By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It was a terrific year for high school golf in Portage County culminating in the Southeast Pirates girls golf team finishing third in the state and the Mogadore Wildcats boys team finishing 11th in the state.

On the way to those outstanding conclusions league championships, district titles and individual qualifiers represented their schools at the top levels.

Now that the season is over, let’s reflect on some of the highlights.

   • The Southeast girls not only finished third at the state tournament held at Firestone Country Club, they won the Division II district at Good Park Golf Course and successfully defended their Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference championship after an almost perfect season.

   • The Southeast boys also defended their MVAC title, as both teams reigned over the MVAC Gray Division and the boys advanced to the district.

   • The Mogadore Wildcats had a solid season, even though they were not in a league to encourage small milestones throughout the fall. The Wildcats finished strong, winning their district at Tannenhauf Golf Club and continuing to finish 11th in the state at NorthStar Golf Club in Sunbury.

   • High school golf programs demonstrated their strengths as the Kent Roosevelt girls and boys teams moved conferences, joining the Metro Athletic Conference this season, and dominated. Each team won their conference as the girls team advanced to the district and individuals, while Andrew VanDamme and Owen Puhalla advanced to the district for the boys.

   • The Aurora Greenmen boys advanced to the tough Division-I district at Pine Hills Golf Club after winning the Suburban League American Conference. and the Aurora girls advanced to the Division-I district at Tanglewood.

   • Streetsboro’s Aryana Puleo of Streetsboro also advanced to the Division-I district as an individual in her senior year — as did the Rockets’ Dominic Marcini, also a senior.

   • The Rootstown boys team advanced to the Division-III district at Tannenhauf.

   • Garfield’s Carter Haddox qualified for the Division-II district tournament as an individual.

   • Next season, many of these schools move into the Greater Portage Athletic Conference as competition will be stiff with the outstanding golf played by local teams

ON A PERSONAL NOTE

I interviewed the Southeast girls varsity golf team for an upcoming feature.

Southeast girls and their coach, Cindy Fesemyer, demonstrated what everyone who loves the sport knows.

It’s about playing the golf course. Golfers from other teams are not the enemy, the course is, as the girls and boys spend six-hour rounds playing with competitors from other teams, often making friends for life.

The Pirates were fortunate to be able to stay in a villa at Firestone Country Club and, with a little extra room, they invited fellow state qualifier Avery Robinette of Champion to stay with them.

Southeast finished third as a team and Robinette finished third as an individual, as all the girls encouraged each other to do their best.

That is what golf is all about.