Westlake’s Julie Wise is expected to be one of Westlake’s leaders during the 2007 golf season.

Magnificat girls take top honors at OGGF
By Matt Pawlikowski
Sports
Published July 25, 2007

It was a record-setting day at the 11th annual Ohio Girls Foundation Tournament as Katie Rogner, a soon- to-be freshman at Youngstown State University from Poland, won the event at Avon Oaks Country Club last week with her record 2-under par 70.

Her score was seven strokes better than Chelsea Witmer of North Lima, who shot a 77.

The tournament, which is sponsored by the foundation, which promotes girls golf in northern Ohio, began with a clinic given by current LPGA pro Barb Mucha. In the end though, while Rogner took home top honors, it was Magnificat’s golfers who put on a clinic of their own.

Led by Dana Schwartz, who fired an 81, the Blue Streaks won the tourney with a team score of 341. St. Joseph Academy was the next top team, placing fourth with a 373, while Westlake shot a 379 to take home fifth-place honors.

“All I’ve been doing this summer is playing golf,” said Schwartz. “I attended a golf camp at Ohio State, I was shooting in the 90s and came back in the 70s. The greens today were really very fast. I had a couple of bad drives, but I recovered. My only birdie was on 18. Before I teed off I told myself that I wanted to go out with a bang.”

Magnificat’s Ellen Dreher helped her squad take home the OGGF team title. Here, she is shown teeing it up on the 11th hole. (Photos by Matt Thornicroft)

Teammate Christina Opsitnick was not that far off Schwartz, as she tallied a nice 83 on the sun-drenched day.

“I’ve been working on my putting,” said Blue Streak golfer Opsitnick. “I’ve gotten a lot better. I was hitting the ball pretty solidly today. Everything came together, especially at the end. I birdied number 2. It was my only birdie.”

What makes Magnificat’s feat even more intriguing is the fact they won without top golfer Alex Bello, who was playing in another tournament. Needless to say, Magnificat coach Libbey McGrath, who was on hand to watch her girls, was extremely pleased.

“They always come through,” said McGrath. “Last year, we didn’t expect to make it to state. Our goal was to finish high in the district, and it was so exciting that we did what we did.  That score by Schwartz has to be her lowest at Magnificat and the 341 is incredible without Alex.  I think our team is where we need to be now.”

St. Joseph Academy’s girls were all smiles when they walked off the course too.

Maddie Keefe led the Jaguars with her 83, and was ecstatic after.

“I’m really happy with it,” she said with a smile after her round. “I hadn’t been playing well, but my drives today were real good.”

Although team captain Abbey Miller wasn’t happy with her round of 102, it was one of the first times she had teed it up this summer.

“Golf is a crazy game, but it’s a lot of fun at the same time,” she said. “I’m not too happy with my round, but what can you do? It’s my first 18 of the year, and it’s the season opener.”

Like Miller, Brooke Hamilton also wasn’t happy with her game.

“I thought it was very challenging,” Hamilton said. “It got real hot out there, but we all played well as a team, and that is the most important thing.”

Like McGrath, Westlake coach Mary Beth Schneidler had to be pleased with the effort her defending Southwestern Conference Demons put forth on the course. Kaleigh McMahon, who will be a senior this year and sported a Michigan hat, led the team with her 82.

“I did decent out there,” said McMahon as her teammates teased her. “I missed a few putts, but that’s the name of the game. It was nice out, and my driver was working really well.”

McMahon, whose previous best this summer was an 86 at the Kenny Nowak Tournament at Ellsworth Meadows, said her favorite part of the day was when she got a birdie on No. 18 after sinking a long putt.

Good friend Julie Wise, who, along with McMahon is expected to give the Demons a mean 1-2 punch this fall, shot a 94 on the day. Although she felt she could do better, she enjoyed the experience of the tournament.

“I had a lot of pars, one birdie and too much other stuff,” said Wise. “That was my round. But I played with some really nice girls and enjoyed the day.”

Anne Hertl, who is heading off this fall to Aquanis College in Grand Rapids Michigan, and was a varsity player from her freshman year on at Westlake, shot a 95, and like Wise had fun.

“Definitely not my best round,” Hertl joked. “It’s my first time out on a golf course all summer. I played varsity since my freshman year; we were inseparable and very close, so I’m going to miss the girls. College should be a lot of fun, but I’ll be starting all over again.”

Also playing in the tourney was North Olmsted native Kayte Tuleta, who will be a freshman at St. Joeseph Academy this year.

“It was really fun, and I felt energized out there,” she said. “I really like the clinic that Barb Mucha put on. She was interesting, and told us to be positive.”