The 2025 season has been years in the making for the Rootstown girls’ golf team—and head coach Matt Just believes this is the group that can break new ground for the program.
“This is the season we, as a program, have been looking forward to over the last three years,” said Just, now in his fourth year leading the Rovers. “We have the potential to qualify for the district tournament as a team, for the first time in our program’s short history.”
Rootstown is coming off a strong 10-3 campaign in 2024 and returns a deep and experienced roster, including all five starters and two additional letterwinners. That group is led by a senior class that features six players, each bringing talent and valuable match experience to the lineup.
Among them is three-year letterwinner Ava Miller, who posted a 46 average over nine holes and a 102 over 18 holes last fall. She placed ninth at the Lady Spartan Invitational and 13th at the OHSAA Sectional Tournament at Punderson.
“Ava is a three-year letterwinner and leader of our squad,” Just said. “She has put in countless hours in the off-season to continue improving.”
Joining Miller in the top of the lineup is fellow senior Anna Drago, another three-year letterwinner who averaged 47 over nine holes and finished 15th at sectionals.
“Anna has improved each of the previous two years,” Just noted.
Senior Chloe Gardner, who averaged 48 and placed 24th at sectionals, was a steady force in 2024.
“Chloe is a three-year letterwinner and was the most consistent golfer on the squad last year,” Just said.
Rounding out the top five are Morgan Giebel, a sophomore and returning letterwinner who averaged 53 strokes per nine holes, and Ella Derr, a senior two-year letterwinner with a 55 average.
“Morgan is our only non-senior within the top six of our squad,” Just said. “She works very hard and will be very important to our success this season.”
“Ella has worked very hard to continue her improvement,” he added.
Senior Camryn Lappe is another key returning letterwinner who will take on a bigger role this fall after averaging 57 strokes per nine holes in 2024.
“Camryn is a returning letterwinner and will be asked to step into a larger role this season,” Just said.
The Rovers are also welcoming two promising freshmen, Audrey Wohlwend and Charlie Wilson, who have already made a strong impression during summer workouts.
“They are both going to be instrumental in our program moving forward,” Just said.
Rootstown joins the ultra-competitive Chagrin Valley Conference this season—a league that sent three teams to districts last fall. While the new conference brings stiffer competition, Just believes it will only help sharpen his team for a potential postseason breakthrough.
“We will need to be consistent in our play from one through six on our squad and hope the increased competition throughout the season, moving to the CVC, will help prepare us for the postseason,” he said.
The Rovers will need to overcome the loss of senior Alex Biggin, a three-year letterwinner who is sidelined for the year with a season-ending injury. But with strong leadership, depth, and experience, Rootstown has its sights set on making school history this fall.
