By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It was a tough day on the links for Portage County Golfers as James Morgan of Southeast and the Streetsboro Rockets competed in the Windmill Division II District at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna and Kent Roosevelt played in the Tannenhauf Division I Sectional at Tannenhauf Golf Club in Alliance.

JAMES MORGAN, SOUTHEAST

Morgan advanced out of the Windmill Division II Sectional to compete as an individual at the district, one step prior to the state tournament.

His outstanding round, 5-over-par 75, tied him for one of the top-three spots alongside Orange’s Jordan Clotman.

When the tournament concluded, the two golfers headed out to the 10th tee to begin the sudden-death playoff that would send one of them to state.

Both went shot-for-shot on the 10th hole and moved on to the second playoff hole on No. 11.

Morgan and Clotman both had solid drives.

Clotman’s second shot landed in the sand, while Morgan’s stopped on the green above the hole.

Clotman’s sand shot went beyond the hole for a slightly shorter putt than Morgan.

Morgan putt for possible birdie just to the left of the hole.

With both golfers having par putts to move on, Clotman sunk his putt and Morgan just lipped out of the cup.

Morgan, senior leader on the Pirates team that won the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference Grey Division championship this season, concludes an absolutely outstanding high school career that included Player of the Year honors in two different leagues (Portage Trail Conference and MVAC) three trips to the district tournament and one trip to the OHSAA State Tournament as a junior.

STREETSBORO BOYS

The Rockets also concluded their solid season at the Windmill District as the team fired a 333, good for eighth place. Junior Dominic Marcini just missed joining Southeast’s Morgan in the playoff for state as Marcini fired a 76, just one stroke out of the individual playoff competition.

The rest of the Rockets scoring included: Bret Epple 82, Bryce Pocek 92, Brody Sanford 94 and Evan Reger 83.

Streetsboro also concludes a season to remember, earning the Metro Athletic Conference team championship and advancing to the district tournament as a team.

KENT ROOSEVELT BOYS

The Rough Riders traveled to Tannenhauf Golf Course seeking to qualify for the Division I District at Pine Hills.

Roosevelt needed to be in the top-four teams to advance to the district, but the newly crowned Suburban League American Conference title-holders fell just three spots out of advancing, finishing in seventh place with a 346 score.

Best on the links for the Riders was sophomore Jax Turner carding an 81, with his teammates adding: Deacon Smith 94, Jack Flynn 89, Owen Puhalla 92 and John Estep 84.

Turner’s 81 missed by two strokes for the sophomore to qualify as an individual.

BOYS GOLF SCOREBOARD

WINDMILL LAKES DIVISION II DISTRICT

(At Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna – Par 70)

Top-three teams and three individuals not on qualifying teams advance to the Division II OHSAA State Tournament.

TEAM STANDINGS: Poland Seminary 312, Waynedale 313, Gilmour Academy 319, Ursuline 319, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 321, Chagrin Falls 327, Orange 329, Streetsboro 333, Orrville 339, Tuslaw 342, Perry 343, Edgewood 352. (Individuals from Pymatuning Valley, West Geauga, Bay, South Range, Manchester, NDCL, Elyria Catholic, Keystone, Hubbard and James Morgan-Southeast)

MEDALIST: Dylan Phillips, West Geauga 73.

QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS: Dylan Phillips, West Geauga 71; Breen Dahrman, Ursuline 74; Jordan Clotman, Orange 75.

SOUTHEAST: James Morgan, 75, lost two-hole playoff to advance to state.

STREETSBORO (333): Brett Epple 82, Dominic Marcini 76, Bryce Pocek 92, Brody Sanford 94, Evan Reger 83.

TANNENHAUF DIVISION I SECTIONAL

(At Tannenhauf Golf Course, Alliance – Par 72)

Top-four teams and four individuals not on qualifying teams advance to the Division I District at Pine Hills Golf Club.

TEAM STANDINGS: Jackson 310, Canfield 315, Hoover 316, Green 319, Glenoak 323, Lake 324, Kent Roosevelt 346, Perry 357, Boardman 367, Washington 326, Louisville 381, Austintown-Fitch 389, Canton McKinley 471. (Individuals from Warren G. Harding and Ellet).

MEDALIST: Raffaele Scassa, Jackson 71.

QUALIFYING INDIVIDUALS: Peyton Putnam, Lake 77; Evan Nequils, Glenoak 78; Thomas Mankowski, Canton McKinley 78; Braeden Sallee, Austintown Fitch 79.

KENT ROOSEVELT (346): Jax Turner 81, Deacon Smith 94, Jack Flynn 89, Owen Puhalla 92, John Estep 84.