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Spotlight on Alexandria Vardon, Firestone High School

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

“I love golf. I love the game. And it’s the people that make it that way.”

These are the words of Alexandria Vardon, a senior at Firestone CLC in Akron and the top player on the Falcons girls golf team. She is a future engineer, a district qualifier in golf, an example to young student-athletes, and is wise beyond her years. She has already experienced success on the golf course and knows that her attitude toward the game will help her experience success in much bigger ways.

Alexandria Vardon lives and breathes golf and is passing the message along. She remembers getting a set of golf clubs from her father at a really young age and started learning the game at the First Tee of Akron not too long after. “I owe it all to my coach, Jimmy Beers,” she explained. “He has seen my game develop and he is the reason I play.” Alexandria knew that she enjoyed the game when she joined the PGA Junior League with Beers as her coach. She realized that she could have an impact on girls golf at that point, but did not realize how much of an overall impact she would have. Alexandria, along with other first tee standouts Raygan Hoover and Reese Latta from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, would often play and volunteer with the First Tee of Greater Akron. While helping at a clinic not long before the Covid pandemic, a girl participating in the clinic made it a point to single out Alexandria. “She’s my favorite coach because she’s the only girl here!” the young lady exclaimed. A thirteen year old Alexandria was humbled, but it was at that point she realized just how important she was to others. That young player still attends matches just to watch Alexandria and the Falcons play.

Alexandria took the confidence and humility she gained from that special moment with her straight into high school. She was so committed to Firestone CLC that she planned to play on the boys team because they were not expecting to have enough numbers to even field a girls team. In her freshman year, they were able to get enough interest to revitalize their girls program and by her sophomore year they had a new coach who was immediately invested in the program. Jon Bozeka, still at the helm of the program, looks to Alexandria almost as if she is one of his coaches. “Alex has a really tough job revitalizing the program,” he said in respect to his top player. “Her success is laying the groundwork for the future of the team.” Coach Bozeka speaks highly of Alexandria’s amazing work ethic, meticulous approach to the game, and most importantly, her leadership, which he describes as her greatest asset to the team.

Alexandria did not just walk in one day and determine that she was the team leader. “It just happens,” she explained. “It’s about who rises up and fills in where they need to.” She uses the offseason to get the “vibe” of the team and works hard to set an example for the other players to follow. “My teammates are newer to the game but they have passion for it,” she said. “We all enjoy each other’s company.” Firestone is in a great place, returning all their players from last year’s team, including three seniors. That staying power is also a testament to Alexandria’s leadership. “It’s amazing to see how the program has grown,” she reminisced. “We went from having to scrape six players out to having nine total.”

Coach Bozeka is very aware of the difficulties being the best player and team leader can bring. “It is tough to be a leader in golf because you still need to be there for teammates regardless of how you play,” he explained. “Alex is able to do that. The little things she brings have rubbed off on the other players. She is the first on the course and the last to leave. We have a lot of beginners. Alex manages everything and takes it in stride.” After she is finished playing, usually in the first group, she makes it a point to go back to check on her teammates and make sure everything is going well.

Golf is a microcosm of so many aspects of life. Alexandria plays golf the way she lives and her personality is on wide display on the golf course. “Great players grind in tough situations,” Coach Bozeka said, referring to her gritty effort at the District Tournament last fall. By all accounts, Brookledge Golf Course in Cuyahoga Falls played exceptionally difficult last October. Alexandria got off to a rough start and shot 52 on the back nine, her first nine holes of the day. Even though she knew qualifying for the State Tournament was out of the picture at that point, she settled in and because of her determination she ended up with a more than respectable 42 on Brookledge’s front nine. It was the round that got her to Brookledge that had people talking, however.

