HS golf guide: Pleasant girls set to continue dynasty, plus other nuggets from the links

MARION — The budding dynasty can continue.

For the last two seasons, Pleasant has organized a girls golf team, and both times those squads dominated the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference by dozens of strokes and made competitive appearances at the Division II girls golf district tournaments.

With the graduation of Dina Shah and Tara Murphy in the last couple of years, there was a worry the Spartans wouldn't be able to field a team for a third season. No fear because the team hit the recruiting trail in the halls and there will be a squad for 2023.

"Golf requires four scores, and we have a few new girls playing this year, so one of them will be our fourth score," Pleasant girls coach Jeff Davis said. "This will be their first year playing golf at all, so I am sure there will be ups and downs."

Among the newcomers is Whitney Waddell, one of the area's best athletes. Besides being a major college recruit for softball, she's a state-qualifying middle distance runner in track, and all-leaguer in girls basketball who was the goalie on the now-defunct girls soccer squad. Sophomore Calliope McNulty and freshman Madison Moore are the other first-timers.

Luckily for Pleasant, it has the area's best female golfer in the mix with senior Maura Murphy. She was a first-team Mid Ohio Athletic Conference and Central District pick with an average of 38.3 over nine holes last season. This summer she went 7-for-7 in the girls division of the Heart of Ohio Junior Golf Association tourneys and placed in the top 30 at the Ohio Junior Girls Championship on her home course of Marion Country Club in July.

Juniors Maddie Murphy and Anna Songer were second-team MOAC with Murphy (Maura's cousin) averaging a 48.2 and Songer a 50.5.

"We have three returning starters who were either first- or second-team All-MOAC who have shown they can perform," Davis said. "They are also unbeaten in the MOAC the past two years and have been to districts both years as well. Their experience and work ethic should serve our team very well."

More: Here's a look at last year's golf preview

Other girls to watch

∎ Highland will field a girls team for 2023, which will be led by junior Ceci Grassbaugh. She is the school's record holder who has been a two-time first-team all-leaguer and a district qualifier. Piper Dabbert is a sophomore with experience for the Scots, while four newcomers — senior Ryleigh Dewart, sophomore Lillia Roesky, sophomore Ellie Rhea and sophomore Sierra Fitzpatric — will fill out the roster for coach David Ware.

∎ Northmor's Katelyn Miley is a junior who averaged 43.3 and qualified for the D-II district tourney. Three seniors — Brooklyn Kissling, Katie Dean and Saje Miley ― and junior Ava Perria bring experience for coach Jacob Beard. Junior Kat Roseberry will be playing for the first time for the Golden Knights.

RV bringing athletes

River Valley's boys golf team will be anchored by holdovers' Chase Smith, a sophomore who averaged a 44 for nine holes, Hayden Foltz, a junior who averaged 45, and Roy McCall, a senior who averaged 52. But the Vikings have an interesting mix to go with them.

Playing for the first time will be multi-time All-Ohio basketball player Carson Smith, two-time state qualifying pole vaulter Cooper Miller and track standout and basketball player Xavier Hensel, all seniors. Junior Liem Bier and senior Brady Keller round out the lineup.

"I expect us to improve with each practice, match and tournament. I think we have the potential to be very competitive within our league and in the sectional," RV coach Josh Gast said. "I think we have the potential to be very competitive within our league and in the sectional. Our numbers are low, but I do think we have some very talented players with upside to keep getting better as the season progresses."

More: A look back at last year's district tournament

New coach at Pleasant

While Jeff Davis retired from Pleasant, he remains as the girls coach, but he gave the reins of the boys program to Bill Ludwig, the uber-successful bowling coach who turned around the program and sent back-to-back teams to state in that sport.

Last year was a year of transition on the golf course for the boys as they were a young group who played in the shadows of an outstanding run of golfers the preview few years for the Spartans. This year with Dawson Hall, Jack Seckel, Dillon Moore, Nolan Ludwig, Johnathan Maran and J.T. Snively, Pleasant could be poised to contend in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference.

"Right now we are just trying to get to know everyone's game and get my feet under me to get these kids off in a successful way and have a great season," Ludwig said.

Marion Harding in new era

Like Pleasant, Marion Harding will have a new coach as Rosemary Cunningham takes over for Jeff Gottfried. Cunningham is a former volleyball and softball coach for the Prexies.

"We have a small but competitive group this year," Cunningham said. "The golfers have spent a lot of time on the course in the offseason and have made some great gains in their games."

The Presidents will miss Jacob Beaschler, the area's top boys golfer a year ago who is trying to make the team at Dayton as a freshman. Senior Austin Allen who averaged a 44, senior Rayma Smith who averaged 47 and junior Gavyn Baumgartner who averaged 52 are the returnees who will play with junior Christian Pearson and sophomore Boston Pearson.

Other boys to watch

∎ Northmor's Grant Bentley is a former district qualifier and he will lead an all-senior lineup with Ryan Diehl, Drew Hammond, Caiden Martinez and Logan Caudill for coach Mark Wiseman. The Golden Knights want to challenge Centerburg atop the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference.

∎ Highland lost district qualifier Emerson Grassbaugh to graduation, but coach Chris Rupe will lean on seniors Ranger Steck (44 average), Dillon Gilland (41), Damia Rollison (48) to lead the Scots. Sophomore Jayden Collins (46) and Tim Carlisle (49) are also back, while freshmen Tim Carlisle and Hunter Ebner will vie for spots.

∎ North Union's Miles Hall was second-team Central Buckeye Conference Mad River Division as a sophomore and he's back with his average of 45. The Wildcats have other experienced hands in senior Tayden Peck (47), senior Max Parish (48), senior Austyn Wilson (49), junior Wyatt Davis (45) and sophomore Jaxon Jolliff (47) who was also a CBC Sportsman of the Year. Newcomers for coach Ken Brust are sophomore Zach Howald, sophomore Reese Spriggs, sophomore Ethan Monroe and freshman Hudsyn Wilson.

"The team has gotten better each of the last two years," Brust said. "Most of last year's matches were very competitive and several were lost by one or two strokes. Some of the boys participated in the Heart of Ohio program this summer. Miles Hall, Wyatt Davis and Jaxon Jolliff have played regularly. At the Kenton Memorial tournament, Miles (82) and Jaxon (86) won blue ribbons in their age groups.

"Although we had several players in the mid-40s, we will not see consistent success until we have scores in the low 40s or high 30s."

∎ Freshman Caleb Anderson is the lone golfer for Ridgedale this season as he will be coached by 2014 Rockets grad Tyler Forry.

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This article originally appeared on Marion Star: High school golf guide: Pleasant girls set to continue dynasty