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Columbiana’s boys and girls golf teams will compete in state tournaments at OSU
By Brian Dzenis
COLUMBIANA
There’s a chance the Columbiana girls and boys golf teams could see some friendly faces as they compete in the Division II state tournaments this weekend at Ohio State.
There are two courses at the campus, but some of the different holes share tee boxes and for the first time in school history, the teams will have a chance to bump into one another as both teams qualified.
But the chase for title isn’t taking a back seat to a battle of the sexes.
“We always joke around that we’re going to beat them all the time, but it’s just a friendly rivalry,” said Alexa Tringhese, Columbiana’s No. 1 girls player.
After three years of trying, the girls team made states for the first time in the program’s history. The team comes in with an 11-2 record, with the two losses coming when the Divsion II Clippers tried to punch above their weight against Division I Galloway and Lakeview.
“I always thought we were close with both of those teams,” Columbiana girls coach Chad Moreschi said. “Lakeview has constantly been that team in the area that we sort of measure ourselves against and we haven’t nipped them yet.
“It seems like every time we play them, we get a little bit closer, so I kind of feel like it’s time to pass them up. But the more we play with them, the more I realize that we’re very competitive with them, so we’re not intimidated by those teams and it’s helped us a lot. I think we can play with them just like we would any other team.”
It’s a senior-heavy team, with four of the team’s starting five graduating this spring. After Tringhese, Elise Hammond is the team’s distance hitter, Alli Moreschi brings a balanced game and the elder Moreschi said her chipping and putting has improved tremendously throughout the season. Hannah Garofalo is the lone junior amoung the starters and Shannon Marshburn rounds out the starting five.
Tringhese finished in fifth place in the U-17 category of The Vindicator’s Greatest Golfer of the Valley Tournament this past summer, picking up a win in a qualifier at Squaw Creek, tying for first at Tam O’Shanter, finishing second twice and taking third once leading up to the finals.
“It was actually a great experience, I definitely loved playing with all the girls, it was a good chance to meet everyone around the valley,” Tringhese said. “I play better when I’m playing with the better golfers of other teams. When I play with a No. 1, I kind of play up to my competition.”
Columbiana’s boys are making a second straight appearance at state. They’re in the Division III tournament.
“This year I think it’s going to be a little easier for us to look at it as another golf tournament rather than our first time at the state tournament,” Clippers coach Jeff Jackson said. “There will still be a lot of anticipation and excitement and some nerves, but there’s definitely a different feel this year than last.”
Four of the five players from last year’s state’s run return. No. 1 Jared Wilson is already getting attention from Division I schools in his sophomore year for the 18-0 Clippers.
“It’s really exciting just to know that all the hard work is really paying off,” Wilson said. “It really helps to keep you motivated to keep doing what you’re doing and it keeps you on the right track.”
“He’s consistent, he’s a smart kid, he’s a smart player,” Jackson said. “Physically, he’s got a lot of talent and he’s worked really hard, so it’s very nice having him as the No. 1 player because —and it’s always something you sometimes take for granted— he always has a pretty good score.
“He’s a very good ball striker and he’s got a good short game, so all-around he works really hard at and he has a pretty polished golf game.”
After Wilson are seniors Joe Lucci and Bruce Wiggins in the two and three spots. Freshman Seth Ross and junior Griffin Williams round out the team.
“We have a team that’s familiar with the state tournament and we’ve played in a lot of tournaments this year in the regular season, so we’re really looking forward to getting down there,” Jackson said.
The tournament’s practice rounds begin Thursday while the competition starts Friday and runs into Saturday. The boys will play on Ohio State’s Scarlet course and the girls will play on the Gray Course.