Tag: highland

Jessica Porvasnik Earns LPGA Tour Card

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Jessica Porvasnik is a big fan of the year 2024. The former Highland High School and Ohio State University golf standout already has a rather significant list of accomplishments, but now she can add two more huge life events to that list. In August, Jessica tied the knot and married her fiance Sam. Within a month of that momentous occasion, she received notice that she had officially earned a spot on the LPGA Tour.

The moment Jessica found out that she had earned her card is immortalized on Instagram. “How do you guys know that?” Jessica asked in the video. A simple response: “Math.” She had mathematically made the jump every female golfer dreams of and she had not even thought to check into it. “I was like ‘what?'” she explained. There were three events left in the season and she still had some work to do to earn fully exempt status, but one thing was certain: Jessica Porvasnik would be playing on the LPGA Tour in 2025.

Jessica has an untraditional story of her rise in the sport of golf. She was never exposed to the game and her parents were not golfers. “I started kind of late, at age 12,” she said. “I played many other sports and was really into softball. I was visiting my aunt in Battle Creek, Michigan and she suggested we take a golf lesson together.” The pro who gave the lesson was impressed. “Hey, you’re pretty good.” That was all it took. Jessica’s aunt helped her find out that the Highland golf program had a middle school club team. She joined that and made it a point to play with her grandfather every Sunday. Her sister Alicia also picked up the sport around the same time.

Jessica was able to make the Highland varsity team as a freshman. “It was a lot of fun,” she recalled. “It was a family atmosphere for me. It made my game get better just because of the competition. I grew to love the game and loved being with them.” Her best high school memories are the same as pretty much any high school golfer you ask and they include being big into flamingos, singing on van rides, and the camaraderie of the team. One of her goals was to win the individual state championship and she was able to accomplish that goal her senior year. “That was really cool,” she said happily.

It didn’t take Highland golf coach Mary Becker long to know Jessica might be on a different trajectory. “I began to believe that Jessica was a special kid after her freshman year,” Coach Becker explained. “She came back as a sophomore and made a huge jump. Just watching her development, passion and hunger to learn more and more about golf, and how to become a better player was something you saw in her every day.” Going to Ohio State was the right decision, according to Becker. “I was super excited for her to choose Ohio State to play her college golf. Number one, it’s a great national level program with great resources and facilities. Number two, after getting to know coach Hessian from OSU, I knew it was the right choice. She played on the tour and had a track record of developing tour players, which made her program a great fit for Jess.”

Jessica ended up having a stellar career at Ohio State, where she won the Big Ten Tournament her freshman year as an individual while the Buckeyes won it as a team. They ended up winning the conference three of her four years there and also made it to Nationals three of those seasons. After graduating with a degree in finance, Jessica knew she wanted to pursue her golf career. She committed herself and was happy to have more time to dedicate to improving her game. “I could now spend my time focusing on golf, fitness, and nutrition,” she said.

Jessica turned pro in the summer of 2017, right after her graduation. She continues to show appreciation for her coaches from Ohio State, who have been extremely supportive of her and have even caddied in some of her events. She went through LPGA Q-School to try to earn her tour card that fall but did not make it through the first round. She faced similar results the next two years. But she continued to play in state opens and on mini-tours. In 2020, she played on the Women’s All Pro Tour, which had an incentive where the top five on their money list got to skip Stage 1 of Q-School. With her struggles getting through Stage 1, this was exactly what Jessica needed. She won the first event on the WAPT and then the tour shut down due to Covid. “The year was a wash,” she explained. She didn’t back down and was able to get into the top 5 in 2021. In fact, she finished first overall on the WAPT and was able to get status on the Epson Tour as a result of her Q-School performance.

2024 was Jessica’s third season on the Epson Tour. She ended up finishing strong in most tournaments she played in. She had two second place finishes and six top 10s on the Epson Tour. If she finished in the top 10 overall she would receive a full card and 11 to 15 would earn her a partial card. When she found out she had mathematically qualified for the LPGA Tour with three events left, she still had a little work to do. She finished third in the next event to solidify a top 10 finish. With one event left on the Epson Tour, Jessica is sitting in third place and is ready to start making plans for her 2025 season on the LPGA Tour. “It hasn’t quite set in yet,” she said. “I think it will after this last event (at Indian Wells in Palm Springs).”

