By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It was an amazing day for Portage County golfers.

At sectionals and league events, boys and girls golfers from Portage County rose to the top of the standings firing low scores and working their way up the leaderboard to qualifying spots and championships.

SUBURBAN LEAGUE

Both Kent Roosevelt and Aurora boys competed in the fourth and final tournament hosted by the Suburban League. Kent and Aurora are in the American Conference of the league and finished strong.

KENT ROOSEVELT’S JAX TURNER

So strong that, combining the four tournaments, the Rough Riders won the overall league championship.

The boys from Kent finished second in Thursday’s tournament at Good Park Golf Course in Akron, just missing first place in the final event by one stroke, a 328 to Copley’s 327.

Aurora grabbed third, carding four scores totaling 331 behind runner-up medalist Jackson Sarver finishing 18-holes with a 77, just five-over-par.

Kent Roosevelt did what they have been doing all season, remaining consistent as a team and encouraging everyone to play well.

Jaxen Turner, third individual score in the tournament, fired a 79 in this event, just three strokes off medalist pace. Then came the scores they needed to earn second and the championship: Deacon Smith 82, Owen Puhalla 82, Jack Flynn 85, John Estep 85 and Garrett Polcha 86.

A banner day for the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders on the golf course.

MOGADORE HEADED TO DISTRICT

The Mogadore Wildcats now set their sites on the OHSAA D3 District Tournament after finishing in the second of three qualifying spots at Salem Hills Golf Course in Salem.

The Wildcats finished second to Cardinal Mooney led by Tyler Pendergast and Max Shannon, each firing 79 to finish in the top 10 of the tournament in ninth place.

The rest of the Wildcats were instrumental in the runner-up finish including: Jude Thiry 92, Brock Thiry 82 and Max Simone 84.

“I am so proud of this team,” said Chris Mossa, coach of the Wildcats. “We’ve worked really hard to peak at this time.”

“Despite being independent, we’ve maintained our focus and desire to achieve our goal to reach Columbus.”

“My seniors, Jude Thiry and Tyler Pendergast, have been senior leaders that have put this team on their backs,” continued Mossa. “It’s been a total group effort, from the varsity to our JV program and Coach Jason Dannemiller.”

“It’s been a lot of hard work, but there is more to do,” concluded the coach.

SOUTHEAST ADVANCES ON TOURNAMENT TRAIL

Punderson Golf Course was the site of the OHSAA D2 Sectional where the Southeast Lady Pirates again advanced to the District.

Landing in second place at Punderson among the top four qualifying teams, Southeast fired a 370 in the close tournament where the top six teams were within four strokes of each other.

The Pirates were only one stroke behind tournament champion Lake Catholic.

Led by Samantha Morgan, 86, the Pirates fought hard as individuals shot: Aubree Varga 92, Emily Morrison 95, Jennifer Mix 97 and Jessicac Mix 97.

That was enough to punch their ticket to Districts.

The Rootstown Rovers finished in eighth place with Morgan Geibel, sophomore, just missing the individual District qualifier by two strokes but earning a top 10 finish (89).

Garfield finished in 14^th out of 19 teams and Windham had several individuals completing the Portage County competitors at the event. “

“The girls fought hard today through some tough shots and they never gave up,” said Cindy Fesemyer, coach of the Pirates.

“This was the closest sectional tournament we have seen in a long time. The goal was to make it back to the District tournament at Good Park,” said Fesemyer as the girls achieved their goal.

“This is a special group and I know they will do all they can to make it to the State Championships. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” concluded the coach.

JUST MISSES

As successful as Portage County teams were in the sectionals and tournaments today, there were several just misses as well.

In the Riverview D3 Boys Sectional, Rootstown just missed qualifying for the District tournament, landing in fifth place and missing the top three.

Waterloo earned 14^th place and Windham 16^th place in that sectional that was won by defending state champion Warren JFK.

The Rovers’ senior, Caleb Stevens fired an 81, good for 18^th place and missing a District berth by two strokes.

GIRLS GOLF                                                                                  .

OHSAA D2 GIRLS SECTIONAL TOURNAMENT

(At Punderson Golf Course, Newbury – Par 72)

Top four teams and four individuals not on qualifying teams advance to the D2 District.

