walsh jesuit – Ohio High School Golf

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

Golf teaches you things you can’t learn anywhere else and it gives you experiences you never thought would be possible. Annie Stencel, a junior a Walsh Jesuit High School, can attest to that. From a very young age, Annie has used golf as a springboard to success both in and out of the classroom. She has developed into one of the top players in Northeast Ohio and someone that her coaches, teammates, and opponents both respect and admire.

Annie’s love for golf started at a very young age. “I was four or five years old,” she said. “My grandpa would come down from Buffalo to play golf with my dad. One day I asked, ‘Why can’t I go with you?'” The next day, she was at St. Bernard’s Golf Club in Richfield with her father, learning how to swing a club. Over a decade later, Annie Stencel was teeing the ball up at Brookledge Golf Course playing in the District Tournament as an individual qualifier. She admits it wasn’t an easy road to get there. “I played in the PGA Junior League and joined a middle school team coached by Greg Jones. I played mostly with boys in those programs.” This experience helped her move her way into individual competitions and prepared her for high school golf. “I was humbled by the talent,” she explained, referring to the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour and her OHSAA opponents. She made it her mission to get better and compete with the talented players she met along her journey.

Between her sophomore and junior year, Annie improved her scoring average by over six strokes. This can be attributed to an amazing work ethic and a strong desire to compete. “I always seemed to be paired with Cara (Heisterkamp, from Magnificat) or a Goyette (Alessandra and Isabella, from Highland).” Many players will say playing with the best players makes them a better player. Annie was intimidated at first but has grown to appreciate playing with the best competition. “You get used to it,” she explained. “Cara and Isabella are amazing golfers. They are on a completely different level.”

Playing against the best, paired with a ton of range work, offseason practice, and playing in as many competitive events as she could have all helped Annie build a terrific resume. She broke 80 in an 18 hole event for the first time last summer at Ellsworth Meadows. “It will always have a special place for me,” she said, referring to the highly regarded layout in Hudson. She ended up tying her career best of 79 five times this fall en route to earning several honors. Annie was the Crown Conference Player of the Year and led Walsh Jesuit to the overall team championship. She shot 80 (42-38) at Sectionals to earn the second of four individual qualifying spots to the District Tournament. “Recovery is probably the best part of my game; the ability to shrug it off and play better afterward,” she said alluding to the 2021 Sectional Tournament where she shot 50 on the easier front nine at Fox Den, followed by a 38 on the more difficult back nine. “Some of my best rounds have been after bad starts.”

Walsh Jesuit missed advancing to Districts as a team by a mere two shots last season, something that Annie hopes to change in 2023. “One of my goals is to go to Districts as a team,” she said, embracing the leadership role that she had to take up her sophomore year. This is where she believes that she has grown the most. Walsh Jesuit needed someone to step up as a leader, someone who had the talent, the ability to make teammates better, and to build unity. Nobody expected that role to be filled by someone who barely even spoke early on in high school. “I was very introverted my freshman year,” she openly admitted. “My friends became my friends because they talked to me first.”

Walsh Jesuit had been one of the blue blood programs in Northeast Ohio for years but were starting to see a decline. The Warriors struggled at Sectionals Annie’s freshman year and then lost their top two players to graduation. It was up to her and Annie Cors, whose brother left a very strong legacy with Walsh Jesuit’s boys team. “When I was a sophomore I wanted to make the freshmen feel welcome,” Annie (S.) explained. After a trip to get ice cream after tryouts, a new team leader was born, much more outgoing and much more driven. “I want them to know and understand that this is fun,” she stated. When chemistry develops and role models emerge, success is almost guaranteed.

“One of my favorite feelings on the course is when I watch my teammates do something amazing,” Annie proudly admitted. Of course, “hitting a great shot when a lot of people are watching” also brings her a good amount of joy. As the team continues to build, Annie is trying to start new traditions and continue old ones. Team dinners, offering rides to the driving range, and bringing snacks to events appear to be building that chemistry.

While Walsh Jesuit has not made it to Districts since 2019, they finished one spot away the last two years and are primed to have a very strong team in 2023. The Warriors will return nearly their entire team this fall. Kate Figler, also an important member of the track team, will be the only loss to graduation. Cors will return after another year of huge improvement, shooting 86 at Sectionals, and just missing out as a qualifying individual. “When she’s not golfing, she’s always dancing,” Annie S. said about her talented junior co-captain. Two current freshmen will be instrumental in Walsh Jesuit’s success this year. Annie described Colleen Stadler as an “amazing golfer” who “has a lot of leadership potential.” Stadler burst onto the scene in 2022, having one of the most impressive years of any freshman in the area. She is joined by Gianna Rodenhauser, who also got a good deal of praise from Annie. “Gianna already has a personal best of 88. I was still shooting in the 100s as a freshman.”

Current sophomore Shaunee Miller and freshman Ava Roman bring the energy for the Warriors. “You can hear their voices a couple holes away,” quipped Annie, mentioning how much fun they are to have on the team. Sophomores Elise Miklos, who has won national dance competitions, and Isabel Martin, an extremely talented musician will also look to help the team compete.

Bill Reilly, the veteran coach of both the boys and girls teams at Walsh Jesuit, should have a shot to get the Warriors back to the level where his team was dominant in the mid 2010s. He knows for a fact that he will have the talent and the leadership to make that happen. Coach Reilly knows that Annie will be vital to the success of the team in 2023, “She is a driven leader with a strong work ethic, purposeful daily approach to all endeavors, and a great teammate to all.”

While her journey is still ongoing, Annie shared some words for younger players. “Get started and enjoy the game. It’s something you can take with you the rest of your life.” For their parents, using her dad, Jim Stencel, as an example, “Support your kids through the journey. It’s a fantastic opportunity. I’ve met so many people I would have never had the chance to meet, all because of golf.”

Annie plans to study physical or occupational therapy while playing golf in college. She hopes to make a decision on which school she will attend before the start of the 2023 golf season. “Annie will be a great addition to whichever collegiate program she chooses,” Reilly proudly stated. When she is not playing golf, Annie is busy maintaining a GPA above 4.0, working as the lighting director in school plays, participating in Academic Challenge, and baking cookies, brownies, and other delicious treats.