Jessica is very excited to live the LPGA lifestyle. “I can’t wait to see new courses and travel. I look forward to seeing new places. That was exciting with the Epson Tour. I got to visit a lot of places I had never been to. I can’t wait to see the new places on the LPGA Tour.” She is also excited to visit some of her host families and friends she has made along the way. Many of them still stay in touch and are following her journey.

Jessica has some experience on the big stage. She qualified to play in the 2014 Women’s US Open at Pinehurst. She did not make the cut but still mentioned that it was a great learning experience. She Monday qualified to get into the LPGA event at Toledo at Highland Meadows, where she did make the cut, and at the Pierce Silk Tournament in Virginia. “I haven’t met a lot of people yet,” she said. I’m looking forward to the new journey, meeting new people (she mentioned Nelly Korda), and seeing familiar faces.”

Jessica is ready to face the challenges of being on the top women’s golf tour in the world. There is a lot that goes into being a professional golfer that many people don’t realize. She is currently working on sponsorship deals, finding an agent, and getting a caddie. “I typically pushed (the bag and cart) myself or had my dad, husband, family, or coaches caddy for me,” she explained. She also knows that she needs to constantly work on her game. “I’m still asking people ‘Can you give me a lesson?’ and I am still taking a ton of lessons,” she said. “Your first year on the Epson Tour you are learning the ropes: Pro-Am parties, being in the Pro-Am, etc. I look back and hope my first year on the LPGA Tour will be easier.” She knows that she needs to get advice and continue to ask questions. “Where do I stay? What hotels do you recommend. I didn’t use a lot of the resources on the Epson Tour and it was a learning process. You don’t have a lot of time on the LPGA Tour. You need to perform to keep your card. Going out and asking questions will be huge so I don’t go out and face too many challenges.”

Asking questions is so important. Jessica wanted to remind that to junior players and high school golfers who are looking to make it big one day. “When you are a freshman, be outgoing,” she explained. “Ask the seniors questions. You need to be outgoing and ask questions because it will only help you.” She continued to explain what has worked for her. “The game is growing so much. There are a lot more female golfers right now. Give it your all, stay patient out there: PATIENT AND POSITIVE. It’s a grueling sport. You will have it one day and you won’t have it the next. Stick with it and have fun. That’s the key. I’ve always loved the game. There’s always something to bring me back in and give me that itch. I need to be out there. Most importantly, dream big!”

Jessica also offered some words of wisdom to parents and coaches of young golfers. “Don’t push too soon. I’ve seen a lot of parents make that mistake. If you keep pushing them they are going to get burnt out. Take a step back and be very supportive. They have got to want it themselves. My parents didn’t push me because I had the drive. They would drop me off at the golf course early and pick me up in the evening. I’d spend the whole day there.”

Even those that are not planning to become LPGA pros can really benefit from learning the sport, according to Jessica. “This is a great sport to go play in the business world or go make a bunch of connections. Having a lady in your scramble who plays from the red tees is a huge advantage!”

Coach Mary Becker sums up Jessica’s story perfectly: “Hers is a great story of perseverance and hard work, never giving up on her dream. I could not be happier for her.”

We would like to offer our utmost thanks to Jessica Porvasnik for taking the time to talk about her journey. We wish her the very best and we are really excited to follow her on the LPGA Tour this coming season!

Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry, Highland Superstars

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

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!

Division 1 District Preview

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The Information

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.

Tickets can be purchased at http://www.ohsaa.org/tickets

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)

The Teams

Aurora Greenmen

Coach- Collin McEndree

Projected Lineup
1. Gracyn Vidovic (JR)
2. Brooklyn Millard (SR)
3. Manisha Girn (JR)
4. Nina Newkirk (SR)
5. Meena Kraus (JR)

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 Cardinals

Coach- Dean Conley

Projected Lineup
1. Taylor Morrone (SR)
2. Miya Cohol (JR)
3. Aubree Philibin (FR)
4. Alex Conley (FR)
5. Natalie Sawicki (SO)

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 Bulldogs

Coach- Jake Shocklee

Projected Lineup
1. Leah Dang (FR)
2. Sydney Shocklee (JR)
3. Brooke Shocklee (SO)
4. Raelynn Winkler (SR)
5. Reese Genet (SO)

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.

