The seventh playing of the Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur had everything to make a golf tournament exciting: a sudden death playoff; a championship golfer who knew how to get out of trouble; 12 year old golfers earning their first championship and repeat champions coming back to move up a division and win again.
BOYS 16 TO 19
The day started out with a three-way tie between Chris Sloe of Aurora (pictured above), Greenmen teammate Conor O’Callaghan and Michael Furey of Twinsburg. Each stared out with 74s after the first day of competition.
No one distanced themselves during the 18-holes of competition but the day did feature some outstanding shots.
Ultimate champion, Chris Sloe of Aurora, had several a solid, even-par round on his way to the won-stroke victory.
When he needed to save a hole, he did it with ingenuity and practiced shots.
Sloe, on the 11th hole, a Par 3, struck an uncharacteristic errant approach shot that bounced across the green and landed next to the tree.
The senior on the Greenmen, a right-handed golfer, found the shot impossible with a regular stance so, he used a practiced shot that he just worked on this past weekend.
He used a left-handed approach, turned the club over and popped the ball right on the green.
It was those kinds of shots that kept Sloe even-par throughout the day to earn the one-stroke victory over Furey of Twinsburg who finished with a 74-73 147.
Sloe had the best 18-hole round of the tournament with his even-par effort.
Teammate Conor O’Callaghan fired a 74 to capture third place in the Boys 15 to 19.
Both Aurora winners will be seniors on the Greenmen this season under new head coach Dave Munson who was on the fairways to watch his team.
GIRLS 16 TO 19
While the boys in the oldest division were giving a clinic on how-to-play golf, the girls in the 16 to 19 age division spent 36 holes to finish tied.
Coreena Wise of Kent (pictured above) and Jocelyn Kohl of Kent had a two-day total of 190 to top Maria Aslanis of Hinckley, on the Medina Highland girls golf team, by two strokes.
Wise had been in third place in the division after a disappointing 103 the first day but came back at Oak Knolls to card an 87.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn Kohl of Kent was steady on the links, firing a 96 and improving two strokes on the second day with a 94 for an identical 190.
Out to the first hole the two went with coaches Kent coaches Larry Picicco, Shawn Bates and Eric Hughes following to capture the progress.
Coreena ultimately earned the championship trophy, carding a Par 5 on the first hole while Jocelyn Kohl finished with a 7.
BOYS 13 TO 15
In the Boys 12 and under age division in 2013, Joey Vitali ran away from the field to capture the championship.
This season, he found himself in unfamiliar territory, in a tie for third place after the first day’s score of 89.
But Tuesday brought a different approach and a solid game for Vitali of Warren as he fired an 81, the lowest in the boys 13 to 15 age division to win the championship with a final score of 170, ten strokes better than the rest of the field.
Vitali will be in the eighth grade this coming season ultimately playing for Warren Howland
In second place was Kyle Smith of Kent who struggled with a 91 on his second day while Floyd Radcliff leaped into third place with a final day round of 84 for a 181.
Radcliff competes on the Southeast Pirates varsity golf team and will be a sophomore this season.
GIRLS 13 TO 15
Abbie Pierce (above) held onto her first day lead adding an 81 to her Windmill score of 81 for a final round of 163.
Chloe Wise of Kent, a sophomore on the Kent Roosevelt Lady Rough Riders team this coming season, improved on her first day score by seven-strokes to push into second place while Alex Mail of Kent jumped ahead of the other competitors with a 216 final score to earn the top three finish.
BOYS 12 AND UNDER
Charlie Huscroft of Kent (pictured above) and Gavin Markham of Kent battled it out in the youngest age division.
On the first day, Gavin led the 12 and under division after firing a 42. He added a 55 for a final score of 97 at Oak Knolls.
It was Huscroft who had the best round among his competitors, carding a 50 to help him earn the championship with a three-stroke cushion.
GIRLS 12 AND UNDER
Coach Bryan Harvey, varsity leader of the Lady Rough Rider girls varsity team, has been working hard, holding a clinic on Sundays at Kent State University Golf Course to build his team for the future.
That effort seems to be paying off as Lauren Garner of Kent (pictured above) earned the championship with a final two-day score of 102 and the lowest nine-hole round of the day among the girls, a nice 49 that was seven strokes better than the next low nine-holes.
