Head Coach- Damien Kopkas
Last Year’s Results- 3rd at Old Avalon Sectional, 14th at Districts, Individual qualifier for States (Kaitlin Kormuth – finished 15th); finished 3rd in GC; overall record 6-4
Coach Comments- After saying goodbye to 2 strong seniors, we hope to find a solid combination of varsity golfers to back incoming sophomore Serena Wu, who has the ability to contend for a state qualifying spot. We are looking forward to a fresh start in a very challenging new conference (Suburban).

Stow-Munroe Falls Bulldogs

Head Coach- Scotte Rorabaugh
Last Year’s Results- 5th at Old Avalon Sectional, Gabriella Berlingieri and Olivia Berlingieri both qualified for Districts as individuals.
Coach Comments- We are looking forward to a good season since we only lost one player to graduation. Our sister duo of Gabby Berlingieri and Olivia Berlingieri both qualified for Districts last year, so they both are working hard and have high expectations. Sophia Thompson had to miss the second half of last season after open enrolling, so we are looking forward to having her for a full season.

Tallmadge Blue Devils

Head Coach- Ali Eads
Last Year’s Results- 13th at Fox Den Sectional

Twinsburg Tigers

Head Coach- Phil Schmook
Last Year’s Results- 15th at Fox Den Sectional

Wadsworth Grizzlies

Head Coach- Will Virgin
Last Year’s Results- 11th at Fox Den Sectional

Lake Erie Girls Golf Association Preview

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The Lake Erie Girls Golf Association typically is a competitive league made up of teams from the Great Lakes Conference, the Lorain County Conference, and others. The team to beat in 2023 looks to be the Rocky River Pirates under coach Jeff Hammond, led by senior Chloe Holton and junior Mia Ginetti. Other teams in contention include Westlake, who perennially sits near the top of the conference standings and has won the conference the last two years, and North Olmsted, who is a more recent addition to the conference. Columbia and Keystone, who will have a new coach in Greg Morgan, are still building their programs while Fairview, with new coach Chris Kaminski, and Bay will look to set a solid base for the future.

Impact Players

Emma Feakins (JR) Keystone
Megan Forshey (SR) Westlake
Charlotte Fox (SO) Bay
Mia Ginetti (JR) Rocky River
Chloe Holton (SR) Rocky River
Taylor Kuhrt (SR) Columbia
Rose Lane (JR) North Olmsted
Jessica Paracsi (SR) Fairview

Freshmen to Watch

Katie May Baum (Columbia)
Nina Scott (North Olmsted)

Bay Rockets

Head Coach- Victoria Budzyn
Last Year’s Results- 15th at Springvale Sectional, regular season: 5 wins, 11 losses
Coach Comments- Bay High School has a young team with a lot of underclassmen who are consistently improving.

Columbia Raiders

Head Coach- Rebecca Brendza
Last Year’s Results- 4th at The Pines Sectional, 11th at Districts, Overall Record: 9 – 5; Conference Record: 7 – 3; Won the Choke/Prize ball at LEGGA Preview; 3rd place in the LEGGA Championship
Coach Comments- Looking for some strong leadership from our four seniors!

Fairview Warriors

Head Coach- Chris Kaminski
Last Year’s Results- Unknown

Keystone Wildcats

Head Coach- Andy Gibson
Last Year’s Results- 6th at The Pines Sectional

North Olmsted Eagles

Head Coach- Nolan Turpin
Last Year’s Results- DNS at Springvale Sectional

Rocky River Pirates

Head Coach- Jeff Hammond
Last Year’s Results- 7th at Springvale Sectional, 20-1 match play, Regular season LEGGA Champions, 1st place LEGGA preview, 2nd place LEGGA championship, 7th place at Edison Invitation,7th place at Parma Flamingo Frenzy
Coach Comments- Top 3 scorers return from record setting season last year. Chloe Holton and Mia Ginnetti tied for the final district qualifying spot and are back looking to lead the team to another LEGGA Championship and first ever District appearance.

