By Susan Jenior

Staff Writer

The 20th annual Junior Portage County Amateur was reduced to a one-day tournament at Raccoon Hill Golf Course after having to cancel the first day due to the torrential rains that blanketed Portage County on Tuesday.

Boys 16-19 from the left: James Morgan, champion; Brett Epple, runner-up; and Brock Thiry, third place.

But the delay was worth the wait as Wednesday was a beautiful day to play golf and the juniors took advantage of the conditions.

Champions were crowned in five divisions.

It was a Morgan family take-over in the boys and girls 16-19 age division.

James Morgan, on his way to play golf for Walsh University in the fall, landed at the top of the division, firing a 76 on the tight fairways of Raccoon Hill.

Morgan was in a tie with Brett Epple of Streetsboro at the end of the 18-hole round, but won a two-hole playoff, carding a birdie on the second hole of the sudden-death playoff.

Girls 16-19 from the left:  Jenni Mix, runner-up; Sammy Morgan, champion; and Aubrey Byler, third place.

Sammy Morgan, James’ younger sister, a junior playing for the Southeast Pirates this golf season, fired a 93, coming off the 70 she fired at Avon Oaks to take the runner-up spot in the Ohio Girls Golf Foundation tournament on Monday.

Joining Morgan and Epple in the top three of the boys in the oldest age division was Brock Thiry of Mogadore, carding an 84 on the Par-71 fairways of Raccoon.

Sammy Morgan was joined by Aubrey Byler (100) a member of the Kent Roosevelt girls program and fellow Pirates teammate Jenni Mix (103), also a junior, as the two best friends look forward to defending their Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference championship this season.

In the 13-15 year old divisions, two more Pirates continued the strong showings at the Junior Amateur.

Boys 13-15, from the left: Mason Dillon, champion; Logan Blankenship, third place; Austin Dietz, runner-up.

Mason Dillon won the boys division, carding an 84, and Emily Morrison fired an 86 to win the girls division.

Top three in the girls 13-15 included Morrison, along with Mia Turner, Kent Roosevelt golfer carding an 89, and Kent golfer Rosalina Chavez finishing 18 holes with a 106.

Runner-up in the boys 13-15 was Austin Dietz of Tallmadge, 90, with Logan Blankenship, also a Southeast golfer, taking third, 92.

The youngest group of competitors, age 12 and under, found Gerren Waesch at the top of the leaderboard. Waesch, of Rootstown, fired a 54 to edge Landon Roberts of Rootstown (65) into second place.

The Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur, just concluded its 20th season and is a staple on the Portage County Amateur calendar as one of four events sponsored for golfers.

Girls 13-15, from the left: Mia Turner, runner-up; Emily Morrison, champion; Rosalie Chavez, third place.

Title sponsors include Portage Sports, the Fairways at Twin Lakes and Birdie Shack.

Boys 12-under: Gerren Waesch, champion.