Hathaway Brown Blazers

Coach- Ronald Jones

Projected Lineup
1. Dixon Hill (JR)
2. Blake Cody (JR)
3. Hannah Weinberger (JR)
4. Christine Kim (SR)
5. Lily Andrews (SO)

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 Hornets

Coach- Mary Becker

Projected Lineup
1. Isabella Goyette (SR)
2. Paige McKendry (SR)
3. Elizabeth Coleman (SO)
4. Kavya Chada (SR)
5. Avery Albright (JR)

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 Vikings

Coach- Scott Snyder

Projected Lineup
1. Ava Kemp (JR)
2. Kylie Porter (JR)
3. Ellie Hutzler (FR)
4. Alyssa Evans (JR)
5. Olivia Pfannenschmidt (SR)

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 Polar Bears

Coach- Teal Harvey

Projected Lineup
1. Cara Murphy (JR)
2. Katie Sieverts (SR)
3. Milena Grametbauer (JR)
4. Charlotte Raketich (SO)
5. Katie O’Connell (SR)

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 Rough Riders

Coach- Bryan Harvey

Projected Lineup
1. Maddie Kost (SR)
2. Ashlyn Leavery (JR)
3. Izzi Wood (SR)
4. Cassidy Singer (JR)
5. Adrianna Mineo (SO)

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.

Lake Blue Streaks

Coach- Michael Yoder

Projected Lineup
1. Audrey Nichols (SR)
2. Evanne Mast (SR)
3. Emily Hudson (SR)
4. Grace Swihart (SO)
5. Olivia Gant (SO)

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.

Magnificat Blue Streaks

Coach- Danny Gallagher

Projected Lineup
1. Cara Heisterkamp (SR)
2. Cammy Reed (JR)
3. Maureen O’Leary (JR)
4. Kristina Chill (SO)
5. Kayla Knaze (FR)

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 Bees

Coach- Mickey McGrath

Projected Lineup
1. Stella Burns (SR)
2. Lydia Dorman (SR)
3. Camille Christeon (SR)
4. Carleigh Jones (SR)
5. Corinne Christeon (SO)

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 Knights

Coach- Greg Harris

Projected Lineup
1. Julia Gulla (JR)
2. Brooke Barnes (SR)
3. Natalie Barnes (SO)
4. Carley Sutton (SO)
5. Maddie Eisner (SO)

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.

St. Joseph Jaguars

Coach- Maureen Adler

Projected Lineup
1. Gianna Reginelli (JR)
2. Emerson Glending (SO)
3. Tess Gibel (SO)
4. Caroline Neitzel (SR)
5. Ellen Mingus (SO)

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 Mustangs

Coach- Kevin Weir

Projected Lineup
1. Natalie Kostalnick (SR)
2. Hannah Lee (JR)
3. Kendall Grau (SR)
4. Sydney Bass (JR)
5. Srikanishka Badri (FR)

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 Warriors

Coach- Bill Reilly

Projected Lineup
1. Annie Stencel (SR)
2. Yumi Kohara (FR)
3. Gianna Rodenhauser (SO)
4. Colleen Stadler (SO)
5. Annie Cors (SR)

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
  • 3rd Place at Lady Rider Invitational
  • First Team All Suburban League

The Road to Columbus

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

As August approached, local golf courses were flooded with high school players preparing for tryouts and coaches finalizing plans for the upcoming season. At some area high schools, expectations were high and hopes were high. By the middle of October, four of those teams were able to celebrate by taking a trip down I-71 with a final destination of the Ohio State University Golf Course in Upper Arlington.

For the Blue Streaks of Magnificat High School and the Hornets from Highland High School that trip has become an annual occurrence. Behind the two leading players from Northeast Ohio, Cara Heisterkamp from Magnificat and Isabella Goyette from Highland, those two teams just needed to refine their games and were pretty much assured a spot in Columbus. Both teams were able to increase their depth significantly with a star freshman player. Claire Liu proved to be a star right off the bat for the Blue Streaks and Highland found some long term help in Elizabeth Coleman. Both of those players contributed highly to their teams’ accomplishments.

In other parts of Northeast Ohio, teams with dreams of getting to State knew that their chances were anything but guaranteed. The Suburban League’s National Conference looked like it was going to be an epic race between the Hudson Explorers and Nordonia Knights. Nordonia brought back every member of their 2021 team, easily the best in school history, while Hudson had a strong foundation of players and a great amount of depth. Those two teams knew that it was going to be a tight race to win the conference, but also that they would be neck and neck through the OHSAA tournaments.

