AKRON—For the second straight year, the Chagrin Falls girls’ golf team is state-bound.
The Tigers placed second at the Division II Good Park District Tournament on Wednesday, carding a team score of 351 to secure their spot in the OHSAA state tournament at Heatherwoode Golf Club on Oct. 6-7. All five Chagrin Falls golfers shot 100 or better, led by sophomore Elizabeth Pollock, who captured the individual district title with a 74.
“It’s so exciting. I’m so proud of the girls,” said Chagrin Falls head coach Kristin Reboul. “They played hard until the very end, every stroke. They knew that every stroke was going to matter, and they stayed in it through the 18th green.”
Pollock edged Orange’s Anuja Patel, her Chagrin Valley Conference rival, by a single stroke. Patel, who topped Pollock by three shots at last week’s sectional tournament, fired a 75 and also qualified for state as one of the top two individuals not on a qualifying team.
“This is really exciting,” Pollock said. “I was nervous the whole time. I didn’t look at the leaderboard at all during the round, and when I finished, the team came up and they told me I was medalist, and it was just such a relief because I was nervous the whole time, and it was just such a great feeling to know that I was able to pull that out.”
Pollock said she leaned on her experience from last year’s state tournament to stay composed.
“Throughout the round, I kind of just had to calm myself and just take one shot at a time and not think about the results and outcomes,” she said. “I really just had to focus in and if I had a bad hole or a bad shot, I couldn’t do anything about it anymore, so I just had to keep on focusing throughout.”
Reboul praised her sophomore standout for her consistency and leadership.
“She’s worked hard,” Reboul said. “She’s had her nose to the grindstone for the entire season. Her scores have trended in the right direction for the last two months, so it’s well deserved, and it’s inspiring. We’re headed to state with a great leader.”
The Tigers’ depth proved vital in securing their second-place finish. Junior Natalie Venorsky placed 16th overall with an 88, while junior Kate Murphy (93) and sophomore Ella Catney (96) rounded out the scoring. Junior Lainey Holmes (100) also competed
“She played fantastic,” Reboul said of Venorsky. “She was determined to make it happen. She’s another one that’s worked extremely hard. She’s putting hours and reps in on the weekends and really doing a great job.”
“This team is just deep in talent, and I think they carry each other and lift each other up out there,” Reboul added. “Lainey Holmes came in and played better on the back nine. Ella Catney came in with a better score on the back nine. These girls just don’t give up. They’re grinders, and they’re very talented.”
In addition to Patel, Edgewood senior Annie Johnston also earned an individual berth to the state tournament after shooting a 77.
For Pollock, the chance to return to state with her team means just as much as winning her first district title.
“I think for us, we’re just so happy that we made it, and obviously I’m going to try hard, but I think we’ve made it through the nervous part but now I think we can really just enjoy it and just go out there and try our best, and if we don’t do good, then it’s whatever, we’re just happy we made it.”
Chagrin Falls and its district rivals won’t be the only area golfers heading to Columbus. In Division I, Hawken senior Keira Chang shot an 86 at Old Avalon to qualify as an individual. She will compete at Firestone Country Club on Oct. 12-13.
