Girls golf: Highland's Elizabeth Coleman, Brunswick's Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble get All-Ohio honors

AKRON — Highland senior Elizabeth Coleman and Brunswick sophomore Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble left Firestone Country Club with hardware Monday. Coleman shot a 5-over-par 75 in the final round to finish the two-round Division I girls state golf tournament with an 8-over 148 and in seventh place. Gonzalez-Ribble turned in a 74 in the final round on the Fazio Course, finishing one stroke behind Coleman in eighth place. The result earned both second-team All-Ohio honors for finishing in the top 10. "I'm really excited for my first time competing at state," Gonzalez-Ribble said. "I just wanted to come here to do the best that I could. This course is pretty hard, but overall I'm glad with how I did this week." After starting the day in second place, the Hornets (333) slipped to fifth with a total score of 654, one stroke better than Toledo St. Ursula. The result marked the sixth straight season Highland has finished in the top five. "I'm proud of the team," Coleman said. "I'm proud that we played here and we did pretty well. When we started, we wanted to get better than sixth, so, you know, I think that's pretty solid. It's a bittersweet end to my high school career." Olentangy's Meadow Tian shot a 4-under 66 to edge Round 1 leader Serena Wu of Solon for medalist by one stroke with a 139. Dublin Jerome (624) beat Magnificat (636) for the team championship. Buckeye senior Luca Violi, the only Medina County boy to qualify, finished with a 9-over 81 for the second straight day on the North Course for a 162. He finished in a four-way tie for 46th out of 72 golfers. Violi started on the back nine and, after a slow start, hit a dart off the tee on the 180-yard, par-3 17th hole to set up his first birdie. Three holes later, he turned in his final birdie on the 360-yard second. Dublin Jerome (578) won the boys title behind an individual championship from Brady Barnum, who carded a 4-under 69 to finish at 7-under 137. Coleman, who finished as runner-up last year, began the day in a tie for second place and hoped to contend for a title in her final year. A birdie on the 149-yard, par-3 third hole got her back to even for the day and led to a string of eight straight pars before a double bogey on the 143-yard, par-3 12th started a streak in which Coleman had to battle to the end. "On the front it was just a bunch of pars, which is good," she said. "I had some birdie putts that were really close, but I just wasn't making anything." Gonzalez-Ribble birdied the 277-yard fourth to get under par but finished that nine even and did not record another birdie. She did scramble well on the 356-yard 15th for a second straight par. Of the golfers who finished in the top eight, only Gonzalez-Ribble, Nikitha Suresh (Dublin Jerome) and Calli Reed (Magnificat) are returning next season. Knowing that she is among that trio of sophomores has Brunswick's ace looking toward the future. "Looking back on how I did this weekend, I'm super confident that I can win a state title in the next couple of years," Gonzalez-Ribble said. "I finished eighth and most of the people I placed behind were a bunch of seniors. I'm really confident that if I stay focused and keep improving I could try to get a win." Senior Kate Vickerman highlighted Highland's day when she shot a personal-best 78 in her final high school competition. Vickerman was steady, with a double bogey on the second as her highest score. She made seven of her 11 pars on the front and finished 21st out of 72 golfers with a 159. "I feel really good," Vickerman said. "I came out here today with a goal to shoot 78 and I did it. On hole No. 2 I hit a double and that lit a fire under my butt. I parred out until I bogeyed No. 9. "The back is a lot harder than the front, but I just kept it together." Highland's Allie Miller also improved on her first-round score by shooting a 90, tying her with teammates Miley Tylicki and Mirabella Shelton for the Hornets' final two counting scores. Shelton finished with 172, Tylicki had 175 and Miller had 182. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Results at Firestone Country Club's par-70 Fazio Course (Girls) and par-72 North Course (Boys) BOYS Standings: 1. Dublin Jerome 290-288-578, 2. Columbus St. Charles 295-285-580, 3. St. Ignatius 300-298-598, 4. Cincinnati St. Xavier 297-302-599, 5. Archbishop Hoban 311-309-620, 6. 6. Green 320-307-627, 7. Anderson 322-305-627, 8. Centerville 325-322-647, 9. University 326-323-649, 10. New Albany 325-328-653, 11. Toledo St. John's Jesuit 322-331-653, 12. Sheridan 335-342-677. Buckeye — Luca Violi 81-81-162. GIRLS Standings: 1. Dublin Jerome 315-309-624, 2. Magnificat 325-311-636, 3. Olentangy 329-308-637, 4. Walsh Jesuit 323-319-642, 5. Highland 321-333-654, 6. Toledo St. Ursula 326-329-655, 7. Springboro 329-327-656, 8. Anderson 347-333-680, 9. Sycamore 346-336-682, 10. Canfield 338-345-683, 11. Whitehouse Anthony Wayne 360-364-724, 12. Minerva 407-377-784. Highland (321-333-654) — Elizabeth Coleman 73-75-148, Kate Vickerman 81-78-159, Mirabella Shelton 82-90-172, Miley Tylicki 85-90-175, Allie Miller 92-90-182. Brunswick — Ellie Gonzalez-Ribble 75-74-149.