It's tournament time.
This Wednesday, all 16 teams that comprise the County and Metro divisions in the Portage Trail Conference will compete for the PTC championship at Sable Creek Golf Course in Hartville with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
The division of teams in the PTC has made for interesting battles among the County and Metro division teams.
Again this year, there is no clear-cut winner. As of this writing, the Kent Roosevelt Rough Riders are leading the Metro Division, and the Mogadore Wildcats have clinched the County Division regular-season title.
The PTC Tournament counts for 50 percent of the season. Points are awarded to each school for their finish in the regular season and their finish in the PTC Tournament.
This year promises to be a close finish again for both divisions.
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COUNTY DIVISION -- Mogadore coach Chris Mossa is fond of saying "another great battle between two good teams" when he talks about the contests between the Rootstown Rovers and the Wildcats.
For the fourth straight year, it appears to hold true.
The rivalry between the Rovers and the Wildcats goes back to the first year of the new PTC in 2005, when the two teams shared the first PTC County Division title.
In 2006, Mogadore won the outright title, while the Rovers earned the title by themselves in 2007.
This year, despite both teams losing key members to graduation, they are at the top of the league, with the Waterloo Vikings close behind in third place.
If Mogadore wins the tournament, they win the outright County Division championship.
Mogadore might have expected it to be a two-person team this season with only Nathan Tarter and Will Lansinger returning to the lineup. But Ryan Tarter and Nick Massoli have both provided solid scores for the Wildcats when needed.
If Rootstown wins and Mogadore finishes the tournament in second place, the two teams will again share the title.
Rootstown looks to Kyle Barkhurst, a member of the Rovers' County Division championship team in 2007, and freshman Nevada Lemon to spark the Rovers to victory, along with senior Anthony Marozzi and junior Brandon Costanzo.
The rest of the tournament is too close to call, with a variety of scenarios making it possible for third-place Waterloo to finish tied for the championship with Klinton McBroom and Alex Doan leading the lineup.
Watch for County Division standouts Nathan Tarter of Mogadore (the reigning PTC County Division Player of the Year), Cody Apthorpe of Windham, Barkhurst of Rootstown and McBroom of Waterloo to make this an exciting tournament.
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METRO DIVISION -- The Rough Riders, 18-1 on the season in the Metro Division with two matches left to play, are looking to become back-to-back-to-back PTC Metro Division champions.
Kent Roosevelt has comprised an amazing won-loss record in the four years of the Portage Trail Conference. But the Rough Riders have often struggled at Sable Creek in the final showdown of the year in the PTC, allowing Ravenna to beat them twice in the PTC event.
This year, it may be Crestwood trying to spoil the Rough Riders' celebration.
Currently in second place in the PTC standings, Red Devils coach Casey Ailiff will be looking to his seniors for solid performances, including Derrick Benner.
The balanced Red Devil team does not include the individual stars of some of the other teams, but Troy Hunter, Tom Boylan, Mike Nichols and P.J. Scarl have pushed the team into a contender.
Kent Roosevelt has had success this year thanks to their underclassmen.
Rough Riders coach Brent Pfeiffer never uses the word "rebuilding" in his preseason outlook, preferring to expect the best of his team despite youth and inexperience.
The Rough Riders exceeded Pfeiffer's hopes -- if not his usual expectations -- this season behind sophomore Mark Parsons and senior Zach Longanecker.
Another surprise team is the Ravenna Ravens.
Currently in third in the PTC Metro, the Ravens' roster includes reigning PTC Metro Player of the Year Shawn Maulis, who has enjoyed outstanding backup by young players such as Ryan Brawley and Trent White.
Others to watch in the PTC Metro Division include Mike Beal of Southeast, who has fired more than his share of under-par rounds this season, and Tyler Pennington of Springfield.
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A NEW SCHOOL RECORD -- Crestwood senior standout Derrick Benner recently fired a 33 on the front nine at Sugar Bush Golf Course in Garrettsville.
That 3-under-par round is a new school record for Crestwood.
The previous best was shot by Adam Belvin, a 2005 Red Devil graduate.
Red Devils coach Casey Ailiff said that the 33 was a great score considering that conditions were windy and brutal.
Benner, a two-year caption for the team, will earn his fourth varsity letter for Crestwood this season and is averaging 38 strokes per match.
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THE SENIOR PGA AND THE WILDCATS -- The Mogadore Wildcats are too young to play in the Senior PGA Championship, but will get a taste of the challenges confronting the senior professionals when they play in the Kiely Cup today at Canterbury Golf Club.
Canterbury, located in Beachwood, is the site of the 2009 Senior PGA Championship and is considered one of the best and most difficult courses in the United States.
Herb Page, director of golf and head men's golf coach at Kent State University, is the featured speaker at the event that includes 15 of the top teams in Northeast Ohio.
Mogadore will tee off with golfers from Revere and Medina in the shotgun start at noon.
Additional schools include University School, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Gilmour Academy, Hudson, Mentor, Walsh Jesuit, Lakewood St. Edward, Strongsville, Chagrin Falls, Orange, Westlake and Brecksville.
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MATCH OF THE WEEK -- Obviously, the most important event of the PTC golf season is the above-previewed conference tournament Wednesday at Sable Creek Golf Course.
But there is some unfinished business yet in the Metro Division. Today, Kent Roosevelt welcomes Crestwood and Field to Oak Knolls in a key Metro match.
Roosevelt stands at an 18-1 record, and two victories today clinches the outright regular-season Metro title for the fourth straight year.
The Red Devils, on the other hand, are looking to earn a share of the regular-season title. Going into the match, Crestwood is 16-3.
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SPECTATORS WELCOME -- Parents, friends, golf enthusiasts and school officials are more than welcome to attend the PTC Tournament at Sable Creek on Wednesday.
Spectators and additional team members attending the tournament must remember to stay at least one-half hole ahead or behind the players and are not allowed to converse with the players throughout the entire 18 holes.