On the final day of the Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur, all of the leaders held onto their lead from the first day. But it wasn’t without excitement.
Only one stroke separated the boys in the 16-to-19 age division; the girls in the 16-to-19 age division fired 18-hole rounds within three strokes of each other; and the 10-stroke lead in the boys 13 to 15 age division shrunk to six.
But at the end of the afternoon, the leaders maintained their hold on the championship.
BOYS 16 TO 19
Kyle Smith of Kent, a recent graduate of Kent Roosevelt High School, held onto a one-stroke lead over second place Laszlo May of Rootstown and third place Darin Hudak of Tallmadge.
Hudak and May tied for second with a scorecard playoff giving the victory to May.
Smith fired a 79 to add to his first round of 75 for a final total of 149 but it was May who fired the low round of the day in the boys division, a 75 at Sunny Hill Golf Course in Brimfield.
As May inched closer to Smith, it took a clutch putt on the 18th hole to earn the victory over May who competes for Rootstown High School and Hudak who plays for Tallmadge High School.
It’s been a solid two weeks for Hudak who also won the Goodpark Junior Tournament earlier in July.
GIRLS 16 TO 19
Hannah Finley of Kent fired a 90 on the final day of the tournament to tie second-place golfer Grace Thompson of Kent as the two remained in first and second place.
Finley, a former golfer for Hoban who will play at St. Mary’s in Notre Dame, IN in the fall, remained steady throughout the round to maintain her lead.
Thompson, who was one of two girls accomplishing holes-in-one on Monday at Windmill Lakes Golf Course in Ravenna on Monday, finished with a 175.
Emma Picicco of Kent climbed into third place with her final score of 93, the third best score in the girls division of the day that pushed her into the top three.
BOYS 13 TO 15
Cory Gasaway was in the lead by 10 strokes going into the final day of competition.
Earning the championship, Gasaway had to keep his eye on fellow competitors Charlie Huscroft of Kent and Nathan Ryan of Akron.
Gasaway fired an 84 on his final day while Huscroft shot an 80 to come within four strokes of Gasaway.
Ryan also fired an 84 on a tough Sunny Hill for a final score of 175.
Gasaway finished with a 160 two-day total followed by Huscroft’s 166.
GIRLS 13 TO 15
Braydn Harris of Kent staved off a charge by Sydnie Leavery and Maren Seaholts, both also of Kent to maintainer her lead and earn the championship with a final score of 180.
Seaholts carded a 97 on her final day for a two-day total of 186 and Leavery shot the best score of the day in the division, a 94 on her way to a 190 two-day total.
BOYS 12 AND UNDER
Jude Thiry of Mogadore beat his cousin Rowan Baynes of Kent by 88 strokes in the two-day, nine-hole tournament.
Thiry was outstanding, firing a 34 on the middle nine at Sunny Hill Golf Course.
Baynes, Christian Mineo of Kent and Brandon Arnold of Deerfield were within six strokes of each other on the final day carding 41, 43 and 47 respectively.
Mineo grabbed third.
Next up for Portage County Golfers
The 88th Record-Courier Portage County Amateur presented by Windmill Lakes Golf Course in Ravenna will tee off on Saturday for 18-holes with golfers then traveling to Sugar Bush Golf Course in Garrettsville for the final 18-holes on Sunday.
Registration is still open through Thursday by contacting Susan Jenior, tournament director, at 330-206-9083 or golffam2@gmail.com.
You may also register through Windmill Lakes Golf Course or stop by the host courses to register on-site.
FINAL RESULTS:
11TH MATT MISHLER JUNIOR PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR
Windmill Lakes Golf Club, Ravenna – Monday, July 23rd
Sunny Hill Golf Course, Brimfield – Tuesday, July 24th
BOYS 16-19
Kyle Smith, Kent 75-79 154
Laszlo May, Rootstown 80-75 155
Darin Hudak, Tallmadge 77-78 155
Marek Seaholts, Kent 81-80 161
Luke Radis, Aurora 81-81 162
Joey Vitali, Warren 81-83 164
Carter Troyer, Kent 83-82 165
Casey Troyer, Kent 82-85 167
Griffen Wise, Kent 86-84 170
Mason Moldvay, Kent 90-86 176
Ian Benoit, Mantua 97-93 190
Adam Whitacre, Rootstown 100-98 198
Alex Smigel, Kent 107-104 211
Spencer Crone, Ravenna 115-102 217
GIRLS 16-19
Hannah Finley, Kent 78-90 168
Grace Thompson, Kent 85-90 175
Emma Picicco, Kent 95-93 188
Lauren Garner, Kent 94-103 197
Hannah Stone, Rootstown 100-109 209
Abbey Keller, Kent 111-105 215
BOYS 13-15
Cory Gasaway, Mogadore 76-84 160
Charlie Huscroft, Kent 86-80 166
Nathan Ryan, Akron 91-84 175
Jason Sears, Kent 85-91 176
Gavin Markham, Kent 97-92 189
Mason Bartholomy, Rootstown 98-94 192
Ian Burkey, Kent 100-93 193
Conrad Cohn, Aurora 125-106 231
GIRLS 13-15
Braydn Harris, Kent 85-95 180
Maren Seaholts, Kent 89-97 186
Sydnie Leavery, Streetsboro 96-94 190
Sarah Lenzo, Kent 100-102 202
Isabella Mineo, Kent 108-109 217
Ayden Pettigrew, Edinburg 111-115 226
Morgan Bauza, Kent 118-108 226
Samantha Winterich, Kent 119-120 239
BOYS 12 AND UNDER
Jude Thiry, Mogadore 46-34 80
Rowan Baynes, Kent 47-41 88
Christian Mineo, Kent 52-43 95
Brandon Arnold, Deerfield 61-47 108
GIRLS 12 AND UNDER
Ashlyn Leavery, Streetsboro 50-47 90
Maddie Kost, Kent 65-56 121
