Pikunas finishes runner-up at state

state golf

Staff report

COLUMBUS

When Jacinta Pikunas walked off the 18th green at her third state tournament, the Boardman High School junior had no idea she had just finished tied for state runner-up.

Unlike professional tournaments where the best golfers are paired off on the final round, the high school finale keeps individual qualifiers separate from those competing with their teams. Keeping up with how well others are doing wasn’t possible.

“I had no idea how anyone was doing,” Pikunas said after finishing with 149. “I thought I might make the top 10. I tried not to think about the final outcome, but just focus on each shot.”

Saturday, Pikunas shot a 75 to finish two strokes behind Cincinnati Sycamore’s Kellen Alsip who also shot a 75 for 147. Alsip was in second place at the start of the day. Her team finished eighth in the state.

Canton GlenOak’s Jessica Hahn, the first-round leader, shot an 80 to finish tied for fourth place.

Pikunas and Boardman sophomore Jenna Vivo qualified for state as individuals. Vivo tied with four other golfers for 13th place after shooting a second round 77 on Ohio State University’s Gray Course.

“I’m really proud of her,” Pikunas said of Vivo. “It was her first time at state, she had to be nervous. I know I was and this was my third time,”

In the boys tournament at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course, Boardman’s team finished in seventh place with 651, three stroke behind Powell Olentangy Liberty. Cincinnati St. Xavier won the tournament with 616, five strokes better than runner-up Dublin Jerome.

Sophomore Brian Terlesky, Vivo’s cousin, finished in a four-way for 14th place after shooting 79 to finish with 157.

Freshman Cole Christman shot an 81 for 158 to finish in a five-way tie for 18th place. Sophomore Cade Kreps shot an 80 to finish at 159 to finish in a three-way tie for third place. Senior Ethan Thomas finished in 64th place and Bobby Jonda was 71st.

Pikunas shot a 35 on Saturday’s first nine holes, then 40 to finish. Figuring some of her competitors had shot in the low 70s, Pikunas went to the scorer’s tent to discover she did better than she expected.

“Very excited,” Pikunas said of her reaction to her finish. “Overall, I was very happy with the way I played.”

Pikunas said the state tournament capped a turnaround for her after what she called a “rough period” during the summer.

While on the course, Pikunas said it didn’t matter to her where she was on the scoreboard.

“Knowing that was not gonna change a shot,” she said.

Cincinnati Walnut Hills’ Katie Hallinan also finished with 149 to tie Pikunas. Hallinan had Saturday’s best round — 70.

That she could finish runner-up with a 75 was proof of the challenge the Gray Course presents.

“This course is just so tough,” said Pikunas, who said there was light rain during her first nine holes and the wind picked up for the second. “I was surprised that [few] shot low today. It was crazy.

“I like the wind, it doesn’t really bug me,” Pikunas said.

As a freshman, Pikunas finished ninth. Last year, she was in the top 20.

“I think I got caught up on making it to state,” Pikunas said of her first two trips to Columbus. “The third time, you have to get past that mentality.

“You want to compete, not focus on just getting there.”

Pikunas said she will be taking a break over the winter to focus on her college search. She has several scholarship offers. “I’m trying to figure out where I want to go,” Pikunas said.

Next October, she should figure on another crack at a state championship.