Westlake Demons

Head Coach- Traci Edmunds
Last Year’s Results- 12th at Springvale Sectional, 10-2 record, Back-to-Back 1st place LEEGA Tournament Championships
Coach Comments- I’m excited for golf season! We graduated 5 of our varsity players last season so we will be a young team but I’m confident in our returning varsity players and the talent and experience they bring to our team. I’m also looking forward to seeing the young and upcoming talent to contribute to our teams success!

Spotlight: Who Is Sherry Du?

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This article is used with permission from the Hudson Explorer School Newspaper and Ellie Davis. The original article can be viewed by clicking here.

By Ellie Davis, Hudson High School Class of 2024

Sherry Du, a junior here at Hudson High School, is an incredibly talented student and an even better friend, teammate and just person in general. According to her peers, she is driven, kind, hardworking, hilarious, thoughtful and someone they know they can rely on no matter what. She is taking and has taken some of the most rigorous AP courses at Hudson, has been a varsity golfer since freshman year and is involved in a plethora of extracurricular activities both in and out of Hudson. The most impressive part about Du is that in the face of everything she does she is incredibly personable and has been described as “a really good friend” by her coaches and peers alike. The purpose of this article is not only to highlight Du and the amazing things she does, but also to portray her perspective on her life and everything that she does so people can understand the answer to the question: Who is Sherry Du?

It is no secret that Du is an excellent student, golfer and musician, but exactly how many activities is she involved in? Du gave a list consisting of golf, Spanish Honors Society, National Honors Society, Science Olympiad, which Du happens to be a Vice President of, Hudson Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO). Du spoke enthusiastically about all of these activities and it was clear that she truly cares about and enjoys being a member of all of them. Something Du mentioned specifically about golf is that “it has been really fun and definitely a really great experience for me getting to meet all my amazing teammates.” Du is a three-year varsity golfer for Hudson and according to head coach Mr. Bolin, she is “a positive role model not only for her peers but for younger people as well.” Du also specified that she spends about four hours in Cleveland every weekend as a part of COYO, and that in her spare time she likes to practice her violin because according to Du, “if I don’t I’ll get yelled at.” This casual remark, aside from showcasing Du’s amazing sense of humor, is a great example of how dedicated she is to always doing her best. 

So, how exactly does one go about managing a life as busy as this? A life like Du’s can be incredibly challenging and demanding, but as Du has gotten older she has gotten better at managing her time so that she may succeed in everything she does. “I would definitely say that time management, in and of itself as a skill that I’ve acquired, has definitely been one of my biggest challenges. Especially during my freshman year and early parts of my sophomore year, I wasn’t really effective with study techniques and that gave me a lot of grief and caused me to lose a lot of sleep.“ For Du, overcoming this challenge was a big part of her early high school career because “sometimes it meant not spending so much time on certain activities in order to prioritize others in order to have a balance of how well [she] was doing in everything overall.“ Finding the study techniques that work best for her has allowed Du to take on more and be successful in everything she does. Additionally, if Du could give one piece of advice to a freshman it would be “learn your study techniques first, and always prioritize your sleep over everything else.“ Doing these things herself has enabled Du to manage her busy schedule and still stay sane while doing it. 

In order to truly understand who Sherry Du is, it is important to hear from someone who knows her well and can speak to her abilities, especially in golf. When asked to describe Du, Mr. Bolin, her golf coach, said that “Sherry is one of the most driven, motivated people that I have ever come across – and it’s not just on the golf course. It seems like anything she puts her mind to she excels and exceeds at. It’s honestly incredible how good she is at everything she does.” Mr. Bolin, or Coach Bolin as Du knows him, has coached her for three years and said that not only has her golf ability continued to improve, but also her confidence as a teammate and leader. “I think Sherry realized that she had potential in a lot of things, and I think her growth has been in deciding where she wants to utilize her talents.” Mr. Bolin also thinks that “she came with a wide range of abilities, and she’s done a really great job determining which of those things she is going to use for her future when it comes to selecting a college and career.” As her golf coach, Mr. Bolin understands and sees the amount of potential Du has, as well as her ability to continually grow in something she is already fantastic at. 