The Sectional Tournament at Fox Den Golf Course in Stow is typically one of the most competitive sectionals in the state. Highland, who seem to punch a ticket to Columbus every year, was the unquestioned best team at Fox Den. Nordonia and Hudson, both of whom respectively had one of their best teams in school history, each looked to have a good chance to get out. The final spot looked to be a battle between Walsh Jesuit, North Royalton, and Streetsboro. Firestone knew they would have a tough time advancing out as a team but Alexandria was also up against some pretty talented individuals from non-qualifying teams. Alexandria got off to a good start. “The first drive was a good one, and that set the tone.” She played well on the front nine, shooting a solid 43, and continued at a steady pace. Alexandria and Coach Bozeka both knew there was a chance for her to advance. The pressure was on. Nobody in recent memory from Firestone had ever advanced to the District Tournament. Alexandria had that in the back of her mind. On the 16th hole, a short par four, Alexandria hit a great approach shot and knocked in the birdie putt to put her in great shape to advance. That approach shot was the key. It took the pressure off and let her coast in to the clubhouse with confidence and a final score of 83. “That’s what separates her,” Coach Bozeka reiterated, “When a big shot is needed, she makes the shot look easy. She responds late in the round when the pressure is rising.” Athletes refer to this phenomenon in many ways: the “it” factor, being clutch, stepping up under the spotlight. No matter what it is called, it’s pretty clear that Alexandria Vardon possesses it.

Alexandria’s 83 looked like it would last, but that didn’t stop the jitters during the wait after the round, which any golfer will tell you is the most difficult part of any tournament. “It was a wonderful day,” Alexandria recalled. “I knew I played well. I was on the edge of my seat for 45 minutes. It was the longest day of my life.” It was now out of her control and many things were happening at once. North Royalton came in with an excellent team score and beat out both Walsh Jesuit and Streetsboro. That was bad news for Alexandria because Annie Stencel from Walsh Jesuit shot an 80 to all but guarantee herself one of the four individual qualifying spots. Alexandria had beaten all five of North Royalton’s players. There were several good players out on the course still and it got even more nerve-racking when Emily Lamb from Shaker Heights came in with a 79. Alexandria continued to wait but by the end of the day, nobody else came within three shots of taking her spot. She ended up with the third qualifying spot and Lauren Iannetta from Eastlake North took the final spot with an 86, winning a tiebreaker over Walsh Jesuit’s Annie Cors.

Alexandria Vardon had become the first female golfer at Firestone in this century, possibly ever, to qualify for the District Tournament. Districts is a different animal and that experience will be crucial to Alexandria’s progression. It was not a great day at Brookledge, although the front nine provided a lot of positive points. The six hour round was grueling and her group never did quite find a rhythm. The takeaways are extremely important as Alexandria hopes to have a chance to tackle Brookledge again. “Shot making was important,” she explained. “It’s a tournament of perseverance.” Her goal is to get back there her senior year and take the next step. There will undoubtedly be another quality field descending on Brookledge in 2023 but Alexandria has a very good chance to be in the mix yet again.

Not many golfers have played even nine holes under par. Alexandria accomplished that feat on August 29th of 2022 in a match against Canton South at Mud Run Golf Course in Akron, carding a one under par 33. “I’m not a very long hitter,” she mentioned. “So I have to make up for it on and around the green.” That she does and her continuous improvement is evidence. Alexandria plans to play over the summer on the Northern Ohio PGA Tour and will still be around the game of golf working at Portage Country Club when she is not playing. Her goals for 2023 are high and include shooting consistently in the low 80s, breaking 80 for the first time, and hopefully having a chance to play golf in Columbus in late October at the State Tournament. Off the course, Alexandria is planning to pursue a degree in chemical, aerospace, or mechanical engineering. She has qualified for States and Nationals in the robotics competitions the past two years. She also is a member of the International Baccalaureate.

Alexandria loves golf for a few reasons. “The fact you are outside is great,” she explained. “And that pure shot that keeps you coming back.” Her favorite part about playing in Districts was how it reminded her of playing in the summer. “I played with Madolyn Kost (from Kent Roosevelt) and it was so much fun. That was when I knew that I made it.” Alexandria Vardon definitely has made it both on and off the golf course and will be a force to be reckoned with her senior year.