In the Federal League, always a staple of Northeast Ohio golf, it looked like a changing of the guard was imminent. Jackson and Green, perennial state qualifiers, both were trying to rebuild after losing many key pieces each. This opened the door for both North Canton Hoover and Uniontown Lake to take the top two spots in the league. Hoover especially knew they had a legitimate chance to make 2022 a year to remember.

In Shaker Heights, the Hathaway Brown Blazers were in a good position to make a run. 2021 freshman phenom Dixon Hill was poised to have an even better sophomore season and the Blazers had the look of a team ready to turn some heads. Other schools such as Strongsville, Solon, Stow, Kent Roosevelt, and Marlington (who had just been bumped up to Division 1) all knew that there was a chance they were on the periphery but needed to really have a record breaking day to get to Columbus.

October 13th, 2022 was a cold and windy day at Brookledge Golf Course in Cuyahoga Falls as the District Tournament commenced. Scoring was not going to be easy on a lengthy, wet course and everyone knew they were going to have to bring their absolute best in order to advance. After several hours of battling through the elements, four teams and three individuals emerged with a berth at the State Tournament. Magnificat (317) won the tournament behind a one-over-par performance from Heisterkamp. They were followed by Highland (328), Hoover (331), and Nordonia (334). Qualifying individuals were Ava Pulley (78) from Green, Kaitlin Kormuth (78) from Solon, and Gianna Reginelli (79) from St. Joseph Academy. The final spot would be determined by a tiebreaker between Kent Roosevelt’s Madolyn Kost and Aubrie Rush from Avon High School.

The story of 2022 proved to be the rise of the Nordonia Knights, under the direction of veteran coach Greg Harris. Seniors Christina Nagy and Larisa Golembewski had both established themselves as top players the season before. Junior Brooke Barnes also brought a good amount of experience to the table for the Knights. What nobody expected, however, was the amazing season the Knights got from sophomore Julia Gulla, who used 2022 to establish herself as one of the top players in the area. Gulla had a very impressive freshman year, but she took a gigantic step forward and became the guiding force of the team. Results could have been very different for Nordonia had it not been for a strong finish from senior Maci Taylor. Taylor put together a few strong rounds at the end of the season to help clinch the Suburban League National title for Nordonia and put the team in a good place for the tournament season. Nordonia grew as a team throughout the season. They got off to a good start by placing 2nd at the Lady Rider Invitational at Twin Lakes but had a setback in their first league tournament as they were edged out by Hudson. From that point on, they did not lose again in the Suburban League tournaments, winning the final three to easily win the league. On September 10th, Nordonia set a school record at Fox Den by shooting 305 with matching 73s by Nagy and Gulla. Barnes shot 79 and Golembewski shot 80 to round out the scoring. After winning the conference at Brookledge, Nordonia used the momentum to finish in second place at sectionals and play an impressive round at districts to qualify for the State Tournament.

Harris knew from the beginning that his team was special. “After qualifying for Districts in 2020 and 2021, we had our entire team back for 2022 and believed that we could make it to State so we set this as one of our 2022 goals,” he said. “Our District Tournament is very difficult because there are so many great teams so we knew going into that we needed to play very well to be one of the top 4 teams and qualify for State.” The weather at Brookledge didn’t help. “It ended up being a cool and windy day so there were very challenging conditions for all of the teams,” he explained. “And to add to this, Brookledge had some very difficult pin placements that day.” Harris said that his team was in the right mindset. “In our minds, we felt confident that we were one of the top 4 teams going into the day so we just needed to stay focused and put forth our best effort. The girls did both of these things and played their hearts out for all 18 holes.” Harris still has a lot ahead of him but he will never forget his 2022 squad. “I totally enjoyed being the coach for this an incredible group of girls.”

Coach Scott Snyder has always had a competitive team at Hoover High School but he knew from the very beginning that 2022 could be special. “At the beginning of our season, I think we felt as though we had a chance to compete at a high level and possibly make it to Columbus,” he said. “Our entire regular season schedule provided us plenty of competitive opportunities and thus a chance to see what was happening throughout Northeast Ohio. Ultimately our confidence grew as did our thoughts that we could make it.” Two seniors, Halle Ellis and Hannah Higgins, as well as two sophomores, Ava Kemp and Kylie Porter, all had the ability and potential to go low on any given day. This was seen in full force when Hoover set back to back school records for nine hole rounds, shooting 147 against Jackson followed by 146 the next day against Garaway. The Vikings dominated the Federal League in both tournaments and head to head play. That coupled with a very strong tournament schedule helped Hoover prepare for the District Tournament and allowed for them to be successful at Brookledge.

