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Waterford Invite scheduled for Wednesday

WATERFORD — A couple of summers ago, former Waterford High golfing standout Jordan Welch dropped a playoff hole to Warren High’s Nick Ward, who claimed Waterford Invitational medalist honors at Lakeside Golf Course in Beverly.

Current Wildcat senior Wesley Jenkins was there to witness the drama.

“My buddy Jordan shot a 72 there in my sophomore year, so I’m going to try to get that this year,” said Jenkins after carding a tournament-best 76 at last Friday’s Washington County Championship at Oxbow Golf Course in Belpre.

At 8 a.m. this Wednesday at Lakeside, Jenkins will get an opportunity to better his friend’s score when the Wildcat golfers host their annual Waterford Invitational.

“Lakeside is my home course, and my best round there has been a 73,” said Jenkins, who carded an 82 in last year’s event.

Brandyn Offenberger said that “about 25 teams” are entered in the competition.

“It’s a full field,” said the Waterford boys and girls head golf coach. “It’ll be a long day but it’ll be well worth it for the kids. We’ll have Logan, Meigs, Warren, Marietta, and Coshocton. There are some good teams coming in.”

A year ago, Coshocton won the boys title with a score of 303, 10 strokes better than runner-up Marietta High. The Warren A team was third with a 330 score.

The defending champion Redskins figure to be pushed by the Nathan Evans-coached Warriors, who won a season-opening scrimmage by 33 strokes at Oxbow last Friday.

Warren is expected to feature Austin Barta, Seth Dennis, Caleb Davis, Chance Weihl, Owen Richardson, and Trevor Reynolds.

Marietta took a graduation hit with seven senior golfers getting their diplomas this past spring. The Tigers also have a new head golf coach in Bryan Whittekind.

Look for the MHS lineup to include JB Wharff, Justin Hartley, Joel Neville, Josh Sandford, Chandler Goddard, and Andrew Elliott.

Waterford’s starters are expected to be Jenkins, Brooks Suprano, Matt Semon, and Will Huck.

Fort Frye’s probably line-up will include Derek Joy, Devin Layton, Bryce Schilling, Eithyn Brooker, Cole Schaffer, and jack McElroy, while Belpre’s will be Jerimiah Stitts, Eric Dotson, Maddie Roby, Matthew Deems, and PJ Hostottle.

At last year’s Waterford invite, the Wildcat girls secured the crown with a score of 336, and then-junior Ashley Offenberger was a medalist with a 78. The green and white graduated three college-bound-playing seniors from that three-time state tournament team. But according to Coach Brandyn Offenberger, the Cats will have four lady golfers on the Lakeside links Wednesday.

Joining Ashley Offenberger will be Alicia Dickinson.

Marietta High, coached by first-year girls boss Josh McKitrick, is expected to feature Kesselyn Bigley, Addi Herb, Addie Huffman, Paige Hartley, Makayla Welch, and Sarah Kinzel.

Look for Andy Biddinger-coached Warren to also be in the hunt. Its roster includes Hannah Jankauskas, Carly McCutcheon, Zoe Miller, Emilee Miller, Chloe Rader, Mya Smith, Grace Wharton, Molly Young, and Sage Husted.

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