Spotlight on Mati Zines, United High School

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The date was October 14th, 2022. The place was the first tee box at Ohio State University’s Gray Course. A junior from a small high school in eastern Ohio stood on the tee ready to represent her school and her community. The pressure was nothing new for Mati Zines. She stuck to her routine, took the club back, swung, and followed through. She began her journey to shooting 81-80 at the State Tournament and finishing tied for 11th place overall out of 71 competitors on the biggest stage in Ohio Division II Girls Golf.

United High School is not big, encompassing a total of about 530 students. Many schools of similar size struggle fielding teams in smaller sports, such as golf. When Mati started at United her freshman year, the school did not have a girls golf team and she was still fairly new to the sport. Mati had to join the boys golf team and figure out high school golf while being thrown into the deep end. Fast forward to 2023, Mati will be entering her senior year having established herself as one of the top players in the state and having helped build a fully functioning girls golf program at United High School. It hasn’t been a long journey, but the rewards have been plentiful and impactful.

“I only got into golf in junior high,” Mati explained. “I started playing golf a lot later than most girls my age.” It wasn’t until the end of her freshman year that Mati realized she had a bright future in the game. “It was Columbiana’s coach, Bob Hall, who was the one to mention it to my parents,” she said. With Coach Hall’s recommendation, Mati started working even harder on her golf game and began competing in tournaments outside of the high school season. She gained skill, experience, and confidence by competing in Youngstown’s Greatest Golfer league and the Northern Ohio PGA Tour.

Mati went from being the number five player on the boys team to the number one player on the newly formed United girls golf team in 2021. “I was super happy to finally have a team my sophomore year,” Mati said. They only played a handful of matches that year but it was the first time in the history of the school that they had enough players to field a girls team. Mati also had a really successful sophomore season as she reached the District Tournament after firing an 87 at the Pine Lakes sectional.

Success as a sophomore led to a huge confidence boost for Mati. She knew that she had the ability to compete at the highest level and now she just had to demonstrate it as she entered her junior year and remained as the leader of United’s squad. The team played a full schedule in 2022 compared to only a few matches the previous year. Although they competed independently, they were able to play in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, which featured local opponents Columbiana, East Palestine, and Southern Local. Mati easily won the tournament shooting an 84, twelve shots above the nearest competitor, and the United Golden Eagles finished in second place behind Columbiana. She had momentum going for her as the Sectional Tournament approached.

At Sectionals, United came up short as a team from advancing but it was a great day for Mati Zines. Her round of 80 was good enough to earn medalist honors and easily propel her to the District Tournament at Sable Creek. The round at Districts had a little bit of everything. “It was a roller coaster of emotions to say the least,” Mati recalled. “I started off well the first 8 holes, but that all changed on the 9th hole.” A triple bogey to finish off the opening nine could have ruined the day, and would have for many players. Mati was able to get her emotions back in check and made par on the 10th hole. She then faced a problem that would not have even been an issue before 2022 and had to make a very difficult decision.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association made live scoring mandatory at any OHSAA tournament starting in 2022. Players now had access to leaderboards whenever they wanted to check. That new wrinkle left a lot of players with another decision that could affect their mental game. Should they check the leaderboard to see where they stand? “My coach doesn’t like it when I check the scoreboard,” Mati said. “But curiosity always kills me.” She felt that it would be better for her to know exactly where she stood. It proved to be the right choice in that circumstance. “I knew that I was in the top three when I got to the 18th hole,” Mati said, giving her the assurance she needed. “I was nervous because I was afraid I might get excited and have a another hole.” She didn’t. Mati finished the back nine at Sable Creek with an even par 36, giving her a total of 77 and putting her in a tie for first place, which earned her a spot at the State Tournament in Columbus. She had to still break a tie with Abbie Retherford from Ravenna, who also shot a 77, but by that time it didn’t matter. “When I heard there was a tie, I didn’t really mind,” she explained. “I was just happy I got to State. That might have helped me play loose.” She birdied the 11th hole to win the playoff. “Plus, it was fun to play with Abbie for those two holes.” Sable Creek did not play easy during the District Tournament, which made Mati’s (and Abbie’s) round that much more impressive. There were only four scores in the 70s and nine scores in the 80s from a field of 69 golfers.

