Staff Photo/Neil Madhavan Mooney Cardinal junior Alex Eckstein hits a ball on the driving range at Mill Creek Golf Club in Boardman on Monday. The Cardinals will make their third straight Division 3 state tournament appearance this weekend at Northstar Golf Club in Sunbury.
YOUNGTOWN — The Cardinal Mooney boys golf team has been an example of consistency in recent years.
The Cardinals will make their third consecutive appearance in the Division III state tournament this weekend at Northstar Golf Club in Sunbury.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have a really good team (every season).” Head coach Mary Teresa Bellino said. “I think our biggest thing is just staying focused and not looking too far ahead. … That focus is what keeps us consistent year after year. When the time comes for the game, we just have to stay focused and not look too far ahead. Just focus.”
This season, Mooney has defeated powerhouse schools like Howland in Poland and Austintown-Fitch in double matches and has also played in larger invitational tournaments in the area and in Northeast Ohio.
Then, at the sectional, the Cardinals made 309 shots and won by 24 strokes. Sophomore Tyler Guerrieri shared medalist honors with Springfield’s Jackson Ensley as they both scored 73 points.
Led this time by junior Alex Eckstein, who earned medalist honors with a 69, Mooney took second place as a team at the Division III district tournament last week at Tannenhauf Golf Club, shooting a 321 and moving to Warren JFK. He finished with a nine-stroke lead. Junior Dante Turner hit 78, while Guerrieri, senior Elias Lilas and junior Konstantin Stamp hit 88, 86 and 90, respectively.
“Everyone is always watching the game play and our record during the season.” Bellino said. “I look at match play as practice for the postseason, so I don’t care if we win or lose all year long.Obviously, we’re pretty good, so our record is pretty good. Good. But I think of it as a department practice, a department a district practice, a district a state practice.”
In 2022, Mooney finished ninth at the state tournament as former Cardinal Rocco Turner won the individual state title. Last year, the Cardinals improved a lot and finished in third place.
Coming into the state tournament, Bellino feels his team is in the best position to make it to the state championship, which will be Mooney’s first since back-to-back championships in 1988-1989.
“As a team, we are really focused on winning the team championship this year.” Bellino said. “I think the whole team came together and really focused. Most of the players played there last year, but I don’t think their game was as mature yet. I think that will make a difference this year.”
Eckstein chasing redemption
Last year, Eckstein shot a 76 in the first round of the state tournament and tied for eighth place, five strokes behind the leader. Then on the second day, Eckstein shot 72 and shot up the leaderboard.
In the end, he finished as state runner-up, missing out on the individual state championship by two strokes.
“I literally told my husband, him, and the other parents that were there, from the first day to the second day of the tournament, it was like I woke up, it was like I grew up overnight.” Bellino said. “He just understood, like he understood this was the big leagues and he needed to do what he had to do. He worked just as hard on that second day as he did on the first day. I worked there, and on that second day I could see the wheels turning in his head.”
This time, Eckstein is determined to take the next step and do everything in his power to win a state title.
“I feel like it was completely a mental issue for me.” He talked about his growth over the past year. “Obviously, I’ve put in a lot more effort this year than usual, and I’m a lot better mentally. This year I’ve pushed myself to do nothing other than stay true to my game plan and take it one shot at a time. I know I don’t have any expectations.”
Eckstein carried the momentum from last year’s state into this year. He performed well throughout the season, culminating in earning medalist honors at the district tournament.
“My goal was to take it one shot at a time, and I got off to a really good start.” Eckstein said of the district tournament round. “I made a 30-footer on No. 2, so I knew I had to be patient with myself and stick to my game plan. I didn’t want to change anything. I made some really good putts on the back nine and hit my goal. It was done.”
Pregibbon was a big hit
The boys team will return to state, and junior Katie Pregibon will also travel as an individual after qualifying for the girls Division II state tournament at the Fazio Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron. .
“I just went into the game with an open mindset and tried to play my way.” Pregibon said.
Last year, Pregibbon tied for 17th overall and placed 11th individually at the district tournament at Good Park Golf Course, where he was not on the qualifying team.
However, she was disappointed with her finish.
Pregibon decided to go to the states. So she started working.
“She has really put a lot of effort into her golf this year.” Bellino said. “She’s an all-around athlete. She plays soccer, she plays basketball, but she’s spent a lot more time golfing this year than ever before. So her focus is a little more clear this year when it comes to golf. It became.”
Pregibbon’s efforts have paid off.
Last week, she scored a 78 at the district meet, which was good enough to earn her a spot in the state qualifiers as the second-place individual not on a qualifying team. He finished third in the individual overall.
“I definitely worked harder on myself this year, and I think that helped me grow.” Pregibon said. “I’ve definitely grown as a person and it’s changed my mindset a lot. Instead of getting discouraged by bad shots or shots that don’t go as planned, I just focus on the next shot. ”
Pregibbons are in a special situation. As Mooney’s only female golfer, she plays the regular season on the men’s team. As a result, when she plays in men’s team games or tournaments, she plays from the men’s tee instead of the women’s tee.
She needs to increase her distance off the tee, which will help her as she returns to play on women’s teeing grounds in postseason tournaments.
“Now when she’s playing from the girls tee at sectionals and districts, she’s progressing all the way up.” Bellino said. “At sectionals, she was driving most of the greens because she’s used to hitting long distances from the men’s tees.”
The Mooney Boys tee off at 9 a.m. Friday at North Star and the Pregibbons tee off at Firestone at 10:20 a.m. Sunday.