A little extra motivation came from a difficult day at the Sectional Tournament at The Elms Country Club. Hoover managed to finish first at the tournament but did not play their best round. They were able to put things together at districts. “We battled with Magnificat and Highland all day, as team scores were so very close,” said Snyder. A 76 from Kemp put Hoover in a great place. “She played just awesome and no doubt helped propel us to our 3rd place finish,” he added. Ellis shot 81, Higgins 83, and Porter 91 to get the Vikings their sixth team trip to Columbus. “The girls were very calm, and played under control,” according to Snyder. “The longer they did their thing, the better I felt and was ecstatic for them. They stuck with the goal at hand, and it paid off!” Coach Snyder had nothing but good things to say about the quality of people he coached in 2022. “This was my 30th season coaching golf at Hoover. I’ve been blessed with so many truly awesome players and student-athletes. Like so many teams in the past, this year’s group set goals, worked toward their goals, and saw them be paid off with the trip to Columbus. We’ve been very fortunate for so many years in a row now in terms of individuals or teams qualifying to States, and hope this success continues this next season as we return a great group of girls and are very much looking towards the upcoming season.”

The road to State was not as difficult for Highland and Coach Mary Becker. “After finishing 5th in the 2021 state tournament, and even though we had three seniors playing that year, I felt pretty confident that we could return in 2022 with 3 great players (Isabella, Paige and Kavya) returning,” Becker explained. She also hoped to have senior Emily Krutkiewicz back after injuries hampered her for the previous two seasons. Krutkiewicz, a stellar player and highly regarded as an overall exceptional person, never was cleared to play, which was a huge blow to the team. That, coupled with a little adversity in a few tournaments, could have meant big trouble, but the battle tested Hornets played their best when it counted. After cruising to a conference championship in the Suburban League American, Highland shot an impressive 301 to win their sectional tournament at Fox Den. Isabella Goyette’s 66 was easily enough for medalist honors. At the District Tournament, Goyette led the team with a 74 followed by an 84 from fellow junior Paige McKendry, and 85s from Coleman and junior Kavya Chada. “Districts are the most stressful tournament of the year,” Becker said. “We had a decent front nine, but struggled on the back 9. I felt like first place was slipping away, but second place was still in reach. Being able to look at live scoring was great. Our 3 and 4 players stepped up on a big way on the last three holes and we squeaked out the second place finish over Hoover.”

Highland had an impressive resume in 2022 en route to their 10th overall trip to Columbus. Their tournament wins included the Christine Terlesky Memorial Tournament, the Medina Invitational, the Walsh Jesuit Tradition Invitational, and the Independence Blue Devil Classic. Becker made sure to remind everyone that it was a true team effort. “It was great play by our upperclassmen and the surprising performances by underclassmen Elizabeth Coleman, Avery Albright and Kendall Sprutte,” she said. “It seems like each of them stepped up at different times during the season to come through with an excellent score.”

Magnificat started the season as one of the favorites to win the District Tournament and they never let up along their run to making it happen. Coach Gina Battistone’s squad had impressive performances throughout the season including wins at the Lady Rider Invitational, the Jackson Invitational, the Canterbury Invitational hosted by Laurel, and the Blue Streak Invitational. Magnificat also won their independent league championship along with finishing the season by setting two school 18 hole records, a 297 in a loss to Dublin Jerome at Westfield Country Club, and a 295 in the independent league championship at Pine Hills. All five players shot in the 70s in that tournament. Cara Heisterkamp led the team with a 71, Claire Liu added a 73, sophomore Cammy Reed shot 75, sophomore Maureen O’Leary shot 76, and senior Isabella Paez finished with 78. Magnificat easily took care of business at their sectional tournament at Springvale and ended up winning the District Tournament by 11 shots over Highland to get back to Columbus.

Congratulations to the Highland Hornets (627, 4th Place), Magnificat Blue Streaks (629, 5th Place), Hoover Vikings (665, 8th Place), and Nordonia Knights (682, 11th Place) on their appearance in the 2022 State Tournament. Isabella Goyette (Highland) finished 4th in the state individually and Cara Heisterkamp (Magnificat) finished 6th. Congratulations as well to individual qualifiers Kaitlin Kormuth (t15) from Solon, Ava Pulley (t18) from Green, Aubrie Rush (t29) from Avon, and Gianna Reginelli (t47) from St. Joseph Academy.