The Southeast girls golf team defeated Champion last week in a key Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference showdown.

By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The Southeast girls and boys golf teams were both victorious in matches on Friday, Rootstown lost a tough one to the Orange girls and Aurora girls finished runner-up in the Suburban League’s second tournament in the American Conference.

For the Pirate girls, it was a huge victory as they topped rival Champion by only two strokes at Bristolwood Golf Course.

Led by Sammy Morgan and Jenni Mix, both shooting 41s, with Emily Morrison adding a 42.

“Kristen Dillon finished with a par on her final hole ensuring the win for the Pirates as she shot a 47,” said Cindy Fesemeyer, coach of the Pirates.

It was the second time this season that Southeast has toppled Champion.

SOUTHEAST’S LOGAN BLANKENSHIP

The teams finished first and second, respectively, in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference in 2025 and the rivalry continues, with Southeast earning the slight edge.

While the girls of Southeast were beating their rivals, the boys welcomed the Springfield Spartans to Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course for a match that will be in-conference in 2027.

Springfield is one of the inaugural teams set for the Greater Portage Athletic Conference with Portage County teams.

Southeast coach Mike Jenior welcomed the Spartans and coach Jack Morgan as Morgan gives his team, almost all underclassmen, an opportunity to play the course they will visit next season.

The Pirates defeated Springfield 159 to 171 led by Southeast’s Cole Bruno 37, Logan Blankenship 37 and Owen Dembroski 42.

The Suburban League held its second tournament for the girls in the National and American Conference at Fox Den Golf Course in Stow.

Aurora earned the runner-up spot in the American Conference led by Kelly MacSurack firing a 78, which was good for runner-up individual medalist.

Finally, the Rootstown Rovers lost a close Chagrin Valley Conference match to Orange at Sunny Hill Golf Course.

The Rovers’ Morgan Giebel earned medalist honors carding a 42, but wasn’t enough to overcome the 184 that the Orange girls fired to the Rovers’ 210.

In Thursday’s high-school golf action on the fairways, Southeast, Waterloo and Mogadore won their dual matches, and Rootstown split a triangular in boys golf.

The girls from Kent Roosevelt continued their success on the links, taking third in a tough field at the Solon Lady Comet Classic, Southeast swept a triangular in the MVAC, Streetsboro split a triangular in the MAC and Field struggled in their triangular against MAC teams.

SOLON LADY COMET CLASSIC

The Kent Roosevelt girls finished in third place and Aurora earned seventh on a tough Grantwood Golf Course in Solon.

The Rough Riders were led by Brooke Beatty firing an 84 to tie with Kelly MacSurak of Aurora for a top five finish. Kent’s scores included Coco Golden 91, Mia Turner 96, Makenna Ward 85 and Aubrey Byler 97.

SOUTHEAST UNDEFEATED

The Southeast girls continued their undefeated season, topping Mineral Ridge and Newton Falls behind the strong scoring of match medalist Sammy Morgan (38) along with Jenni Mix 44, Emily Morrison 45 and Kristen Dillon 53.

The Southeast boys remained undefeated with a victory over the Garfield G-Men that saw Cole Bruno and Owen Dembroski firing 38s to lead the match. Broden Neal carded a 42 for the G-Men.

The Pirates are 3-0 overall and in the MVAC.