By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

Portage County was in the spotlight at Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course in Lake Milton as the Southeast boys welcomed Rootstown in addition to the Pirates’ girls program hosting the Rough Riders of Kent Roosevelt on Thursday.

The match included solid golf, close matches and praise from the coaches about all four teams. The all-Portage County night was special because it featured once rival teams, as well as quality programs that are constantly improving or setting the standards for good golf.

GIRLS GOLF

SOUTHEAST TOPS ROOSEVELT

Playing the back nine at Olde Dutch Mill, the home team earned the match victory over Kent Roosevelt 169 to 173.

Four strokes.

Sammy Morgan, a freshman for the Pirates, fired one of her best rounds of the season on her home course, a 38, and Taylor Blazek, a state-qualifier in 2023 and a senior, shot a 39. Rounding out the top four for the Pirates were Aubre Varga (45) and Jessi Mix (47), but the entire team was close, including Alexandra Sloan (50) and Jenni Mix (48).

“They wanted to play well against Kent,” said Cindy Fesemyer, coach of the Pirates. “Kent has the program that everyone looks up to. Bryan Harvey does a great job with the program and it pushes the rest of us to get better.

“That is what happened tonight,” added Fesemyer. “We happened to sink a few more putts in a close match that could have gone either way. It is good to try and get our kids to the next level. Every year Mike (Mike Jenior coach of the Pirates and Director of Golf at Olde Dutch Mill), and I try to make the program one step better. Because of Kent’s reputation and an outstanding program, we always try to emulate them,” continued Fesemyer. “It was our night tonight but if we keep pushing each other, golf in the area keeps getting better. We have total respect for Kent’s program. If they can set the standard, we can do it too.”

The Riders also had five scores in the 40s, with Ashlyn Leavery firing a 40, Adrianna Mineo (42), Ella Houk (45) and Casidy Singer (46). CoCo Golden added a 47 and Brooke Beatty a 52.

“I was very impressed with how Southeast played today,” said Bryan Harvey, coach of the Riders. “When they hit a poor shot, they hit a good recovery shot and then avoided a big score. Samantha Morgan putted very well and Taylor Blazek was consistent on a day I don’t think she played her best golf.

“Coach Fesemyer and everyone associated with the program should be proud of what their team is accomplishing, and I look forward to watching them make a deep run in the post season,” added Harvey.

“The difference in the match today was when we hit poor shots, we often compounded the issue by hitting another poor shot,” Harvey said. “This has been our weakness all year. We also don’t recover well when we have a bad hole. It usually affects us for two or three holes and against a very good team like Southeast, you can’t string together bad holes.

“We didn’t play horrible, but we can be better than how we have been playing lately,” said the Kent coach. “We just have to work more on the basics.”

Cindy Fesemyer just returned from Paris, France with her husband on Thursday after watching their daughter, Jenna Fesemyer, compete in the Paris Paralympics.

“This win is also exciting for Joe Pinti, assistant coach,” said Fesemyer. “Coach Joe stepped up the last two weeks, practiced with the kids and coached four matches in that time period. I give him all the credit for competing and winning while I was gone,” concluded Fesemyer.

BOYS GOLF

PIRATES NARROWLY TOP RIVAL ROVERS

Former Portage County League and Portage Trail Conference rivals, the Rootstown Rovers and the Southeast Pirates were neck-and-neck the entire way around the course. At the end of the match, on the 18^th hole, the Pirates fired a 177 total against Rootstown’s 183.

For the Pirates, James Morgan was medalist (40) and Alex Peelish added a 43. The rest of the lineup included Ethan Shodd’s 45, a pair of 49s shot by Cole Bruno and Shade Stevens and Josh Donovan’s 57.

“Anytime you play the Rovers, you know it will be a close match. For us to get that win is very special against our former league rival,” said Mike Jenior, coach of the Pirates. “There is a lot of history there. Rootstown has winning programs every year and it is a testament to coach (Keith) Waesch and his ability as a coach to get the very best out of his kids,” offered Jenior.

“As my former coach all through high school, it is a special night to now coach on the same fairways with Keith Waesch,” concluded Jenior.

Rootstown was led by Trentan Sines (43), Anthony Cambareri (45), Luke Flowers (46) and Nathan Waesch (49), with additional rounds including Ryan Wolf (51) and Logan Uphold (52).

“It’s always fun to get together and compete against one of your former players and someone I respect so much,” said Waesch, coach of the Rovers, about Southeast coach Mike Jenior. “It was really fun when it happened twice a year, once at each school’s home course,” concluded Waesch referring to when the teams were rivals in the PTC and matches included the opportunity to play all teams two times, home and away.

FINALLY

These matches demonstrated how much fun it is to play against teams in your own backyard and the rivalries that develop along with a deep respect for the quality of play.

It was a great night at Olde Dutch Mill.