Mr. Bolin also looks forward to Du’s upcoming golf season and thinks that she “has the potential to have a fantastic senior year on the golf course. I’m excited to see her senior year because this is the culmination of everything she’s been working towards, and I think both individually and as a team we have the ability to do some pretty cool things this year.” Last year Du almost made it to States, and this year both she and her coach look forward to trying to make that goal a reality. Du is an incredible golfer, but it is her qualities as a leader that set her apart from the rest. These qualities are what her coach looks the most forward to seeing this year and says that “it has been really awesome to see Sherry jump into a leadership position on the team whether it’s running our social media account or setting up practices in the weight room.” Past seniors have done an incredible job leading the team, and Mr. Bolin thinks that Du and her fellow seniors are doing an amazing job “taking the baton” from them and living up to the high standards they set. 

By now it is clear that Du is an amazing student and golfer, but according to Bolin “what a lot of people overlook is how good of a person she is. She is a really good friend. She is reliable. She’s always there when you need her and she’ll go out of her way to do something for someone else.” Du credits her parents as her biggest inspiration and reason for who she is today. “Apart from that, I think there have always been a couple of teachers who I think have been really inspiring, and my teammates have always been a big inspiration for me. I think they show me what a leader should look like.” It is these people, Du believes, who have inspired her to be the person she is today and helped her continue to be a person they can be proud of.

Who is Sherry Du? She is everything that has just been said and so much more. She prides herself on being someone her peers can look up to, and she continues to find inspiration in those around her. She is a phenomenal student, stellar golfer, show-stopping musician, incredibly supportive friend and all around good person that anyone would be extremely lucky to know. 

Sherry enjoying a rainbow bagel in NYC

Spotlight on Natalie Kostalnick, Strongsville High School

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Natalie Kostalnick from Strongsville High School is a Student Scholar Athlete with a 4.3 grade point average, the Greater Cleveland Conference Golfer of the Year for the past two seasons, and a future veterinarian who is already shadowing at some of the largest clinics in the Cleveland area. If those accomplishments and aspirations were all that made Natalie who she has become, it would be an amazing story. But there is more.

Since 2016, Natalie has worked to raise over $25,000 to donate to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus working for a non-profit she started called Drive Out Child Cancer. “There are kids who cannot get out of their hospital rooms for days or even months to do the things they love,” Natalie explained. After playing in a tournament at Ohio State, Natalie and her father made it their mission to raise money for those individuals who need it the most. “I went to the local bar that my family eats at and cleaned bar stools and bar rails. I made $100 and came up with my own $150 more.” She became the first person to donate money to Nationwide that way and decided she could help even more, leading to the beginning of her nonprofit. She mentioned that it has been hard to get the fundraising going since the Covid pandemic, but she is working hard to get it back on track.

Natalie Kostalnick started playing golf at the age of eight. The story began at Mr. Divot’s Sports Center in North Royalton where she was watching her sister hit softballs at the batting cages. “I was not talented enough to hit a softball,” Natalie recalled, “so my dad sent me and my mom to grab me a cut down shaft golf club. And now I’m 10 years into playing the sport.” She started playing in tournaments shortly after that and realized that she had talent when she started to see her name appearing at the top of those leaderboards.

As soon as Natalie stepped on the golf course her freshman year she immediately became the number one player on the team. “I was horrified to play on the team,” she said. “I was going to be the youngest one with some of the best scores. I was definitely intimidated. But there was nothing to worry about because they all welcomed me without any hesitation.” One player that had a huge impact on Natalie is Madison Gilbert, who is one year ahead of Natalie and a recent graduate who will be attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. “We were in elementary school together,” Natalie said. “She is the person I would run to when we had to pick partners at practice. When we have conversations she always listens and gives me the best advice.” Those conversations range from golf to traditional teenage girl talk. “I am very sad to see her leave this year but I know she will go on and do AMAZING things at Miami. Everyone needs a Madison!”

