After an undefeated run through the Chagrin Valley Conference Metro Division last season, the Independence Boys Golf team enters 2026 with one goal in mind: do it again—and then go even farther.
Head coach Lisa Kemenyes, now in her fourth season, returns four starters from a team that finished 8-0 in conference play, placed second at the sectional tournament and finished sixth at districts. With nearly the entire core back, the Blue Devils believe they have the experience needed to defend their title while taking the next step in the state tournament.
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“Our goal is to repeat as CVC Metro champions and get out of districts this year,” Kemenyes said.
Leading the way is a senior-heavy lineup that has already proven it can compete when the pressure is highest.
Kaden Schuette returns after placing third at the sectional tournament with a 78 before advancing to districts, where he finished 20th with an 84. Fellow senior Johnny Walsh also turned in an outstanding postseason, finishing seventh at sectionals with an 81 before placing 11th at districts after carding an 82.
The Blue Devils also welcome back seniors David Crooks, who placed 25th at sectionals, and Anderson Jolliffe, who earned valuable postseason experience with a district-qualifying effort. Together, the veteran quartet provides Independence with one of the conference’s most experienced lineups.
Kemenyes believes talent won’t determine how far the Blue Devils can go.
Instead, success will come down to their mindset.
“We have to stay out of our own heads and just play one shot at a time,” she said.
That approach has become the program’s emphasis entering the new season. With experienced golfers throughout the lineup and a group that understands what it takes to win conference championships, Independence expects to once again be among the top teams in the CVC Metro.
The Blue Devils have already shown they can dominate league play. This fall, they’ll be trying to prove they can carry that success beyond districts and into an even deeper postseason run.