Most players and coaches will say that the District Tournament offers the most difficult test of the high school season. Getting to the State tournament probably brings out more pressure than even playing in the State Tournament. Columbus was a great experience for Mati Zines as she played consistent golf on her way to the 81-80-162 for a tie in 11th place. The memories that come from OSU’s Gray Course are even better. Mati smiled as she explained her favorite: “My swing coach, Joe Allen, promised me if I made it to State he would caddy for me during my practice round. Well, he didn’t account for the fact that it was going to be windy and cold during the whole weekend. So he had to drive all the way down to Columbus to caddy for me in the wind and cold. But even if it was cold and windy, and I didn’t play as well as I would’ve liked, I still had a good time.”

One of the best things that younger players can learn from Mati is to set high, yet attainable goals, and more importantly, to keep pushing yourself toward even higher goals. After achieving her first goal of making the team at United, she decided that making Districts as a sophomore would be the next step. She was able to achieve that and the new goal was to get to Columbus her junior year. After getting to the top of the mountain, it begs the question: What’s next? And the answer, of course, “Now that I made it to State, I have newer and higher goals for myself.”

Mati plans to play golf at the next level. She is enjoying the college recruiting process and the search for the perfect fit. She made sure to emphasize that academics will always be the priority but she definitely plans to play golf when she finds the right place. In terms of golf, she feels most comfortable with her irons, especially from 120 yards in. She has a solid short game but also knows that any golfer can improve that aspect of their game. When asked about her favorite feeling on a golf course, Mati said that there are two. “The first is when I get a birdie, especially on a par 3. I believe getting a birdie on a par 3 is the hardest birdie to get. You can’t get bailed out with a long drive, you have to be accurate with your irons, and make the putt.” Her second favorite feeling really brings out one of the great aspects of girls golf in this area: meeting new people and making new friends. “My second favorite feeling is playing with girls like me and being able to have fun while playing. It definitely helps me do better. Each player golfs differently. Some have to be completely focused on their shot, however, I wear myself down focusing all the time. It’s nice to talk to new people and connecting with them while also giving your all to your game.”

Mati has made good friends through the game of golf and tries to stay in touch as much as she can. “Samantha Calderone (Warren JFK) is someone I met two years ago through Greatest Golfer, and we found out that we are more like each other than we first realized.” Another is Shaylee Muckleroy from West Branch. “We were on an AAU basketball team before Covid, but didn’t get to know each other very well because of the pandemic. When we golfed together, we realized that we had already met. I got to play with her during a match and Sectionals, which was awesome.” Mati really enjoys playing with players who have similar interests or a similar style of play to her.

One unique aspect of Mati’s golf journey is that she gets to take it with someone who is really close to her. Stacey Zines, Mati’s mother, is the girls golf coach at United. “It’s nothing new,” Mati explained. “I’ve had both parents be my coach my whole life.” She played basketball, soccer, and softball when she was growing up. And, as is the case in many similar circumstances, Mati’s parents may be just a bit tougher on her than the other players. “They have high expectations for me because they want what’s best. In golf, my mom is supportive of me and loves coaching my team. She kept repeating how easy our team was to coach, so I’m glad we weren’t too much trouble for her.”