TEAM STANDINGS: Lake Catholic 369, Southeast 370, Chagrin Falls 370, Gilmour Academy 372, Orange 373, Edgewood 373, Independence 393, Rootstown 404, Bristol 413, Perry 420, Pymatuning Valley 428, Springfield 431, Laurel 453, Garfield 464, Lu theran West 471, Berkshire 497, Cardinal 525, Cuyahoga Heights 634, (Individuals from Kirtland, Beachwood, Windham, Cornerstone Christian and Crestview).

MEDALIST: Anuja Patel, Orange 75; Annie Johnson, Edgewood 78

INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS: Anuja Patel, Orange 76; Annie Johnston, Edgewood 78; Jillian Peters, Perry 85; Payton Lamson, Edgewood 85.

SOUTHEAST (370): Samantha Morgan 86, Jennifer Mix 97, Jessica Mix 97, Aubree Varga 92, Emily Morrison 95.

ROOTSTOWN (404): Ava Miller 102, Morgan Giebel 89; Chloe Gardner 107, Anna Drago 106, Ella Derr 125.

GARFIELD (464): Addison Snyder 102, Lay Thompson 116, Emily Knerem 103, Scarlett Adkins 143.

BOYS GOLF

OHSAA BOYS D3 SECTIONAL

(At Salem Hills Golf and Country Club, Salem – Par 72)

Top three teams and three individuals not on qualifying teams advance to the D3 District.

TEAM STANDINGS: Cardinal Mooney 295, Mogadore 324, Columbiana 327, Heartland Christian 340, Lowellville 348, United 350, Lake Center Christian 352, Mineral Ridge 360, Springfield 361, East Palestine 369, East Canton 372, Crestview 371, St. Thomas Aquinas 396, David Anderson 401, Leetonia 507, Wellsville 544. (Individuals Southern Local and Sebring McKinley).

MEDALISTS: Tyler Guerrieri, Cardinal Mooney 71, Alex Eckstein, Cardinal Mooney 72.

INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS: Jackson Ensley, Springfield 73; Jacob Rainieri, Lake Center Christian 76; Cooper Ensley, Springfield 78.

MOGADORE (324): Tyler Pendergast 39, Jude Thiry 42, Brock Thiry 42, Max Shannon 40, Max Simone 43.

OHSAA BOYS D3 SECTIONAL

(At Riverview Golf Course, Newton Falls – Par 72)

Top three teams and three individuals not on qualifying teams advance to D3 District.

TEAM STANDINGS: Warren JFK 294, Brookfield 304, LaBrae 310, Jackson-Milton 338, Rootstown 344, Cardinal 346, McDonald 347, Badger 350, Western Reserve 353, Maplewood 356, Bristol 357, Mathews 357, St. John Scholl 366, Waterloo 373, Newton Falls 398, Windham 407, Lordstown 446. (Individuals – Bloomfield)

MEDALISTS: Andrew Fredenburg, Warren JFK 70, Andrew Lapolla, Warren JFK 71.

INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIERS: Colton Elliott, Jackson-Milton 76; Kaleb Oley, Bristol 77; Blake Hochendoner, Jackson-Milton 79.

ROOTSTOWN (344): Caleb Stevens 81, Nathan Waesch 93, Drew Jus 85, Samuel Klem 85, Troy Kopac 99.

WATERLOO (373): Jayden Eichler 94, Trevor Flarida 90, Mason Long 88, Grayson Griffini 101.

WINDHAM (407): Bryan Smithberger 101, Keegan Kiser 110, Gavin Kiser 93, Ethan Thornton 103, Michael Landham 112.

BOYS SUBURBAN TOURNAMENT AMERICAN CONFERENCE

(At Good Park Golf Course, Akron – Par 72)

TEAM STANDINGS: Copley 327, Kent Roosevelt 328, Aurora 331, Tallmadge 332, Revere 334, Medina Highland 336, Barberton 360, Cuyahoga Falls 400.

MEDALISTS: Hayden Hoyt, Highland; Jackson Sarver, Aurora 77.

KENT ROOSEVELT (328): Jaxon Turner 79, Deacon Smith 82, Jack Flynn 85, Owen Puhalla 82, John Estep 85, Garrett Polcha 86.

AURORA (331): Brady Allenick 82, Jackson Sarver 77, Dylan Lancaster 82, Joel Fletcher 90, Tyler Statham 94, Kellen Walter 95.