By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

BOYS GOLF

ROCKETS CLAIM SHARE OF METRO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

For the first time in school history, the Streetsboro boys golf team are champions.

The Rockets, with their second-place finish at Thursday’s league tournament championship, shared the league title with Norton.

The MAC weights its regular season and league tournament equally.

Streetsboro finished as runners-up at the league tourney, but the eight points earned for that placement, along with their regular season final record, was good enough to push the Rockets to the top of the league.

The Rockets 356 was 11 strokes short of the championship. Bryan Pocek landed in the top three individual golfers, firing an 84 on the fairways of Raccoon Hill in Kent.

Streetsboro’s scores included Brett Epple 86, and Zachary Schramm and Evan Reger each carding a 94.

The Field Falcons, in third place out of eight teams, were led by Joey Conroy, a junior, firing an 89 and a pair of 90s shot by Nick Cultrona and Jayden Huskins.

The Ravenna Ravens fired a 412, good for sixth place with Nick Brazelton working his way around the course to a final 100 score.

RAINIERI FIRES TWO-UNDER-PAR 34, MORGAN EVEN-PAR 36

It was a battle between two of the top golfers in Northeast Ohio as Jacob Rainieri, a sophomore at Lake Center, and James Morgan, a junior at Southeast, battled it out in a match between the two schools and St. Vincent-St. Mary.

Morgan and Rainieri have become good friends while playing golf, whether they are competing against each other or just playing a round for fun.

This time, Rainieri, who resides in Mogadore, was the best on his home course, Sable Creek in Hartville, carding a 2-under-par 34, with two birdies over nine holes.

Morgan had two bogeys and two birdies to turn in the final score of even-par 36 as the two led the match of all three schools.

St. Vincent-St. Mary, champion of the match, fired a 156, led by Paul Witschey’s 2-over-par 38.

GIRLS GOLF

The Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders lost a close one to Nordonia at Ellsworth Meadows Golf Course in Hudson, 162 to 169.

Medalist of the match was the Knights’ Julia Guila, carding a 2-over-par 37.

Kent’s best was fired by Cassidy Singer (40) and Adrianna Mineo (41).

STREETSBORO EARNS RUNNER-UP IN MAC

The Rockets finished in second place in the MAC postseason tournament at Pine Valley Golf Club in Wadsworth, firing a team total of 403.

Sarah Czirok carded a 92, good for a tie for third place in the tournament ,with Arianna Jacobs scoring a 98 to both land in the top 10.

The Rockets return everyone to the lineup next year, something the girls are looking forward to.

“The girls have worked so hard all year to be able to accomplish what they did today,” said Tim Foster, Rockets girls coach. “I am very proud of all of them and the growth they’ve made over the course of the year, so very proud.”

Streetsboro has been up and down during a season of growth and maturity.

“They have put a lot of blood, sweat and sometimes tears into the season. Such an accomplishment, especially considering we took fourth in the preseason tournament,” continued Foster.

“A lot of plans for improvement were being talked about on the bus ride home. The girls were very excited.”

“I can’t say it enough how proud I am of these girls,” concluded Foster.

Also in the tournament, the Field Falcons finished in fifth place with a final score of 453.

Mackenzie Boley, a senior, was the best on the links for the Falcon, turning in a scorecard with a 106.