The Cardinal boys golf team is off to a great start, staying focused on the process while progressing through the season. And then finished with a CVC Championship at Quail Hollow on Monday, the first time the team has won a title in the sport since 2009.
The Cardinal boys golf team is off to a great start, staying focused on the process while progressing through the season. And then finished with a CVC Championship at Quail Hollow on Monday, the first time the team has won a title in the sport since 2009.
The Huskies shot 344 as a team to beat second-place place Berkshire by 41 strokes in the Valley Division.Cardinal’s Troy Domen shot the lowest score out of all 95 golfers who competed. Domen’s performance led the Huskies to the Valley Division postseason tournament title and the overall Valley Division title as the Huskies also won the preseason tournament and went undefeated in dual matches.
Cardinal brought its positive mindset to the course Sept. 4 when facing the Kirtland Hornets.
In the match at St. Denis Golf Course in Chardon, the Huskies defeated the Hornets, 190-202.
After the round, Cardinal Head Coach Mike Topalian discussed his team’s performance.
“It was a tough day, extremely hot. The rough around here is very long, so my guys struggled with that,” he said. “It wasn’t our best day, but they hung together and pulled out another road win, so I’m proud of them.”
Coach Topalian said his golfers really had to focus on one shot at a time — that being, the hole that they were playing. He also said it was important for Cardinal golfers to stay calm and pick each other up throughout the round.
“When somebody was having a tough hole, somebody else came through with a par or a bogey,” Topalian said. “So teamwork worked out well today.”
Cardinal was led by Troy Domen and Matt Hissa, who both shot a 44. Additionally, Evan Jones carded a 50 and Austin Jones shot a 52.
After the round, Domen, the co-medalist, talked about the match.
“I think chipping and putting was definitely something that helped me out today,” Domen said. “The par on number five (was a highlight).
“It was pretty hard. (But) I had a tough breaker for par and I sunk it, so that was pretty nice.”
Matt Hissa, who also shot a 44 for Cardinal, provided his thoughts about the match in the post-round interview.
“We did pretty good as a team I think,” Hissa said. “Hole six was probably my best hole, that par five. Had a rough drive, hit a good recovery shot, and then ended up (with a birdie) on a 30 foot putt.
“The round was really up and down, though. I mean, that’s kind of just how the game of golf goes: you have one good round, then one bad round, but you just got to keep your head in it and not get too down on yourself.”
The Huskies golf team had four matches after playing Kirtland, on Sept. 7, 8, 11 and 13.
First, the Huskies defeated Harvey, 192-209. In that match, Hissa was the medalist, while Domen and Evan Jones finished second.
The next day, the Huskies faced Garfield at Sugarbush Golf Course and defeated their opponents by two strokes, 185-187. Leading the way for Cardinal against Garfield were Evan Jones and Domen, who were the co-medalist for the match.
Cardinal was 8-0 on the season when the team faced Berkshire and Kirtland at Pleasant Hill Golf Course and placed first with a score of 176.
Then a win against Chalker at Riverview Golf Course, 210-177, made them 10-0 on the season.
“It’s been going pretty great,” Domen said of the season.
Domen and Hissa also talked about what they’re looking forward to as the season progresses.
“Probably looking to just get better everyday,” Domen said. “Every time I come and play, I just want to get better.”
Added Hissa, “I look forward to seeing the progression we make as a team from the beginning of the year to the end.”
