43
Boardman HS well-represented in Greatest junior finals field
Five golfers take aim at second title; Vivo third
WARREN
If the Greatest Golfer of the Valley junior championship field is any indication, Boardman High School is loaded with talent.
Eight total players in the boys and girls 17-and-under divisions currently play, or will next year, for the Spartans’ golf teams.
Brian Terlesky and Cade Kreps made sure their names were included in the field by shooting the two lowest rounds of the day in the final qualifier Thursday at Trumbull Country Club. Kreps’ 3-over par 75 earned him the five points he needed to sneak into a tie for the final qualifying spot in the boys 17-and-under division. His average score of 74 in the two events he played this summer beat out Brian Velasquez’s average of 81.25 to make the finals field.
“I’m excited,” Kreps said. “I missed a short putt that would’ve tied me with Brian [Terlesky] for the round, but hey, I’m in, right?”
Just because Terlesky and Kreps are teammates doesn’t mean there won’t be some friendly competition between them and the rest of their Spartans teammates in the final.
“We’re pretty good friends, but we’re both super competitive so it’ll be fun,” Kreps said.
THREE-PEAT?
Terlesky’s cousin, Jenna Vivo, will be seeking her third consecutive junior title. She will be playing for the girls 17-and-under trophy for the first time, after winning the 14-and-under championship the past two years.
To take home her third title she’ll have to take down some of the top girls players in the area. Kaylee Neumeister and Jacinta Pikunas both have junior titles and are both expected to be in the championship field Sunday, July 26 at Avalon Lakes Golf & Country Club.
FAMILY AFFAIR
Both Bobby and Britney Jonda of Boardman qualified through the points system to earn a spot in the final.
The twins had similar performances all summer, with Britney beating out Bobby by just four points in five events.
Zach and Jenna Jacobson of Poland both earned spots by winning one of the six qualifying events.
MOONEY CHALLENGE
Although Boardman may have the most players in the field, Cardinal Mooney will have something to say about who wins the championships.
Ken Keller and Nick Braydich will represent the Cardinals in the boys 17-and-under field, along with Keegan Butler in the younger division.
Keller won the 14-and-under division in 2013, but didn’t fare well in his first year with the older boys. Butler has played well in the last two qualifiers, shooting 74-77, and will look to continue at Avalon Lakes.
TIEBREAKERS NEEDED
All three divisions that had cuts needed a tiebreaker to decide who made the finals field.
The girls 17-and-under division had a three-way tie for the sixth and final qualifying spot, which went to Tori Augustine and Sydney Heinbaugh. Zavier Bokan got into the boys 14-and-under field with a better average score than Kobe Emery by one-third of a point.
With only nine girls in the 14-and-under division, all of the participants will have a shot at the title.