Stacey Zines is very proud to be able to coach her daughter. “Being a teacher in the school district where she attends, I have had the opportunity to coach Matilyn in many different sports and activities (Academic Challenge),” she explained. “Mati works hard, has a great attitude, and understands the difference between me as a mom and me as a coach.  Her dad has also been her coach throughout youth and now high school softball so the whole family has had a lot of experience with different roles we play.” She loves being able to have a front row seat to everything Mati accomplishes. Coach Zines also explained how golf has impacted Mati’s life. “She is very even tempered on and off the course.  With that being said, she is a totally different person on the course than off. She likes to meet and talk to new people she meets while playing golf.  She is more outgoing on the course than in other areas.” One area that Mati continues to excel at is the classroom, which is where her mother/coach is most proud of her. “In school she definitely maintains her focus. Academics are very important to her so she takes school very seriously.”

Mati offers three pieces of advice for younger or newer players:

  1. The main thing is to have fun when you play. If you take yourself too seriously, you’ll never learn to love the sport.
  2. Focus on your short game!
  3. “Drive for show, putt for dough”. I think this is a great quote because it tells you how important short game is. All the best golfers are focused on short game, and I know it can be boring for new players but it is something that will make you leagues better in the future. 

Mati Zines will be a player to watch in the Fall of 2023. Look for the girls on the United Golden Eagles golf team to look up to their unquestioned leader and make an impact in Division II girls golf.

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.

The Taming of Sable Creek

Bobby Bolin1 Comment

The conditions at Sable Creek Golf Course were no joke for the Division 2 Girls District Tournament in 2022. The 5,800 yard track, which includes water on half of its holes, yielded some high scores on October 6th. At the end of that balmy Thursday, three teams and three individuals had punched their tickets to The Ohio State Gray Course in Columbus to participate in the State Tournament.

The Independence Blue Devils are no stranger to the State Tournament. 2022 was a special year for another reason, though. Head coach Karl Schuld was in his final season as head of the Blue Devil program, which he started in 2014. Schuld has been the only head coach the program has ever seen and has led his squad to Columbus multiple times. Independence capped off another Chagrin Valley Conference title and another Sectional title with the District Championship after shooting 361. It was a balanced attack as all four of the team’s scorers shot within two strokes of each other. Senior Hillary Esper’s 89 led Independence, followed by junior Molly McGreal’s 90, and 91s from senior Emma Konopa and sophomore Bel Trombetta. Trombetta brought the program full circle, as her sister Sophia was Schuld’s freshman star when he started the program.

Following Independence at the District Tournament were the Hawken Hawks, who finished two strokes behind the Blue Devils. Having the defending individual state champion, senior Ella Wong, helped Hawken clinch their berth to the State Tournament. Wong, along with fellow senior Kate Petersen, helped the Hawks finish second in the Chagrin Valley Conference and second at the Sectional Tournament, both to Independence. Head coach Jennifer Creech leaned on Wong and Petersen throughout the year. She was rewarded in Columbus as Ella Wong successfully defended her state title, becoming one of the few back to back state champions in OHSAA golf history.

The Irish from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School joined Independence and Hawken at Ohio State in 2022. SVSM got increasingly better as the year went on, especially their young players, who gained confidence and comfort throughout the season. The team finished early in the day at Districts and had to play the waiting game. “We didn’t know until the very last minute that we made it,” explained Dirk Hartman, head coach for the Irish. “We finished and had to wait. It was painful watching the teams fall on the live app.” At that point, the players began to feel the same way their coach had throughout the day. “I felt helpless,” said Hartman. “It was out of our control.” When all the dust settled, St. Vincent-St. Mary was able to claim the third spot in the District Tournament and make the school’s first ever trip to the State Tournament. It was quite the ride throughout the year for the Irish, who won the Flo Barr Invitational, the Lady Irish Invitational, and the Warren Invitational. Junior Raygan Hoover was the star of the show, but it was two freshmen, including Hoover’s younger sister, that pushed the Irish over the top and made them a contender to get to Columbus. Rylee Hoover and Caitrin Coyle are those two freshmen who will be key pieces as SVSM moves forward. Junior Reese Latta and senior Lola Reynolds were also big contributors for the Irish this year.

