BOYS GOLF Close-knit Ursuline squad has hopes of making state

Coach Michael Murphy said his players are friends on and off the golf course.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Like all Ursuline High sports programs, the goals set by the boys golf team are of a high standard.
As of last week, the Irish led the Steel Valley Conference with a 7-2 record and they finished fourth in the recent Cardinal Classic.
"Our goals are to make it to Columbus and be one of the top 12 teams in the Division II state tournament," Ursuline coach Michael Murphy said.
A senior (Matt Cheney), two sophomores (Joe Santisi and Ryan Spear) and two freshmen (Paul Cene and Jacob Detec) have the Irish on a course to Columbus with a 42-7 overall record this season as of last week.
"This is the closest group of kids I've had in my four years here," Murphy said. "They play golf together and on and off the course they hang out with each other and are close friends.
"This group is very coach-able and I told them at the beginning of the season, you must treat each other as brothers," Murphy said. "They took me serious."
Backgrounds
Cheney started playing golf in the eighth grade and has played for Murphy since his freshman year. He's right-handed, but plays golf left-handed.
"Cheney put himself on a weight-lifting program in January, got in incredible shape and put 25 yards on his drives and is consistently hitting the ball 265 yards off the tee," Murphy said.
Cheney has a 40 average for nine holes. In addition to his leadership, Cheney carries a 3.3 grade point average and wants to study engineering in college.
Santisi has played golf since he was 7 years old. He has a 35.9 average, which is the lowest on the team. He also carries a 3.1 GPA and Murphy said he is one of the most likable kids in school.
"If there is a kid at Ursuline that isn't especially popular, Santisi goes and sit with him at lunch," Murphy said. "He's a friend to everybody."
Spear is little, but big hitter
Spear, who weighs 112 pounds, averages 37.4 per nine holes. Pound-for-pound, he's one of the longest hitters off the tee with consistent drives of 240-250 yards.
"He has a great personality, is a great kid to be around and he works harder then anyone I know," Murphy said. "He won our Vijay Singh award for his effort.
"Cene and Detec, very close friends, are the glue to the team right now," Murphy said. "Both are very powerful hitters and Detec is in every honors class at Ursuline.
"Detec is very intelligent on and off the course," Murphy said. "I think he's carried a 4.0 GPA all of his school years.
"Cene is an 8-handicap at Tippecanoe Country Club," Murphy said.
Other sports
Cene also plays baseball and is a catcher while Detec wrestles and plays baseball.
"I started working with these kids four years ago and I invited them up to [Creekside] Golf Dome in Girard," Murphy said. "We attributed a lot of our success to the seventh and eighth grade program we have at the Golf Dome.
"I really think the reason we got better so quickly is because of our year around work at the golf dome which has improved our hitting and fundamentals of the game," Murphy said.
miller@vindy.com