Walsh Jesuit girls win golf district title--Perry, Copley also advance to state tournament
By Tom
Gaffney Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007
Copley,MASSILLON: The Walsh Jesuit girls golf team found the surest way to put the past to rest.
The Warriors won the Northeast Ohio District Tournament Tuesday on the South and East courses at The Legends in Massillon to qualify for next weekend's state tournament.
The Warriors did it with virtually the same lineup that shot four 88s and an 89 in the same event at the same venue last October to miss qualifying for state, snapping a streak of seven consecutive years that they had reached state.
''They all remember shootings those 88s, how disappointing it was,'' said Bill Reilly, who is in his second season as coach of the Warriors. ''They were looking to make sure it didn't happen again. They know they belong at state.''
Walsh, which won state championships in 2001 and 2004, finished with a score of 324. The team will be joined in Columbus by the next three finishers in the 20-team field Perry (335), Rocky River Magnificat (339) and Copley (346).
Four local players advanced as individuals, including 2006 Beacon Journal player of the year Shamira Marshall of Nordonia, who finished as co-medalist with Heather Arison of Copley at 3-over 75.
Also qualifying were Mary Snode of Marlington (76), Mandi Morrow of Kent Roosevelt (77) and Katie Jenior of Rootstown (79). Jenior, a University of Akron recruit, moved on by winning a playoff with Lindsey Guye of Solon on the second extra hole.
Walsh relied on balance in winning the seventh district title in the program's 11-year history. Juniors Kelly Krusoe and Amanda Costanzo led the way with 79s. Erin Misheff, the only senior starter, and sophomore Ariel McNair were next with 83s.
''That's the way it has been all year. Nobody has been playing lights-out, but everybody is consistent and they feed off each other,'' said Reilly, the head pro at Aurora Country Club. ''I think everybody is looking forward to state.''
Perry, which qualified for the state tournament for the third year in a row and fifth time in seven years, was paced by its customary leaders, twins Megan and Meryl Weaver, who had rounds of 79 and 83, respectively.
But it was the 84 of unheralded freshman Nicole Waers who plays the No. 5 spot in the lineup that allowed the Panthers some breathing room in the standings.
''She really came through big for us,'' Perry coach Larry Grovemiller said. ''She is a very poised young lady. There was a lot of pressure on her and she gave us a boost.''
Copley, which qualified for the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year, also was led by twins. Heather Arison had the 75 and her sister, Carly, had an 80. The other scorers for the Indians were Molly Leonard (91) and Claire Meneer (100).
The Indians were the last team to clinch a berth, finishing 1 shot ahead of Hudson (347), 6 shots ahead of Canfield and 13 ahead of Parma Padua. All three of them had beaten Copley during the regular season.
''We were worried. We figured there were going to be four schools going for that last spot,'' Copley coach Bill Rhoades said. ''We had lost to Padua, Hudson and Canfield by seven or eight shots before. I told the girls not to worry about that, just to go out and play our game.''
Marshall, a senior who has committed to Kent State, was in command for individual honors until closing with three bogeys. Her round of 75 included four birdies and seven bogeys.
''My irons were good and my tee shots were good. My short game was not,'' said Marshall, who had a 70 last week to be the medalist at the Gleneagles sectional. ''I played well at times, but I think I could have played better.''
Heather Arison overcame a bogey-double bogey-bogey start in her 75. She went on to make four birdies, eight pars and three bogeys the rest of the way.
''After that, I had to start getting some pars and some birdies,'' she said. ''I told myself not to panic and take it one shot at a time.''
The girls state tournament is Friday and Saturday on the Gray Course at Ohio State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the high school blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/.
MASSILLON: The Walsh Jesuit girls golf team found the surest way to put the past to rest.
The Warriors won the Northeast Ohio District Tournament Tuesday on the South and East courses at The Legends in Massillon to qualify for next weekend's state tournament.
The Warriors did it with virtually the same lineup that shot four 88s and an 89 in the same event at the same venue last October to miss qualifying for state, snapping a streak of seven consecutive years that they had reached state.
''They all remember shootings those 88s, how disappointing it was,'' said Bill Reilly, who is in his second season as coach of the Warriors. ''They were looking to make sure it didn't happen again. They know they belong at state.''
Walsh, which won state championships in 2001 and 2004, finished with a score of 324. The team will be joined in Columbus by the next three finishers in the 20-team field Perry (335), Rocky River Magnificat (339) and Copley (346).
Four local players advanced as individuals, including 2006 Beacon Journal player of the year Shamira Marshall of Nordonia, who finished as co-medalist with Heather Arison of Copley at 3-over 75.
Also qualifying were Mary Snode of Marlington (76), Mandi Morrow of Kent Roosevelt (77) and Katie Jenior of Rootstown (79). Jenior, a University of Akron recruit, moved on by winning a playoff with Lindsey Guye of Solon on the second extra hole.
Walsh relied on balance in winning the seventh district title in the program's 11-year history. Juniors Kelly Krusoe and Amanda Costanzo led the way with 79s. Erin Misheff, the only senior starter, and sophomore Ariel McNair were next with 83s.
''That's the way it has been all year. Nobody has been playing lights-out, but everybody is consistent and they feed off each other,'' said Reilly, the head pro at Aurora Country Club. ''I think everybody is looking forward to state.''
Perry, which qualified for the state tournament for the third year in a row and fifth time in seven years, was paced by its customary leaders, twins Megan and Meryl Weaver, who had rounds of 79 and 83, respectively.
But it was the 84 of unheralded freshman Nicole Waers who plays the No. 5 spot in the lineup that allowed the Panthers some breathing room in the standings.
''She really came through big for us,'' Perry coach Larry Grovemiller said. ''She is a very poised young lady. There was a lot of pressure on her and she gave us a boost.''
Copley, which qualified for the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year, also was led by twins. Heather Arison had the 75 and her sister, Carly, had an 80. The other scorers for the Indians were Molly Leonard (91) and Claire Meneer (100).
The Indians were the last team to clinch a berth, finishing 1 shot ahead of Hudson (347), 6 shots ahead of Canfield and 13 ahead of Parma Padua. All three of them had beaten Copley during the regular season.
''We were worried. We figured there were going to be four schools going for that last spot,'' Copley coach Bill Rhoades said. ''We had lost to Padua, Hudson and Canfield by seven or eight shots before. I told the girls not to worry about that, just to go out and play our game.''
Marshall, a senior who has committed to Kent State, was in command for individual honors until closing with three bogeys. Her round of 75 included four birdies and seven bogeys.
''My irons were good and my tee shots were good. My short game was not,'' said Marshall, who had a 70 last week to be the medalist at the Gleneagles sectional. ''I played well at times, but I think I could have played better.''
Heather Arison overcame a bogey-double bogey-bogey start in her 75. She went on to make four birdies, eight pars and three bogeys the rest of the way.
''After that, I had to start getting some pars and some birdies,'' she said. ''I told myself not to panic and take it one shot at a time.''
The girls state tournament is Friday and Saturday on the Gray Course at Ohio State.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the high school blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/varsity_letters/.