In a day when some of the top teen boys in Valley golf slugged it out to a draw, it was a fresh face that snuck in and said “I’ll take that.”
The first singles match of the 2024 ‘Joe’ Dickey Electric Junior golf series played Sunday after a rained out start a few weeks ago.
The field featured several players with district playoff pedigree, and three of them finished knotted at 77s on tough greens at The Lake Club: Austin Mariani, Badger; Santino Toscano, Wilmington; and Mick Ambrose of Canfield.
But it was Nathan Miller who held it together at the end of the pack to card a 75 – his Greatest best – to earn the first qualifier for the 2024 championships. He won the first bid for the July championships in the Coaches Burger division.
“I made a lot of pars. I made zero birdies. I lipped out a lot. It was getting frustrating. But I won’t complain about easy pars. I was hitting greens and playing smart – trying to make easy plays. It was a great putting day.
Reflecting on his first Greatest win and besting some top players, he said “I guess I did,” with a smirk.
In Girls u17 Lane Funeral Home play, Luciana Masters of Hickory High School kept her winning tradition going, scoring an 83 to outlast Lindsey Hoover, Wilmington Area, 88, Miya Cohol, Canfield, 91, and Sophia Covelli, Neshannock, 93.
Greatest tees off Thursday this week at Salem Hills.
The Greatest juniors series, presented also by Youngstown Tile Retail Design Center and Phantom Fireworks, features 10 events from May 7 to July 20, then a skills championship, followed by a 36-hole finals July 19-20 at Avalon Lakes. Event costs range from $45-$65, and there is no seasonal membership fee. It’s Ohio and Pennsylvania’s least expensive yet most competitive summer play for high schoolers. Register at TheGreatestGolfer.com.
Here are all scores from The Lake Club:
U17 Boys | Coaches Burger Bar
Nathan Miller 75
Santino Toscano 77
Austin Mariani 77
Mick Ambrose 77
Michael Garwacki 80
Jackson Ensley 80
Matthew Morrone 83
Diesel Williams 83
Danny Chaplow 83
Colten Smith 87
Tyler Guerrieri 88
Jack Carey 88
Anthony Palumbo 88
Braeden Sallee 88
Griffin Pahanish 89
Evan McGrath 92
Isaac Ealy 92
Alexander Simon 93
Parker Ogden 93
Colton Elliott 94
Cody Anderson 95
Chris Sammartino 99
CJ Brew 101
Cooper Ensley 103
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U17 Girls | Lane Funeral Home
Luciana Masters 83
Lindsey Hoover 88
Miya Cohol 91
Sophia Covelli 93
Mia Tisone 105
Rhyloh Turpack 35
Cadence Elford 114
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U14 Boys | Morrone Mechanical
Karsten Baker 94
Camryn Sallee 96
Chad Volovar 103
Braden Meshula 105
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U14 Ambrose Family Eye Care
Avery Robinette 101
Anita Murray 111