In 2024, the Minerva boys golf team knocked on the door… loudly. This year, they hope to knock that door down.
After finishing in the bottom half of the Eastern Buckeye Conference standings in 2023, the Lions rocketed to a second-place showing last season with a 7-3 mark, second only to West Branch, which ran the table in match play. Then Minerva, for the first time in seven years and only the second time in school history, won the EBC Tournament.
The tourney trophy did not alter the Lions’ second-place finish in the conference, but the win was a clear shot across the bow, a message that Minerva is a force to be reckoned with.
Despite losing Dario Sevek, Jeremiah Smith, and Carsen Earley, three of the five golfers who competed in the Division II East District Sectional tourney last season, the Lions should again be a force in the EBC.
The returning letter winners are senior Reid Spall, juniors Parker Linkous and Benjamin Smith, and sophomores Wil Blackburn and Tyson Fetty. Spall and Blackburn accrued plenty of postseason recognition for last season as both received East District’s second team and Stark County honorable mention accolades, while Spall made first team All-EBC and Blackburn second team.
Joining this core of seasoned golfers are quite a few newcomers, says eighth-year coach Troy Richeson.
“We will have many players pushing to give us a very deep team this year,” he said. “That group includes Maverick Burchett, Braydon Wood, Case Sell, Jaykub Patterson, Lane Tarbet, Jacob Mangun, Mitchel Tabellion, Karson Lutz, Hudson Peterson, Brookx Peterson, and Tanner Stowe. All of our players have worked hard this offseason and put in a lot of hours on the range and on the course.”
The Lions have been tearing at the bit for this season to begin, but Richeson knows that in the EBC, nothing is given, only earned. And Minerva has a plethora of tough teams and tougher invitationals on its schedule.
“We will be tested early in our season as we open this season on the road at Carrollton who brings back some key players from last year's team and they have a tough course,” he said. “We also have a few 18-hole tournaments to get us going into the season.”
So far, so good, as the Lions defeated the Warriors in their season opener. As a matter of fact, Minerva stood at 6-0 in match play through the middle of August.
True, Minerva has turned around their fortunes in a big way, but Richeson knows the work his Lions will have to do if they hope to make it out of sectionals and advance to districts.
“We will have to do a great job managing the course and be solid around the green to be able to keep our scores lower and keep us in matches,” he said. “Our guys have great attitudes and will not give up if they hit a bad shot; they will keep grinding and battling.”
