By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The final OHSAA State Tournament is scheduled for Monday (today) and Tuesday at North Star Golf Club in Sunbury.

It’s the Division III boys state championship and the Mogadore Wildcats are there, ready to complete their season in the same style they played it: With confidence and success.

Mogadore worked its way through the Salem Hills Sectional and Tannenhauf District, qualifying among the top teams in the northeast district to earn the trip to state.

It could have been a difficult year for the squad.

Mogadore is not currently a member of any conference, so they play for pride in their game and success each match and each tournament.

Their outstanding season is something that they will look back at with pride.

AT THE STATE

Mogadore will play 36 holes over two days at North Star, beginning their competition Monday (today) at 9 a.m. on the 10th hole.

The lineup for the Wildcats includes:

   • Senior Tyler Pendergast

   • Senior Jude Thiry

   • Sophomore Brock Thiry

   • Junior Max Shannon

   • Sophomore Max Simone

On Tuesday, scores among the teams and individual qualifiers will be reset according to the score they fired.

The Wildcats will be seeking both team and individual recognition at the state tournament.

COACH CHRIS MOSSA

Mossa said this year has been a wild ride, a challenge without a league and the total team effort that has dominated matches and tournaments.

“I am so proud of the resilience they have shown,” said Mossa.

ALSO AT THE STATE TOURNEY

JACOB RAINIERI

Jacob Rainieri, a senior on Lake Center Christian’s golf team, is a resident of Mogadore.

While obviously not a member of a team in Portage County, many in the local area are cheering for Rainieri, along with the Mogadore Wildcats.

Rainieri is a member of the well known family that owned Paradise Lake Golf Club (the late Mike Rainieri and his brother John Rainieri) and Joe Rainieri, previous and longtime owner of Suffield Springs.

Both courses are adjacent to each other in Suffield and many Portage County golfers counted themselves fortunate to play both courses when the Rainieri’s owned them.

Now grandson and great-nephew of the brothers, Jacob Rainieri, has advanced to the state tournament as an individual and is looking forward to competing at the highest level in the Buckeye State high school golf competitions.

FOLLOWING MOGADORE AND RAINIERI TO STATE

It has been such a pleasure following the high-school golfers this season in their many leagues and reporting on their successes.

Thank you to all coaches and athletes for the hospitality and updates as the season has progressed.

I will be at the state tournament looking forward to watching the success of Mogadore and Jacob Rainieri and reporting back to the readers of Portage Sports.

Stay tuned to roundups both days and then a wrapup of the high school golf season the next two Sundays.

See you on the links.