Katie Bice of Louisville, with strong ties to Rootstown thanks to her grandmother, former school employee Norma Bice, earned the second place ribbon and gift certificates with a final score of 109.
Brayden Harris of Kent, from a family known for their excellent bowling skills thanks to her sisters who have competed for the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders, took home the third place with a final score of 117.
THE FIELD
With golfers from all over northeast Ohio, the Junior Amateur was one of the largest fields in history.
Next year’s edition will again compete at Oak Knolls Golf Club in Kent and Windmill Lakes Golf Club in Ravenna on July 20 and 21.
FINAL RESULTS:
7th MATT MISHLER JUNIOR PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR
Windmill Lakes Golf Club on Monday, July 21, 2014
Oak Knolls Golf Course on Tuesday, July 22, 2014
BOYS 16 TO 19
Chris Sloe, Aurora 74-72 146
Michael Furey, Twinsburg 74-73 147
Conor O’Callaghan, Aurora 74-74 148
Cody Tuttle, Ravenna 75-79 154
Evan Ferrara, Kent 79-75 154
Eddie Pearce, Uniontown 80-75 155
Sean Fleming, Stow 77-79 156
Philip Lago, Streetsboro 80-78 158
sAlex Avalon, Aurora 79-81 160
Nick Mandalari, Kent 77-84 161
Joe Kainrad 80-82 162
Sam Nowak, Aurora 79-85 164
Morgan McIntyre, Ravenna 84-82 166
Cody Johnson, Streetsboro 84-82 166
Zack Fulmer, Stow 82-85 167
Adam McCullough, Aurora 85-85 170
Ty Butler, Streetsboro 86-87 173
Dustin Buehler, Akron 94-88 182
Ethan Troyer, Streetsboro 92-95 187
Jacob Curtiss, Brimfield 98-93 191
Curtis Cutlip, Suffield 101-102 203
Evan Chapple, Rootstown 107-96 203
Ryan Hostetler, Mogadore WD
GIRLS 16 TO 19
Coreena Wise, Kent 103-87 190*
Jocelyn Kohl, Kent 96-94 190
Maria Aslanis, Hinckley 95-97 192
*Won in a one-hole sudden death playoff.
BOYS 13 TO 15
Joey Vitali, Warren 89-81 170
Kyle Smith, Kent 89-91 180
Floyd Radcliff, Deerfield 97-84 181
Jake Marous, Hudson 86-96 182
Jeremy Thorn, Streetsboro 87-95 182
Matt Salopek, Kent 94-99 193
Nick Fisher, Hudson 99 96 195
Ryan Wilson, Rootstown 102-93 195
Ben Knight, Windham 100-96 196
Nate Fiedler, Stow 101-103 204
Griffen Wise, Kent 108-98 206
Trevor Otto, Newbury 102-111 213
Michael Avalon, Aurora 110-107 217
Dylan Markham, Kent 125-136 261
Blake Frasher, Mogadore 134-132 266
GIRLS 13 TO 15
Abbie Pierce, Uniontown 82-81 163
Chloe Wise, Kent 93-86 179
Alex Mail, Kent 111-106 216
Kaitlyn Hawkins, Uniontown 115-107 222
Grace Thompson, Kent 108-119 227
Haley Brenner, Kent 134-123 257
BOYS 12 AND UNDER
Charlie Huscroft, Kent 44-50 94
Gavin Markham, Kent 42-55 97
Mason Moldvay, Kent 53-58 111
Ian Mail, Kent 49-63 112
Casey Troyer, Streetsboro 51-65 116
Jackson Holzapfel, Kent 56-62 118
Josh Fisher, Kent 64-68 132
Clay Smith, Kent 57-76 133
Andrew Collier, Kent 70-75 145
GIRLS 12 AND UNDER
Lauren Garner, Kent 53-49 102
Katie Bice, Louisville 53-56 109
Brayden Harris, Kent 53-64 117
Emma Picicco, Kent 61-58 119
Sydney Golden, Kent 72-77 149
Abbey Keller, Kent 78-75 153
Megan Case, Kent 79-99 178
