Penguins win golf tourney

By Pete Mollica

YSU’s women’s team hosted and won an event at Firestone Farms.

COLUMBIANA — Youngstown State sophomore Samantha Formeck shot a 5-over-par 77 under very adverse conditions Monday and led the Penguins to the team championship in the YSU Invitational at The Links at Firestone Farms.

Formeck took individual medalist honors with her round that included nines of 38 and 39 as the Penguins totaled 323 to edge runner-up Bowling Green, which finished at 327.

The rest of the team scoring included Cleveland State (346), St. Francis (353) and Niagara (420).

“It was an unbelievable round under those conditions,” said YSU coach Roseann Schwartz. “But Sam has just perfect concentration, which is what you have to have under those conditions.”

The tournament, which started an hour late because of rain in the morning, was shortened to 18 holes (it was originally slated for 36 holes) after heavy winds, some gusting to 40 miles per hour, made things unbearable for the players. At times the wind was so strong that it pulled the flag sticks right out of the holes.

“It didn’t surprise me that [Formeck] shot that well, because that’s just the way she is, nothing bothers her,” added Schwartz. “She’s like that in school where she gets straight A’s.”

YSU senior Brittany Stillwagon finished at 81, while freshman Sarah Heimlich shot 82 and junior Katie Rogner, a Warren JFK High standout, finished at 83.

Only one other player in the tournament shot under 80 and that was Bowling Green’s Megan Gormley, who had a 79.

“The young freshman [Heimlich] did very well today and she looks like she’s really coming into her own, while we got a good effort out of senior Brittany Stillwagon,” Schwartz added.

“It’s a shame that we had to have conditions like this, first heavy rain in the morning and then the high winds after the rain quit, but I thought all the girls handled it pretty well.

“I’m very pleased with our play today under those conditions.

The Penguins have three more tournaments in the fall season. They’ll play at the Penn State Invitational this weekend, then at the Akron Invitational on Oct. 5-6 and finally the MAC Preview hosted by Toledo on Oct. 12-13.

The Penguins are also the defending champions of the Horizon League tournament, which will be played April 24 and 25 at Kearney Hills Golf Links in Lexington, Ky.

A year ago as a true freshman, Formeck won medalist honors at the conference tournament, leading the Penguins to the title.