District next for Div. I golfers

Staff report

Today at the Legends of Massillon Golf Course, golfers from Canfield, Poland, Boardman and Niles will compete in the Division I girls district tournament.

Canfield and Poland’s teams qualified after finishing in the top four last week at Tamer Win Golf & Country Club. Boardman senior Jenna Vivo and Niles’ Olivia Taylor qualified as individuals.

Wednesday at at Pine Hills in Hinkley, the Boardman team and Howland’s Joe Vitali will compete in the Div. I boys district.

In last week’s sectional at Tannenhauf Golf Club, Boardman was second after shooting 308. Cole Christman led the Spartans with 35 in the second round and a combined score of 73.

Vitali shot a 77 and finished tied for ninth overall and third amongst individual qualifiers.

GIRLS

Canfield placed first in sectionals last week with a score of 334. Gillian Cerimele led the Cardinals with a 76 and Hannah Keffler was second with an 80.

Poland came in fourth after shooting 357 and was the final team to qualify.

Vivo shot an 82 and finished fifth overall. Taylor finished eighth after scoring an 83. She finished third for individuals after a playoff with Chardon’s Laine Hursh.

Canfield coach Diane McCall said on Monday that she’s glad her team qualified this season. In 2016, Cerimele, Kefler and Carmel Cerimele all played at Legends, but were individual participants.

McCall said Gillian Cerimele and Kefler are two of her top golfers, but they haven’t shot low numbers at the same time. She said she’s hoping they both can perform well together today.

Niles girls coach Abbey Chieffo said Taylor took a practice round with Poland on Sunday. Chieffo said Poland and Taylor practicing together should be beneficial for her junior because it gives her an opportunity to practice against other district level players.

BOYS

Howland boys coach Chris Chieffo said Vitali played well last week but thought he could improve. He said Vitali left a “couple shots out there” and could have shot a lower score. He said the recent rain will change Vitali’s approach.

“I think the golf course will probably be totally different after the last few days with the rain,” Chieffo said. “We’ve been playing at some really hard golf courses just because of how dry it’s been.