Independence senior Mark Pillar chased down a dream by winning the OHSAA Division III state golf title on Saturday at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course.
Pillar shot a tournament-best 72 on Day 1 and then finished with a 74 on the second day to win the tournament with 146 total strokes. Youngstown Cardinal Mooney’s Alex Eckstein finished as the runner-up with 148 strokes.
“I’m thrilled to be a state champion,” Pillar said. “My goal going into the tournament was to win, so achieving that goal is very special and I’m proud of myself.”
Pillar placed fourth at the state tournament as a junior and 28th as a sophomore.
Last fall, the state tournament was held at NorthStar Golf Club, but Pillar did play on the Scarlet Course in 2021.
“The previous state tournaments definitely helped with the nerves,” Pillar said. “I felt like I belonged and knew I could perform. Since last year’s tournament was at NorthStar, I didn’t have Scarlet fresh in my head. The practice round definitely refreshed my memory and got me familiar with the course layout.”
During the state championships, Pillar focused on what led him back to the state tournament.
That strategy led to Pillar recording five birdies, 22 pars, and just nine bogies in the 36-hole tournament.
“I played it like every other tournament,” he said. “I just focused on one shot at a time and trusted my swing. Coach (Kyle) Kovach and Coach Lisa (Kemenyes) are the ones responsible for all my success. All season long, they went over most of my shots and where I should aim to hit it. Also, I had an amazing support group watching me. A bunch of my friends came down and watched me play. It was an amazing feeling to spend this moment with all of them.”
Pillar was especially effective on his approach shots and finishing on the greens.
“First off, I’d like to thank my swing instructor Nick Paez for all the support and advice he’s given me throughout my career,” Pillar said. “Both days, my approach game was very solid. I hit many greens and thankfully, my putting was also good. When I did miss a green, I was able to get my chip close. Overall, my game was pretty good.”
Winning the state title certainly is impressive but accomplishing that while also playing a key role on the Independence boys’ soccer team amplifies Pillar’s efforts.
He is among the Blue Devils’ leading scorers with 13 goals this season.
“Thankfully, I’m able to leave school. I have a long break in the middle of the day so I’m able to go to the course and work on my game,” Pillar said. “That leaves me free after school so I can go to soccer practice.”
Independence’s girls’ golf team placed fifth at the Division II state tournament at Ohio State’s Gray Course.
The Blue Devils finished with 727 strokes.
Senior Molly McGreal closed out her high school career with four appearances in the state tournament. She placed eighth overall on Saturday with a score of 156.
Junior Macey McGhee placed 21st with a 172, senior Adriann Buyansky finished 54th with a 196, and junior Maria DeCapua closed out the scoring with a 203, good for 58th place. Senior Callia Shumay closed out her career with a 211, good for 65th place.
Chagrin Falls’ boys’ team placed fourth at the Division II state tournament at NorthStar.
The Tigers shot 657, just 10 strokes out of second place.
Senior Sven Nielsen led the Tigers with a 152, good for a tie for seventh place. Junior Charlie Pollock shot a 154, good for 11th place, senior John Catney carded a 172, good for 35th place, and senior Oliver Tepper closed out the scoring with a 180, good for 58th place. Sophomore Jack Watson finished with an 181 to place 59th.
