By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

It was an incredible week for several golf teams as they competed in conference championship tournaments.

BRYAN HARVEY

The Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders and the Southeast Pirates swept conference championships for both their boys and girls teams this week.

Kent boys took home multiple trophies, not only for the tournament champion and conference champion, but also for Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.

The Kent girls also earned tournament champion and conference champion as well as Coach of the Year.

And it was the second year for the Southeast Pirates sweeping the conference as both the boys and girls teams successfully defended their conference championships from 2025.

The Rootstown girls celebrated their efforts in the Chagrin Valley Conference and the Rootstown boys concluded their tournament in third place in the Valley Division of the CVC.

KENT ROOSEVELT

Freshman Andrew VanDamme earned the Player of the Year in the Metro Athletic Conference as his coach, Chris Nauer was recognized by the conference for the top mentor honor.

VanDamme earned medalist honors, carding a 72. The rest of the team included fourth Jax Turner 75, eighth Owen Puhalla, 10th Garrett Polcha 81, 34th Anderson Liggett 94 and 45th Zakary Kelling.

Bryan Harvey, coach of the Kent Roosevelt girls also earned Coach of the Year as the girls team walked through the conference without a loss.

Five of the Kent girls finished in the top eight of the tournament including: Second Brooke Beatty 78, third Coco Golden 84, fourth Mia Turner and eighth Audrey Byler 93. Colbie Kruger, a sophomore, rounded out the team, firing a 105.

CHRIS NAUER

SOUTHEAST PIRATES

Just as Kent had a freshman in VanDamme promising excellence for the future, the Pirates’ boys sophomore Logan Shodd fired his best round of the entire season, a 76, to help push the Pirates to the top of the leaderboard in the MVAC tournament. Cole Bruno, senior, led the team with a 1-under-par 71, good for runner-up medalist.

For the Southeast girls, sophomore Emily Morrison and junior Samantha Morgan tied with identical 79s to finish tied for third.

ROOTSTOWN CONCLUDES PLAY IN CVC

The Rootstown boys, competing in the Valley Division of the Cuyahoga Valley Conference, finished third behind Kirtland and Burton Berkshire as Sam Klem led the Rovers firing an 86 with Nathan Waesch carding a 97, Drew Just a 109 and Liam Miller adding a 109.

For the Rootstown girls, all five girls fired their lowest 18-hole rounds of the season: Morgan Giebel 87, Charlie Wilson 102, Belle Harrris 130, Madison Kline 125 and Audrey Wohlwend 126.

AND THE FUTURE

This was the final tournament in the CVC and the MVAC for the Rovers girls and boys teams and the Pirates boys and girls teams.

All four teams join together with local teams in the Greater Portage County Golf Conference beginning the 2027-2028 golf season.

Everyone should be looking forward to the battles that will be played out on the fairways next season

NEXT UP

Teams are now preparing for the OHSAA post-season tournaments beginning with the Division II sectional at Windmill Lakes on Tuesday.

TUESDAY (top three teams and top three individuals no on qualifying teams advance to District)

DIVISION II WINDMILL LAKES BOYS SECTIONAL: Southeast, Ravenna, Streetsboro, Garrettsville Garfield among 15 teams.

DIVISION II PINE HILLS BOYS SECTIONAL: Field

THURSDAY (Top four teams and four individuals no on qualifying teams advance to District)

DIVISION II PUNDERSON GIRLS SECTIONAL: Southeast, Garfield, Rootstown.