By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

High-school golf is at the peak of the season with conference tournaments decided and OHSAA Sectionals on tap for all teams as they now look toward a berth at the state tournaments in all three divisions.

However, this column will take a look back at this past week and, wow, what a week.

Both the Southeast girls and boys teams and the Streetsboro boys team all landed at the top of their respective conferences to win league championships.

In addition, girls and boys teams are honoring their golfers contributing to the team for four years at Senior Nights, something we will celebrate in a future column, and Mogadore vs. Springfield boys enjoyed a unique format for high school golf as they played their final dual match of the season.

It is a great time for spectators as well.

If you want to enjoy outstanding golf, just take a walk with the golfers competing in the OHSAA tournaments and you will find yourself wishing you had those skills of the athletes that continue to advance through those postseason events.

CELEBRATING CHAMPIONSHIPS

It is the height of the season for a team to rise to the top of their league and earn the trophy as the league leader in both the regular season and the conference tournament.

That happened to three teams in Portage County this past week.

SOUTHEAST GIRLS

The Pirates successfully defended their Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference title to repeat at the league champion among all the girls teams.

The girls not only won, they crushed the competition, besting the second-place team, Champion, by 33 strokes at Salem Hills Golf Course in Salem.

All five of the girls from Southeast finished in the top seven of the tournament, with Sammy Morgan leading the group, firing a 79, good for a runner-up medalist tie with Brilea Woods of Champion.

Jenni Mix and Aubree Varga tied for fourth at 86 strokes and Jessi Mix scored an 88 and Emily Morrison an 89.

The team will look to be a strong competitor in the upcoming OHSAA tournaments, looking to repeat their trip to state from 2024. And with only two seniors on the team, Varga and Jessi Mix, the team looks strong for the future.

SOUTHEAST BOYS

GARFIELD’S HUNTER ANDERSON

The Pirates joined the girls to win the MVAC Grey Division tournament by virtue of the fifth-man score to earn their first league championship since 2013.

Senior James Morgan earned medalist honors carding a solid 75, two strokes ahead of Hunter Anderson of Garfield.

The rest of the Pirates remained consistent in the 80s, including Cole Bruno 82, Owen Dombroski 85, Alex Peelish 86, and, the tie-breaker fifth man score of Ethan Shodd 88.

It was an exciting tournament as the boys went into the championship in a three-way tie after league play with Brookfield and LaBrae and broke the final tie between the Pirates and Brookfield at the tournament with Shodd’s score that bested Brookfield’s fifth man 88 to 91.

Ron Birchak, owner of Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course in Lake Milton, Southeast’s home course, offered his congratulations to both teams.

“We have watched these junior golfers grow up in our junior programs, play in middle-school matches and tournaments, and compete for championships on the fairways at Olde Dutch,” Southeast boys golf coach Mike Jenior said. We could not be more proud of them and their accomplishments. Best of Luck in the postseason.”

Birchak was at the MVAC Tournament as well, coaching several Jackson-Milton girls competing at the event.

STREETSBORO BOYS

The Rockets were having a battle of their own at the Metro Athletic Conference Tournament.

Having an outstanding season during league play, the Rockets only had one more step to the conference championship and that was to win the MAC Tournament at GoodPark Golf Course.

The Rockets were co-champs the prior season and wanted to win outright and win they did.

Over the last two years the team record is 26-2 in the MAC and 29-7 overall.

The boys used that winning record to dig deep and shoot very well on their second nine to top Cloverleaf 354 to 361, with three Rockets landing in the top 10: Dominic Marcini 83, Brett Epple 87 and Bryce Pocek 91.

They won every home match this season, an accomplishment since the Rockets were fortunate to find a new home at the Fairways at Twin Lakes in Kent since their previous home course was not available to them.

Bruce Thomas, longtime coach of the Rockets offered his pride in the senior leadership on the team this year and over the last two years.

“They had a goal and accomplished it,” said Thomas.

SPECIAL MATCH PLAY FOR SPRINGFIELD-MOGADORE

MOGADORE’S MAX SHANNON

The Spartans visited the Mogadore Wildcats at Paradise Lake Country Club in Suffield to compete in a match play competition over nine holes.

Match play counts the holes a golfer wins as they progress through the round rather than a score to par.

During the match, Mogadore won four of the head-to-head matches and Springfield won a pair.

Tyler Pendergast competed against Nathan Myer, with the two all squared or tied in the match as did Jude Thiry of the Wildcats vs. Wyatt Bartholomew of Springfield.

The Spartans’ Nathan Vorthung finished  1-up over Jude Thiry of Mogadore, winning one more hole in the match through nine holes.

The Wildcats’ Max Shannon bested Liam Miller s he was three holes ahead in the match with only two holes to play.

Finally, Mogadore’s Blake Waterhouse won five holes with only four holes to play, defeating Springfield’s Andrew Keaton.

Match play is a fun way to finish the season between two teams that have been friends across the conferences for years with Mogadore coached by Chris Mossa and Springfield’s mentor, Jack Morgan.

Congratulations to Mogadore as they have sought to set goals and earn wins this season as they are not competing in a league. Post-season is next.

THIS WEEK’S SCHEDULE

BOYS GOLF

• MONDAY: Streetsboro, Southeast, Garfield and Field @ Windmill Lakes, Ravenna D2 Sectional; Ravenna @ Pine Hills Golf Club, Hinkley, D2 Sectional.
• THURSDAY: Rootstown, Waterloo and Windham at Riverview Golf, Newton Falls, D3 Sectional; Mogadore @ Salem Hill Golf, Salem, D3 Sectional. Kent and Aurora at final Suburban League tournament at GoodPark Golf Course in Akron.

GIRLS GOLF

• MONDAY: Streetsboro @ CVCA.
• WEDNESDAY: Final Suburban League Girls Tournament at Tanglewood Golf Club, Chagrin Falls.
• THURSDAY: Rootstown, Southeast and Windham @ Punderson Golf Club, Newbury D2 Sectional.