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School’s in on the links
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Dom Carano Jr. of Canfi eld High hits with an iron on Monday at Diamondback Golf Course during the Western Reserve Invitational.
By RYAN W. BUCK
Believe it or not, the fall high school sports season is under way.
Diamondback Golf Course in Canfield and Trumbull Country Club in Warren hosted the first events of the prep golf season Monday, with both venues featuring some of the strongest competition in Northeast Ohio.
Mineral Ridge High, under Coach Shawn Brown, took home first place at the 14th annual Diamondback High School Golf Invitational. The top four scores combined from each team of five players saw the Rams best runner-up Ursuline, 342 to 347.
Brown praised his squad’s performance on the greens.
“Our guys came out and they made some good putts,” said Brown, clearly satisfied with his team’s start to the season. “I saw us making some long putts that helped us out a little bit.
“We were getting off the tee OK, nothing great, but we were just making putts and that’s the name of the game around the greens.”
Pierce Rassega, one of three seniors on the Rams’ roster, drilled a 40-foot putt on No. 12 to kick-start his round.
“After that I started draining everything; a big confidence booster,” Rassega said.
Rassega, who carded a team-best 83, credits the team camaraderie for the strong start.
“We’re very competitive together,” Rassega said. “We go golfing a lot, we get in each others’ ears, make sure we’re practicing and getting out to the golf course.”
Josh Durig (85), Colin Cameron (86) and Brandon Bukotchan (88) were close behind Rassega, as consistency carried the day for the Rams.
Ursuline’s Jimmy Naples earned the Overall Medalist honor with a round of 76. Like his competitors, Naples emphasized deft touch on Diamondback’s quick greens.
“Honestly I just felt it today,” Naples said. “I had a lot of up-and-downs and a lot of one-putts today. My stroke felt nice and smooth.”
Brian Snyder, Diamondback owner and Western Reserve coach, sees events like these as ideal preparation for the postseason after summers spent in a comfort zone.
“We put them in a tournament like this, right off the bat, and they’re going out as individuals with all usually new faces that they’re not familiar playing with on a daily basis,” Snyder said.
“Inevitably when they get to the end of the season after the league matches are over they’re going to play in league tournaments, sectionals and districts.”
Twenty miles to the north, Warren JFK enjoyed the comforts of their home course. The Eagles, under coach Jim St. George, earned a five-shot victory at the inaugural Warren JFK Invitational.
Paced by 2011 Greatest Golfer Juniors champion James Lapolla’s individual second-place score of 79, the Eagles’ combined score of 332 was too much for Mentor Lake Catholic’s 337 and Girard’s 338.
Junior Ben Meola of Mentor Lake Catholic took the individual title with a 76.
Lapolla edged Poland’s Jason McQown, who also shot 79, in a one-hole play-off in individual play.
John Diana, Trumbull Country Club head professional, was pleased with the first event.
“Everything went very well. It gives the kids a taste of competition before the full season starts,” said Diana, formerly a very successful junior player in the area. “We’ll host this again, and we’re looking to make this one of the premier high school tournaments in Northeast Ohio.”