Boys Golf Remains Unstoppable

Last season, 's golfers qualified for the state tournament where they finished 12th as a team. Despite losing Colin Holmes to graduation, the team is well on its way to getting there again.

Thus far, they have been nearly unstoppable, as the Shoremen have taken home a number of championship trophies including the Port Clinton Classic and the North Olmsted Invitational the Ranger Invitational and the Elyria tournament. They also placed fourth at the highly competitive St. Ignatius Invitational earlier this season.

Thursday was the latest edition as they took home the Southwestern Conference championship at Pine Hills in Hinkley.

"They have been playing solid all year. For most of our matches we have had two or three guys come through, " head coach Amy Manco said. "Today pretty much four or five guys came through. We just have to make sure the top five guys are playing well the next week or two. We won the conference, now its time to set new goals."

Brendan Aussem and Andrew Lombardi were medalists with their 75 scores.

"I struggled with some injuries today, I have tendinitis in my left arm," Aussem who has posted a scoring average of nearly 72.25 this season said. "It is a couple of strokes above my average. But I'm happy. I started four over after six, and then played one under the rest of the round. So I'm happy."

Starting in Port Clinton, where Avon Lake saw two of its golfers in the top 10, as Aussem and Lombardi each shot a 74 and a 77, respectively, what one might call a dream season has continued.

Aussem 69 (medalist), Lombardi 77, Zach Sharb 74, Clay Sharb 85, Austin Kryc 84 combined for a 304 at Avon Oaks during the Ranger Invite and in the Elyria, Aussem once again was medalist, posting a 73 as the team won by nine shots.

The team also fared extremely well in the tough Keily Cup that is played at Canterbury Golf Club, one of the nations most prestigious courses, one that has held PGA events.

Aussem, a junior, took home third with a two over par 73 on the 7,000-yard course. 

"I was happy about that, I ended up going three over the last three," Aussem said. "But 73 on the course where they played the PGA Championship where Jack Nicklaus won and Ben Hogan played. That's neat. They all started the same way I did."

But should the Shoremen success be so surprising thus far? Not really. Last season, Avon Lake won five tournaments and was dominant in all its dual matches. Aussem has been to states twice, once with the team and once as an individual qualifier.

Andrew Lombardi has also been steady, as has Kryc. Manco also has the Sharb brothers (Kyle and Clay) and the ability to mix things up a bit as Nate Venesile has also been very productive this far.

Under the tutelage of coach Manco the team has qualified for states twice and has enjoyed great success in the conference.

"These guys have been around so long," Manco said. "They kind of feel like the boys you've had since they were kids and you grow up with them. So its kind of fun to keep thinking about the future, but right now we are going to think about the future and the next three weeks. It's been fun for us."