Boardman girls win D-I golf sectional

October 6, 2015 at 12:05a.m.

Fourth-place Canfield also earns

district spot in Massillon next week

BAZETTA

The Boardman Spartans shot 328 overall to capture the Division I girls sectional golf tournament Monday at Tamer Win Golf & Country Club, outdistancing runner-up Chardon Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin (346) and defending champion Kent Roosevelt (352).

All three teams, along with the Canfield Cardinals (358) who finished fourth, advance to district play Oct. 13 at Legends of Massillon Golf Course.

Kory Nielson of Kent Roosevelt earned medalist honors with a 74 (36-38) while the Spartans’ Jenna Vivo (38-37) and Reva Morris of NDCL tied at 75.

“It’s a great feeling to win it all, despite the fact that we really didn’t play our very best overall as a team,” Boardman coach Brian Terlesky said. “When your horse [Jacinta Pikunas] shoots an 82 — and I don’t think she has shot an 82 since she was 12-years-old — you have to credit our two, three and four finishers because they really stepped up as a group.

“This is a very special group in that they do everything together. They like to practice and have fun together and that’s what sports is all about.”

The Spartans finished 17-1 overall this year with their only loss coming at the hands of this year’s Division II sectional champions, the Lakeview Bulldogs in a scorecard play-off.

In addition to Vivo’s 75, Boardman was also led by Pikunas (82), Britney Jonda (83), Tori Augustine (88) and Maya Stinson (96).

“It’s an exciting time for all of us because if we play well at district next week, then we have a chance to qualify for state,” Vivo stated. “Today, the course was in excellent shape but the placements were tough and the greens really fast. At No. 17, I felt like I had a chance for medalist honors but the only thing I was thinking about was finishing strong.”

Pikunas said that it wasn’t one thing lacking with her game, instead a combination of things that led to her shooting an 82.

“My team picked me up today. I didn’t do much for them but they had my back,” Pikunas said. “It wasn’t one specific thing for me — just a missed putt here and a bad shot there — but it just added up. The greens were a real challenge.”

Jonda said playing and concentrating on every shot was the key.

“We had to make every shot count and remain focused if we expected to be there in the end,” she said. “The goal for us is state, but we’re not looking ahead and just focusing on district play next week.”

Canfield, which is returning to district play, was paced by Hannah Keffler (41-40—81), Gillian Cerimele (41-45—86), Kaci Carpenter (44-48—92), Carmel Cerimele (48-51—99) and Lexie Page (53-57—110).

Both Keffler and Gillian Cerimele finished one-two in the recently completed Greatest Golfer of the Valley Junior 14-U division.

Cardinals head coach Diane McCall, now in her 19th season, is making her 18th district appearance.

“I knew that we were on the cusp going into the day and had to shoot well in order to advance,” McCall said. “I like the Legends of Massillon golf course. The competition will be extremely tough, so it will be about course management.”

Austintown Fitch (403) finished seventh. Howland’s Rachel Russell (89) qualified for districts as an individual.

Other individual qualifiers were Ayn Henry (84) of Kenston, Jessica Queen (85) of Chardon and Tori Stranman (87) of Lakeside.