Division I Girls
New Albany Girls Win Fourth Consecutive Golf State Title after Final Day Comeback
COLUMBUS, Ohio- New Albany staged a second-day comeback to secure its fourth-consecutive golf state championship at the 2021 Division I Girls Golf State Tournament at Ohio State University’s Gray Course on Saturday.
After the first day of the tournament, the top-five teams were within 13 strokes of each other making it a tightly contested affair on Saturday. New Albany trailed Mason by six strokes (298-304) heading into final day of the tournament. New Albany then shot 284 as a team, which ranks as the second-lowest single round team score in Division I girls golf state tournament history, to clinch the state championship.
The Eagles’ day two score of 284 was 11 strokes better than state runner-up Mason’s score of 295 (304-295-593). New Albany’s overall score of 588 (298-284) ranks as the third-lowest overall team score in Division I girls golf state history.
With the 2021 state title win, New Albany is tied for second with Lima Central Catholic with four girls golf state titles in OHSAA history, only trailing Dublin Jerome (6).
The Eagles were led by sophomore Emerson Purcell who finished fourth overall 72-69-141 (+1), followed by seniors Anna Ritter who finished sixth 77-68-145 (+5) and Kary Hollenbaugh who finished tied for 11th 74-74-148 (+8). Ritter’s second round score of 68 is tied for seventh for the lowest all-time 18-hole score in girls golf state tournament history. Purcell’s second round score of 69 is tied for 17th for the lowest all-time 18-hole score in girls golf state tournament history.
Dublin Jerome junior Audrey Ryu earned medalist honors 71-67-138 (-2). Ryu’s overall 36-hole score is tied for third for the lowest overall score and her second-round score of 67 is tied for the lowest all-time 18-hole score in girls golf state tournament history. Rocky River Magnificat’s Cara Heisterkamp also shot a 67 a day earlier tying Ryu’s performance for the lowest all-time 18-hole score in girls golf state tournament history.
Division II Girls
Lima Central Catholic Makes History in Golf State Tournament Win
COLUMBUS, Ohio- The Lima Central Catholic girls golf team earned its fourth-consecutive OHSAA state championship Saturday on the OSU Gray Course with a score of 318-338-656. The Thunderbirds are the first Division II girls golf team to win four championships in a row. Only Dublin Jerome’s five in a row (2011-15) are more than LCC’s.
Alliance Marlington finished as runner-up with a score of 317-351-668, led by junior Maria Warner, shooting a 157 and freshman Zoe Mort with a 159. It is the Dukes’ second trip to the state tournament, finishing runner-up in 2019.
Lima Central Catholic senior Emma Mayers led the team with a score of 78-79-157 and clinched a first-team All-Ohio award. It was Emma’s fourth-straight appearance in the state tournament and fourth state title. Junior Bridget Mulcahy received second-team All-Ohio honor and shot a 74-84-158.
After finishing fourth in 2020, Gates Mills Hawken junior Ella Wong captured individual medalist honors this year with a score of 71-75-146. Shelby Senior Nicole Jones finished as runner-up, shooting a 73-75-148.
Division I Boys
Cleveland St. Ignatius’ Record-Breaking Weekend Earns Third Golf State Title
COLUMBUS, Ohio- Cleveland St. Ignatius had a record-breaking weekend at the 2021 Division I Boys Golf State Tournament at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course to secure the Wildcats’ third state tournament victory in school history on Saturday.
The Wildcats set both the lowest single round and overall team scores at the Scarlet Course, as they finished the first day of the tournament with the lowest single round team score of 293 and finished the weekend with the lowest overall team score an overall score of 591 (293-298-591). With the 2021 state title win, St. Ignatius is tied for 14th with three boys golf state titles in OHSAA history.
St. Ignatius had a two-stroke lead (293-295) over Akron Archbishop Hoban heading into the final day of the tournament as the top-six teams were all within 18 strokes of each other. St. Ignatius was able to edge Hoban by six strokes (591-597) after a tightly contested final day. Senior Topher Reed led the Wildcats with a 72-71-143 (+1), which was tied for first, followed by juniors Nick Piesen who finished sixth 74-73-147 (+5) and Connor Malicki who finished tied for 11th 73-77-150 (+8).
Liberty Township Lakota East’s Joe Wilson 69-74-143 (+1) and Reed both earned co-medalist honors. Wilson’s first round 18-hole score is tied for second for the lowest single-round score in Division I state tournament history on the Scarlet Course.
Divsion II Boys
Gahanna Columbus Academy Overcomes 10-Stroke Deficit to Win 12th State Golf Title
SUNBURY, Ohio- Gahanna Columbus Academy won the 2021 Division II Boys Golf State Tournament by edging runner-up Kettering Archbishop Alter by three strokes (611-614) at NorthStar Golf Course in Sunbury on Saturday. After the first day of the state tournament, Columbus Academy trailed Archbishop Alter by 10 strokes (294-304) before staging the comeback win. The Vikings shot 307 while Archbishop Alter finished with 320 on the final day of the tournament.
Columbus Academy’s victory is the fifth consecutive and 12th overall boys golf state tournament in school history. The Vikings’ 12 team state golf championships rank second in OHSAA boys golf history behind Columbus Upper Arlington’s 17 team state titles. Columbus Academy’s 611 overall team score is the third-lowest team score by course in Division II in OHSAA boys golf state tournament history.
Archbishop Alter’s first round score of 294 broke the record for the lowest single round team score in Division II boys golf state tournament history at North Star Golf Course. The previous record was held by Columbus Academy in 2017 (295). Additionally, Archbishop Alter’s 614 overall team score ranks as the fourth-lowest team score by course in Division II in OHSAA boys golf state tournament history.
Junior Stephen Ma led Columbus Academy with a tied-for-third finish 74-76-150 (+6), while senior teammates Russell Ahmed finished fifth 78-73-151 (+7) and Aditya Reddy came in tied for eighth 78-75-153 (+9). Magnolia Sandy Valley junior Connor Ritter had the best individual score in the tournament to earn medalist honors with 69-76-145 (+1) score. Ritter’s score is the fifth-lowest individual score in the state tournament at NorthStar.
Division III Boys
Berlin Hiland Wins Second Golf State Title in School History
COLUMBUS, Ohio- After finishing as state runner-up in 2020, the Berlin Hiland boys golf team took home its second OHSAA golf state title after scoring a 310-314-624 at the OSU Scarlet Course on Saturday. It is the fourth trip to the state tournament for the senior class of Brookston Hummel, Carter Mishler and Kenny Weaver, who also led the Hawks to a state title as sophomores in 2019.
Gates Mills Gilmour Academy took the runner-up position with a score of 312-320-632. Senior Jack Popovich led the way with a score of 79-75-154, while senior Alex Swinarski followed behind with 75-80-155. It was Gates Mills Gilmour Academy’s third-straight year in the state tournament and 26th appearance overall.
Berlin Hiland senior Brookston Hummel earned medalist runner-up honors with a 74-75-149, following his individual state championship last fall. Sam Evans of Worthington Christian won the individual state title with a score of 70-73-143, winning by six strokes.