By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Coaches often mark milestones by the number of wins, conference championships and other successes their teams earn. They may keep track of their own accomplishments, but don’t necessarily want everyone else to celebrate.

Bryan Harvey, the coach of the Roosevelt girls golf team since the beginning of the program, had one of those moments this past week.

Harvey celebrated the team’s 150th win and then two matches later, had his own 150th victory with the team.

The Riders have only known Harvey and Larry Picicco as their coaches.

Picicco was the assistant coach with Harvey for the entire length of the program except for one year, after Harvey retired from teaching, when Picicco was the head coach.

It may sound confusing, but for the two coaches, who have been friends since they attended school together in Kent, it was a natural progression.

Always the coach, Harvey offered that the girls didn’t play their best golf against Brecksville, but the “group is always very fun to coach and continue to grow every match,” said Harvey.

Since 2011, when the girls golf program started, six individuals have advanced to state and five teams in 13 years.

Between the individuals and teams at state, there have only been two years that the Riders were not represented at the OHSAA’s Division I State Tournament.

The teams have won five league championships, finished as the league runner-up five times, won the sectional six times and won the district title once.

Harvey and Picicco started a girls summer program that started teaching golf to girls long before they hit high school. Watch tournaments around Northeast Ohio sponsored by the Northern Ohio PGA, the Portage County Amateurs and others, and Riders are always represented at the event.

Congratulations, Bryan!

It is awesome to see that 150 wins with your name in the stats column.

ROVERS COUNTED ON MORGAN GIEBEL

The Rovers’ girls had a “nail-biter of a match against Streetsboro,” said Matt Just, the Rootstown girls golf coach.

After four players had turned in their scorecards, the two teams were tied, meaning one of the final two scores for the Rovers had to be lower than the two Streetsboro girls remaining.

“On the last hole, Morgan Giebel chipped in to best the Streetsboro girls by one stroke,” said Just. “She came through in the clutch and tied her personal-best score in the process.”

The Rovers beat the Rockets 196-197.

CURTIS RUNNER-UP

The Kent Roosevelt boys fired a 320 at the University School tournament held at Windmill Lakes Golf Club to finish one stroke behind sixth place Aurora to finish in seventh place.

Liam Curtis fired a 70, good for runner-up medalist, only topped by Hudson’s Sam Fauver, who shot a 67.

Aurora’s best was scored by Ben Allenick, a 75.

SPEAKING OF AURORA AND KENT

Both the Greenmen and the Riders are doing well in the Suburban League — and at tournaments this season — but not every team can boast a PGA professional as their coach.

Both Aurora and Kent can.

Everyone in Portage County and beyond knows the remarkable career of Ben Curtis, coach of the Rough Riders, and his stunning win at the British Open in 2003.

Gus Mehallis, coach of the Greenmen has been a PGA professional for a quarter century, just recently recognized by the Northern Ohio PGA. He reached the milestone in September as the NOPGA thanked him for his service.

SO MUCH GOOD IN GOLF THIS WEEK

As if all of the above stories weren’t enough, the Wannamaker App, used by the OHSAA to tally scores during matches and tournaments had several Portage County individuals and teams among the best golfers in the District and the State.

Those golfers included James Morgan of Southeast, first in the Division II District; Southeast girls team, ranked second in the Division II state and fifth in the state; Liam Curtis of Kent, ranked 11th in the Division I District and the Mogadore Wildcats in 10th in the Division III District.

In addition to the Lady Pirates, Gracyn Vidovic of Aurora is ranked third in the Division I District and eighth in the state in Division I.

We’ll keep an eye on all Portage County golf teams and how the rankings change as the season progresses.