Golf Notebook: Garfield boys cap five-win week with a decisive win over LaBrae
The Garfield G-Men ended the week in the MVAC with a 5-1 record, including a decisive 177-195 victory over the LaBrae Vikings.
Senior Dan Ensinger led the scoring charge for the G-Men at Riverview Golf Club in Newton Falls, firing a 41, his career-best round for Garfield. The 5-over-par round also earned Ensinger medalist honors for the match.
A different name for the Rovers
The Rootstown Rovers spent five days in tournament action and returned to PTC play, earning two wins over Southeast and Lake Center Christian.
While Cole Hostetler has been a solid scorer in each competition for the Rovers, Austin Biggen rose to the top in the 169-201 defeat of Lake Center Christian.
Biggen fired his best round at Sunny Hill in competition, a 2-over-par 36 to go with Hostetler’s 40 for the win.
Suburban League
Two of four tournaments are in the record books for the Suburban Boys American Division and clear favorites have risen to the top, both from Portage County.
The recent tourney was held at Pine Hills Golf Course in Hinckley, site of the OHSAA Division I district tournament later this season.
A competitive layout, Pine Hills is a fair-but-tough challenge.
For the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders and the Aurora Greenmen, the course was another day on the fairways, as Kent earned the championship and Aurora finished second by a difference of four strokes.
So close are the two teams that sophomore Liam Curtis of Kent and junior Max Devins of Aurora shared medalist honors, each carding 1-over-par 73s.
Aurora and Roosevelt also landed the top five scores as the Greenmen’s Jude Abbass finished third, firing a 76, and Kent’s Christian Mineo and Gavin Leslie carded 77 and 78, respectively.
Kent and Aurora are leaving Highland, Tallmadge, Revere, Barberton, Copley and Cuyahoga Falls in the rearview mirror as Aurora’s coach Gus Mehallis and Kent’s coach Ben Curtis have skilled teams under their guidance.
The next challenge for the Suburban League is at Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna on Sept. 9.
Roosevelt girls fourth at Mill Creek
The Kent Roosevelt varsity girls golf team competed in the Canfield Girls Invitational at Mill Creek Golf Club, finishing fourth of a dozen teams.
Led by Madolyn Kost (78, seventh) and Ashlyn Leavery (81, 12th), the Rough Riders competed against the best teams in the state and beyond.
Dublin Jerome A and B teams finished 1-2 in the tournament with Hickory (Pa.) earning third at 335, just four strokes ahead of Kent.
“It was a great challenge for us today being paired with the two very talented teams from top to bottom in Dublin Jerome A and Hickory,” said Larry Picicco, coach of the Rough Riders.
“The girls were not intimidated as Maddie and Ashlyn played their way into the top 12 overall. Izzi [Wood, 93] and Anna [Picicco, 97] continue to drop strokes to improve as the season goes on.”
Southeast girls seek PTC repeat
The Southeast Pirates girls are off to a solid start to the season, winning their first three matches in PTC competition as they look to defend their first league championship in 2021.
The most recent match was against former league rival, the Garfield G-Men, as Southeast earned the victory 179-210.
Gracie Westover and Taylor Blazek tied for medalist honors (41s) at Olde Dutch Mill Golf Course in Lake Milton, the Pirates' home.
Madison Woconish was the best for the G-Men, carding a 46.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage County high school golf news and notes
