GIRLS GOLF Preparation has made Canfield title contender

The Cardinals went 10-0 in the MAC to win their fifth straight championship.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- At the beginning of each golf season, Canfield High girls coach Diane McCall makes sure the Cardinals play in as many tough 18-hole tournaments as possible.
"It just strengthens them and helps them get off to a good start," McCall said. "After that, the nine-hole matches you play in the regular season seem a lot easier."
Canfield usually fares well in the tournaments, finishing in the upper half, but that's not the point. First, the Cardinals learn how to get better. The wins inevitably follow.
"When we put ourselves up against the real powerhouse teams, the current state champions and the former state champions, we know we're not going to win," McCall said. "But we see what it takes to get to the next level."
It's a good strategy.
The Cardinals (11-1) went 10-0 in the Metro Athletic Conference this season to claim their fifth straight league title. They've also qualified for the district tournament five of the past six years.
They'll get another chance on Wednesday, when the Cardinals travel to Doughton Golf Course in Hubbard for the sectional tournament.
Talented team
Senior Felicia Ciotola, a Vindicator all-star the past two seasons, leads a talented Canfield team that also includes seniors Ashley Yager and Samantha Testa, junior Cara Graneto and sophomore Karly Johnson.
McCall, who also runs a junior golf program for middle school players in the spring, has coached the Cardinals for the past seven years. Two players have gone on to play golf in college -- Molly Porter, who plays at Cleveland State and McCall's daughter, Ashley, who plays at Ohio University. Ciotola will likely become the third.
The Cardinals, who went 16-1 last season and lost three of their top players to graduation, were expected to have a rebuilding year this season.
Instead, they've barely missed a beat.
Experience
"Most of my girls also play in summer tournaments," McCall said. "I always say, there's golf and there's tournament golf and they're not at all alike. One is very relaxed, where you just go out and play. The other involves standing on the first tee when 12 people are watching you.
"Your nerves kick in and the way your body handles it cannot be duplicated."
Which is why that tournament experience is so valuable late in the season, McCall said.
"You become more seasoned," McCall said. "They know how to handle the tournament pressure better than someone who hasn't been exposed to it. That's one of the reasons we've done so well."
scalzo@vindy.com