According to Strongsville coach Kevin Weir, “Natalie has changed the culture of our program and has turned it into a contender each year.” They won back-to-back Greater Cleveland Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022, with 2021 being their first in a decade. Natalie led the Mustangs to the District Tournament her freshman year by shooting an 83 at the Sectional Tournament at Sweetbriar Golf Course and followed it up with an 83 at Districts at Ellsworth Meadows. The Sectional Tournament was moved to Springvale Golf Course in 2021, a move that helped Natalie take her game to a whole new level as her 74 helped Strongsville finish in second place. Again, she performed well at the District Tournament at Brookledge with an 82, earning a top 20 finish. She matched her 74 at Sectionals this past season. Natalie knew that she had played well, but was not sure exactly how well. “I did not keep score in my head. When I heard I shot 74 I was honestly surprised. My game felt good but not that good.” It was that good. Natalie finished tied for second place overall in the tournament and her team advanced to Districts yet again.

The weather worsened for Districts at Brookledge in 2022 and high scores were common all around the golf course. Natalie was disappointed with an 89. “The temperature was everywhere,” she said. “It’s hard to play with multiple layers.” That was not meant to be an excuse because other factors were at play. “I also think that nerves got the best of me,” she added. “It is hard to play with the top players in your area and keep that off your mind. It’s much easier said than done.” She is already looking at it as a learning experience.

Natalie is also very happy to share what she has already learned and her experiences with her younger teammates. “I try to give advice (not only golf), try to help them with the game, and I am just always an open ear to help them with anything,” she said. She has had a huge impact on one player for sure. The number two player on the Strongsville varsity team is Hannah Lee, a talented up and coming junior who has some serious golf skills. “It’s amazing to see the golfer and the person that she has become in the last two years,” Natalie said proudly. “I hope I’ve taught her a few things before I leave next year.” What are some of those things? “I try to help her out as much as I can, like reminding her to not four-putt at least once a round,” she responded with a smile. “We know each other’s attitudes and know when we need to be consoled and when to leave each other alone.” Some teams struggle with building chemistry, but because of Natalie along with her past and current teammates, Strongsville is not one of them. “I am very lucky to have such a tight knit team,” she explained.

Coach Weir agrees that Natalie has been a transformative influence on his program. “Natalie has completely changed who Strongsville Golf is as a program since she has been a freshman,” he explained. “Natalie is a natural leader and has shown it since day one.” He added that she is the player who keeps the rest of the team on the same page, and has been doing it since she was named a captain as a sophomore. Coach Weir added, “She communicates with the team as needed during the offseason and makes sure everyone is doing okay on and off the course during the season.”

Coach Weir mentioned that one of the keys to being successful in high school golf is using the summer to improve. Between the end of the school year and the beginning of August, the time typically goes by very quickly. Natalie tries to simulate the rigor of the high school season when she plays over the summer. She typically plays in well over ten tournaments and gets out as often as possible to get practice rounds in. There is one key aspect to all of the practice and competition. “I make sure that I am prioritizing having fun,” she said. Some of the most fun that many junior golfers have over the summer is at the Hudson Junior Invitational, which takes place toward the end of June each year. Natalie was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to play in the Hudson Junior last summer. “It was hard with my dad not being there because he was out of town, but my friends came out to watch,” Natalie explained. “It was also nice to get paired up with one of my friends (Isabella Paez from Magnificat) for the first two rounds.”

An amazing quality shared by the talented high school golfers in Northeast Ohio is how they are able to excel on the golf course while still having a huge impact on their respective communities as well. Natalie Kostalnick is another fine example of a top tier golfer whose impact reaches far beyond the fairways and greens. Coach Weir put it perfectly: “She has the biggest heart and is truly willing to do anything for anyone.”

Wadsworth Looking for Girls Golf Coach

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Wadsworth High School is in need of a girls varsity golf coach (and a boys JV golf coach) for the 2023-24 season. The Grizzlies compete in the National Division of the Suburban League and have a solid program history. Wadsworth has a good amount of depth as a program and looks to return most of last year’s starting lineup. Please share with anyone interested in taking over this program. If interested, please contact Wadsworth Athletic Director Brad Musgrave at bmusgrave@wadsworthschools.org.