Coming up just short of earning a spot at the State Tournament were a couple Division 2 blue bloods, the Canton Central Catholic Crusaders and the Youngstown Ursuline Fighting Irish. Canton Central Catholic came up seven shots short of catching St. Vincent-St. Mary to make a second straight appearance in Columbus. The Crusaders returned three players from their 2021 run, but with a small team consisting of only four players, they could not quite jump into the third spot. Ursuline’s senior heavy squad came up three shots behind Canton Central Catholic for the fourth spot, followed by West Branch, Chagrin Falls, and Ravenna Southeast.

Individuals advancing to Columbus were Abbie Retherford from Ravenna and Mati Zines from United, who tied for medalist honors at the District Tournament. Zines won the playoff to earn the top spot. They were joined by Siena Maschke from Laurel High School. Retherford plays on the boys team at Ravenna while Zines and Maschke both had to qualify for districts as individuals.

Congratulations to Ella Wong on her second consecutive OHSAA State Championship! Abbie Retherford finished tied for 8th place, Siena Maschke ended up in 10th place, and Mati Zines tied for 11th overall. Northeast Ohio was strongly represented by these ladies. In the team competition, Independence took home 3rd place, St. Vincent-St. Mary finished in 5th place, and Hawken earned 6th place overall.

St. Vincent-St. Mary, who brings back their entire top four, and Independence, under the direction of a new coach, look to be strong favorites to return to Columbus in 2023. Independence looks to be an excellent opportunity for any prospective coaches. The Irish know who their leader will be. Hartman has his eyes set on the ultimate goal. “Raygan Hoover and Caitrin Coyle had tremendous years and they are both coming back next year,” he stated. “This year’s team made history and was very special but next year’s team will be poised to not only make states and has a legitimate shot at bringing home a state title.” The third spot looks to be up in the air. Hawken will need to replace two of the best players in their program’s history while teams like Chagrin Falls, Edgewood, Canton South, and Ursuline all would like to make claims to get to Columbus as well.

Scheduling Page for Girls Coaches

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Attention girls high school coaches who are looking for matches or tournaments, or coaches who are looking for teams for a tournament you are hosting. See below for a scheduling request form, responses, and a list of tournaments. Please contact bolinr@hudson.k12.oh.us with any questions.

Scheduling Form

This page has a quick form that you can fill out with your requests. Your responses will appear on a separate page and you can get in touch with other coaches who are looking to schedule. Please just follow the instructions on the form and your responses should appear within a few minutes of you submitting.

Response Page

This is where the responses to the form, along with contact information, will appear. Contact the appropriate coach to schedule a match or sign up for a tournament.

Tournament Page

We are trying to keep an up to date, comprehensive list of tournaments for coaches to look at. Tournaments on this page are listed as Openings, Full, Waiting List, Unknown, or may have specific restrictions. If you have any additions or changes to make, contact bolinr@hudson.k12.oh.us.

NEO Futures Tour Expects Junior, High School, and College Girls’ Memberships to Grow Again in 2023

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The NEO Futures Tour expects another increase in female memberships in 2023 as the Tour has now expanded to include a total of 19 events at 19 outstanding golf courses covering Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga, Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties. The mission statement remains the same, “To make junior golf accessible to all the youth of Northeast Ohio.”


In addition, the NEO Futures Tour is proud to be partnering with OhioHSGolf.com, the preeminent source for information regarding and showcasing girls golf in Northeast, Ohio. “We are delighted to be partnering with a media source focused on highlighting the great things our female youth are doing on the golf course and in the community.”


Membership grew to over 50 female members in 2022 representing over 20 high schools and colleges. The expectation is that we will exceed 75 female golfers for the 2023 season with over 30 high schools and colleges represented.


