RESULTS: 2015 Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur Golf Championship

Yes, the temperatures were hot as more than 60 junior golfers played the fairways of Oak Knolls Golf Course in the final day of the 8th Matt Mishler Junior Portage County Amateur.

But it was the competitors that did the talking with their hot sticks that was memorable.

The day was highlighted by three eagles as four of the six divisions were won the local athletes.

Evan Ferrara, on the left, won the individual championship with Parker Barnes, center finishing third and Nick Mandalari, taking runner-up honors. Ferrara and Mandalari are from Kent; Barnes will be a senior for the Aurora Greenmen.

BOYS 16 TO 19 AGE DIVISION

Evan Ferrara of Kent, a recent graduate of Kent Roosevelt who was a member of the Rough Riders PTC Metro Championship varsity golf team, climbed the leaderboard to earn the championship trophy with a slim one-stroke margin.

Ferrara started the morning at Oak Knolls with a one-stroke deficit behind Alex Avalon and Parke Barrnes, both of Aurora.

Ferrara was down going into the 9th, Par 5 hole at Oak Knolls.

“I had a long drive down the middle and used a five wood to put it near the green,” said Ferrara as he chipped the ball in for an Eagle.

That score evened the three golfers going into the back nine.

Ferrara ticked off seven pars on the back nine to finish with a three-over par.

Despite the double bogey on the final hole, Ferrara held on to win the championship.

Barnes, a senior for the Greenmen, fired a 79 and also scored an eagle during the tourney.

Stepping up to the 4th, Par 4 that was playing 313 yards, Barnes’ drive hit the pin and bounced away from the hole.

The short putt set up his final 79 that placed him in a tie with Nick Mandalari of Kent.

A scorecard playoff pushed Barnes into third place.

Mandalari had nothing quite as dramatic as an eagle but his solid play led him to the tie for second as his round included 12 pars and a birdie.

Ravenna's Paul Harris, champion, in the center, with Joey Vitali of Warren, on the left, runner-up, and Kyle Smith of Kent, third place. — Ravenna’s Paul Harris, champion, in the center, with Joey Vitali of Warren, on the left, runner-up, and Kyle Smith of Kent, third place.

BOYS 13 TO 15 AGE DIVISION

It was a day for remarkable shots as Paul Harris, champion in the Boys 3 to 15 age division, also jotted down a three on a Par 5 for an eagle on Sunday.

Harris eagled the 9th hole but needed nothing that dramatic to lead the tournament through the entire 36 holes.

His final 155 gave him a cushion of nine strokes over runner-up Joey Vitali of Warren.

Harris is a member of the Walsh Jesuit Warriors varsity golf team.

Vitali, the defending champion of the division, seemed to be out of the championship after an initial round of 86 at Windmill Lakes included a pair of snowmen on his scorecard.

But the golfer from Warren found his swing on Tuesday with a round that included two birdies on his way to a 77 and a final score of 164.

That two-day total edged Kyle Smith of Kent, a sophomore on the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders team, by one stroke as Smith took home the third place medal.

Chloe Wise, on the left, was the champion with Coreena Wise, both of Kent, the runner-up.

GIRLS 16 TO 19

Chloe Wise, a junior on the Kent Roosevelt varsity girls captured the championship with a final round of 86 to top the 2014 champion Coreena Wise.

Chloe Wise finished with a final 168 while Coreena holed-out with a two-round total of 184.

Taylor Ross, in the center, of Salem, champion with Grace Thompson of Kent, runner-up, on the left, and Kaitlyn Hawkins of Uniontown, in third place.

GIRLS 13 TO 15

Taylor Ross of Salem was disappointed after her first round of 97 at Windmill Lakes but she managed to cut seven strokes off her first day, 18-holes to add a 90 at Oak Knolls for a 187 total to edge out previous leader Grace Thompson of Kent by two strokes.

Thompson was solid throughout both days, carding rounds of 94 and 95 for a 189.

The girls played 5,290 yards on Sunday at Oak Knollws at Kaitlyn Hawkins of Uniontown finished in third place with a 36-hole total of 201.

From the left: Morgan Bauza, Kent, 4th place; Riley Courtheyn, Kent, second place; Katie Bice, Rootstown, 1st place and Braydn Harris, Kent, third place.

GIRLS 12 AND UNDER

How to play golf in the heat was demonstrated by the youngest girls.

Taking their time on the front nine at Oak Knolls, the girls demonstrated the epitome of good sportsmanship and the fun that golf offers.

The ultimate champion was Katie Bice, staying with her grandparents in Rootstown, so she can play in the Jr. Amateur for the second consecutive year.

Katie carded rounds of 52-54 for a 106 and the low rounds of the division.

Riley Courtheyn of Kent also found her way to a 54 on the final day for a final total of 109, good for second place with Braydn Harris of Kent just one-stroke behind to take home the third place medal.

Darin Hudak of Tallmadge, on the left, champion with brothers Jacob Ryan and Nathan Ryan of Akron, earning second and third place respectively.

BOYS 12 AND UNDER AGE DIVISION

While the older boys were playing 18 holes each day, the youngest age group shot their way around the front nine of both Oak Knolls and Windmill Lakes.

Darin Hudak of Tallmadge finished with a final 18-hole round of 78 while brothers Jacob Ryan and Nathan Ryan of Akron landed in second and third.

FINAL RESULTS BY AGE DIVISION:
8TH MATT MISHLER JUNIOR PORTAGE COUNTY AMATEUR
Windmill Lakes Golf Course, Ravenna, Ohio
Oak Knolls Golf Club, Kent, Ohio
July 29 – 30, 2015

BOYS 16 TO 19

Evan Ferrara, Kent 76-77 153

Parker Barnes, Aurora 75-79 154

Nick Mandalari, Kent 76-78 154

Alex Avalon, Aurora 75-80 155

Mike Furey, Twinsburg 79-83 162

Jimmy Hinton, North Canton 82-80 162

Cody Johnson, Streetsboro 81-82 163

Christopher Utrup, Uniontown 82-82 164

Justin Vaughan, Wadsworth 79-87 166

Morgan McIntyre, Ravenna 81-85 166

Jack Schroeder, Aurora 85-84 169