Jason Kokrak and Kelly Baytos have found similar success.

Jason Kokrak and Kelly Baytos have found similar success.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- One began playing golf at the age of 3. The other started as a freshman in high school.
Warren JFK senior golfers Jason Kokrak and Kelly Baytos may have taken different paths, but they found similar success.
Kokrak, a two-time Division III state champion, picked up his clubs for the first time when he was just a kid playing with his father. Baytos, a two-time Div. III state tournament qualifier, turned to golf when she got tired of playing softball.
Both fell in love with the sport and are this year's Vindicator golfers of the year.
Looking back
"It's been a little bit overwhelming," Kokrak said when reflecting on his playing career. "Everybody has been calling me and I've gotten a lot of publicity, which I'm not used to.
"I like it though. It's fun."
At his senior banquet, Kokrak's coaches presented him with a plaque for shooting an impressive 17-under par for his final four high school rounds -- including back-to-back rounds of 67 to win his second-straight state title. His teammate, junior Colin Clemente, finished second as the Eagles finished second behind Lima Central Catholic for the state title.
JFK won state titles in 2000 and 2001.
"Coach [Bob] Heltzel came here six years ago and then coach [Bob] Todd and they wanted us to get into more tournaments and less matches," Kokrak, last year's Vindicator golfer of the year, said. "We started playing around the state in 18-hole tournaments against much better competition and that just made us better."
Goals
Kokrak will play at Xavier University next fall, majoring in business, and hopes to one day make it on the pro tour.
"I really liked the coach [Doug Steiner] and everyone at the school is very nice," Kokrak said. "I just want to have fun and play the best golf I can. I'm looking forward to playing all around the United States against bigger and better competition."
Baytos, who finished an area-best 14th at the state tournament, will play at Elon University next fall and major in either political science or history.
"I liked the campus, I liked the golf program and I just thought it was a great place," Baytos said. "It fit me."
Baytos, who was the fifth member of JFK's state qualifying team in 1999, said her goal was to get back to the state meet and worked hard in the offseason to prepare.
"I was really excited," she said. "Both times I went to state are probably the two things that stick out in my career."
She stopped short of saying that golf came naturally to her, but she has improved rapidly over the past four years.
"I had to make big strides to compete with girls who had been playing for a longer time," she said. "I think I've improved in every aspect of the game."
scalzo@vindy.com