The tour is available to both male and female junior golfers from 4th grade through college age. Divisions are created based on skill level. We utilize modified tees for the younger golfers who play nine-hole tournaments and we have 18-hole tournaments for the High School and College players. There are both male and female divisions as well as A & B flights.


Membership registration is available at www.neofuturestour.com through 2/28/23 for $35. Post 2/28/23 membership registration is $60. Additional information regarding the NEO Futures Tour is available on our website.


Our 2023 tournament schedule is listed below with costs. Individual tournament registration will be live and available for registration by the end of February.

Questions: Please email neofuturestour@gmail.com

Welcome to Ohio HS Golf!

Bobby BolinLeave a comment

My name is Bobby Bolin, and I am the Girls Varsity Golf Coach at Hudson High School. If someone would have told me when I took this position four years ago that I would be publishing a website promoting girls golf, I would have told them they were certifiably insane. My wife, Dr. Megan Bolin, still does say that I’m crazy, yet her support for me and my cause is uplifting and inspiring. My passion for this sport has grown immensely due to several factors that I have experienced while coaching.

The first and most important factor is the people who I have encountered on this journey. Some of the most amazing student-athletes, coaches, and parents spend much of their fall season on the golf course. The stories, advice, and interactions I get while coaching are unmatched in anything else I do.

These athletes are unbelievably talented on the course, in the classroom, and in the community. For example, Dixon Hill from Hathaway Brown School is not only their top golfer, but she is nationally ranked as a squash player. I have had the pleasure of meeting players who participate in Academic Challenge, act in theatre programs, play a variety of varsity sports, and speak multiple foreign languages, just to list a few accomplishments. On top of that, the pure skill of these golfers is so fun to witness. I strongly believe that female athletes possess better technical skills and fundamentals than their male counterparts. This is on display all over interscholastic, college, and professional athletics for those who pay attention.

Saying that girls’ and women’s sports are underrepresented is nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering. Seeing how girls and women are sometimes treated on the golf course can be, at times, downright appalling. We have become much more inclusive of female golfers over the past couple decades, but there is still some work to do. The purpose of this website is to give recognition to a sport, especially on the female side, that is often overlooked by the general population. These athletes deserve to be honored for their achievements and accomplishments. This website is designed to give them the space they should rightfully have.

I have always been fascinated by the sport of golf. I grew up playing as much as my family would allow me and spent a great deal of time watching golf on television. I played at Buckeye High School in Medina and continued to play casually after that. I started my coaching career as the girls coach at Padua Franciscan High School and coached the boys JV team at Hudson before taking over the girls program. The funny part is that my biggest passion for the sport has not been the game itself, but golf course architecture. In other words, I’m a huge nerd. As my coaching career has evolved, I have become more and more interested in the instruction aspect of golf. Coaching has made me both a better instructor but also a better (but still not great) player.

The relationships that are built through this sport are deep and lifelong. My assistant coaches, Marc Zustin and Brian Mangol, are two of my best friends. Our now-retired team booster representative (team mom), Kristen Grant, along with her husband Gary and two daughters, Lizzy and Meaghan, are like an extended family for me. Our players and their families have made me a better person and have become a huge part of my life. All this is because people have been given access to and the chance to embrace this sport.

To end my rambling, here is the mission of this website. I am not a journalist, so do not expect any Pulitzer Prize-winning writing. I’m not here to make any profit, to promote my team over others, or to disparage any other team, coach, or player. The purpose of this website is to showcase girls high school golf in Northeast Ohio by highlighting the teams, coaches, and players who make a positive impact on their school and community. Please join me in shedding light on our sport and the people who make it what it is.

If anyone would like to contribute in any way, please feel free to contact me at bolinr@hudson.k12.oh.us. We are always open to suggestions, ideas, and any kind of help.

Thank you to all who are here for promoting girls high school golf in Northeast Ohio. Also a huge thanks to Tim Naujoks for his dedication to creating a logo for the site and to Allison Noga for her proofreading skills.

Bobby Bolin