By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It’s a great day to be a Pirate.

The Southeast girls golf team, led by head coach Cindy Fesemyer, started the day in fourth place and moved into the top-three best teams in the OHSAA’s Division II State Championships at Firestone Country Club on Monday.

So good was the Pirate girls’ play that they only finished five strokes away from state runner-up Chagrin Falls.

The finish simply added to a list of already impressive results for the Southeast girls, who won their second consecutive Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference title, won the Division II district crown and advanced to the state tournament for the second time in three years.

Their effort at Firestone Country Club on Monday earned them an All-Ohio Award for third place and individually, Sammy Morgan earned Second Team All-Ohio honors for her 10th-place finish.

Morgan fired rounds of 76-78 for a 154 and a three-way tie for 10th place. The junior was making her second appearance at the state tournament having played with the Pirates when they finished fifth in 2024.

Also showing her experience from playing at state her freshman year was junior Jenni Mix, who finished 29th in the state with a 179 total.

The rest of the team included sophomore Emily Morrison, 32nd (182); junior Kristen Dillon carding a 192, good for 41st in the state and Lily Hayes, a junior, 67th in the state with a 233 total.

The team’s second-day total was the runner-up score among all teams for the day.

“Third in the state is quite an accomplishment,” said Fesemyer. “I am proud of how hard they fought back on the second day. Sammy finishing in the top 10 was a bonus. I am very happy for her.

“Jenni played tough in her final round, Kristen shot her personal record and Emily played well in the final round,” continued the coach.

Fesemyer is already looking forward to the 2027 season.

“We have lots to build on for next year,” she concluded.

Twelve teams and 12 individuals not on qualifying teams competed on the Fazio Golf Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron for 36 holes over two days for only 72 girls making it to the final championship tournament in Division I.

MOGADORE BOYS

The Wildcats finished their first day at the Division III state championships in 11th place.

The team finished with a 360 total led by senior Noah Hopkins firing an 86. Senior Max Shannon carded a 91, junior Max Simone a 90 and junior Brock Thiry a 93.

Mogadore coach, Matt Bogner, will have his team ready to play the second and final round on Tuesday at North Star Golf Course in Sunbury.

Also at the tournament is Jacob Rainieri ,of Mogadore, a student at Lake Center Christian who fired a 77. The 5-over-par, first-day total put the senior in 15th place.