Recordpub.com - Southeast girls golf team continues progress

Southeast High School has only had a girls team for four years and head coach Rick Walchalk is pleased with the progress of the girls.

In the OHSAA Division I 2007 sectional tournament, the Pirate girls demonstrated their progress by finishing fifth, just one place out of qualifying for the district tournament.

This season, the stakes are a little bit different since the OHSAA has divided the girls into two divisions and Southeast will compete in Division II at Pine Lakes Golf Course in Hubbard with the possibility of advancing to Tam O'Shanter in Canton for the Districts.

The girls at Southeast include seniors Nikkii Perry, Brenna Cramer, Jaime Fesemyer and Jenna Phile; sophomores Tana Shaulis, Kelsey Knapp and Kelley Fesemyer; and freshmen Heather King, Jena Mcelfresh and Rachel Richards.

Perry has been playing in the medalist spot this season.

"It is her third year with the golf program," said Walchalk. "She is a very consistent player."

Senior Brenna Cramer will be the only girl to earn a four-year letter this season.

Southeast had girls on the boys teams prior to four years ago but the girls have played their own schedule since Cramer was a freshman.

Walchalk noted at how hard the girls are working.

"We have played four matches this season and are 2-2," said Walchalk after the girls beat both Firestone and Springfield but lost to Tallmadge and Twinsburg.

The Pirates also played at the Aurora High School girls tournament that was competed at Kent State University Golf Course in Kent.

Southeast was 14-1 last season and Walchalk is pleased with the growth of the program.

"We have 10 girls out for golf this year," said Walchalk

The coach sees golf as something the girls should enjoy their entire life, not just play in high school.

"It's tough for the girls because they don't play in a league," said Walchalk.

Their successes have to come with each match since the girls play schools from many different leagues.

"Without getting too philosophical about it," said Walchalk, "our No. 1 goal is to learn and have fun and let the wins and losses fall where they fall."

The girls call Olde Dutch Mill in Lake Milton their home course.

The Pirates play this Thursday at home against Springfield and then take on Tallmadge at Brookledge in Cuyahoga Falls on Sept. 4.

Walchalk looks to the future when additional PTC schools may have enough girls to field separate teams from the boys.

"The girls enjoy meeting people from other schools and playing the game," said Walchalk.

TRIVIA TIME -- Name the two high schools in Portage County that field girls teams.

Not a girl on the boys' team but an actual girls varsity golf team.

Answer: Southeast and Aurora.

The Southeast Pirates team is actually the only girls team within Portage County that competes in the Portage Trail Conference.

In fact, the entire 16-team PTC Metro and County divisions combined only have three varsity girls teams: the aforementioned Southeast as well as Coventry and Norton.

TOO CLOSE TO CALL -- Two weeks into the high school golf season and no clear-cut winner has been determined in either the County or the Metro division.

But that could change this week.

Currently, the County Division leader, Mogadore, has an unblemished record while the Rough Riders and the Red Devils each have one loss in the Metro.

The Rough Riders earned a one-stroke victory over Crestwood at Sunny Hill, while Mogadore had a close call against Waterloo in the first week of the season.

This week could be one of the toughest for the three teams, with the Ravenna Ravens close on the heels of Kent Roosevelt and Crestwood, while both Waterloo and Rootstown are looking to give the Wildcats their first loss.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED MATCHES -- County Division: The Wildcats face both of their toughest opponents the first two days of the week, but the advantage may be to Mogadore as both Rootstown and Waterloo have to take on the undefeated Wildcats at West's Mogadore Country Club.

It's similar to basketball teams walking into the old Wildcat gymnasium. The home-court advantage was huge.

Today finds Waterloo invading Wildcat country along with Streetsboro, while Tuesday, Rootstown and Windham make the trip to the town that straddles the Portage-Summit County lines.

Tuesday will be the Rovers' and Wildcats' first head-to-head matchup since the 2007 season, when the Rovers earned the PTC County Division title.

Waterloo has had a successful pairing at the top of their lineup with First Team All-PTC selection Klinton McBroom and Alex Doan. But Mogadore seems ready with the defending PTC Player of the Year, Nathan Tarter, backed up by Will Lansinger, Nick Massoli and Nathan's younger brother, Ryan.

Both Waterloo and Rootstown do not get a break, as the two teams travel to East Canton for their only match on neutral territory between two of the league's best teams.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURED MATCHES -- Metro Division: The Metro Division has shared the wealth this year as Ravenna beat Kent Roosevelt, the Rough Riders beat Crestwood and the Red Devils beat Ravenna.

Whew.

The unending scenarios continue this week as Kent Roosevelt takes on Ravenna at Oak Knolls on Wednesday.

Only Crestwood may have an easier week in this close league. The Red Devils visit Olde Dutch Mill to take on Coventry and a much-improved Southeast team with all-league selection Mike Beal.

CURRENT PTC STANDINGS -- County Division: Mogadore 4-0, Rootstown 5-1, Waterloo 4-1, Woodridge 3-2, Streetsboro 4-4, Garfield 2-4, East Canton 1-3, Windham 0-5.

Metro: Kent Roosevelt 7-1, Crestwood 7-1, Ravenna 4-2, Norton 3-3, Southeast 3-4, Springfield 2-5, Field 1-4, Coventry 0-5.