The Junior Ohio Cup Takes Place Saturday and Sunday at Brookside Country Club; Team NOPGA Seeks 3rd Win
The team representing the Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association will attempt to remain undefeated when the third Junior Ohio Cup is played at Brookside Country Club in Canton on Saturday and Sunday.
The Junior Ohio Cup is a team event between youngsters representing the Northern Ohio PGA and the Southern Ohio PGA. Play is contested in four age groups and conducted under a format similar to the Ryder Cup and the Ohio Cup, which pits professionals from both Ohio PGA Sections.
The teams consist of eight boys and eight girls who have earned their spots on the team through their respective PGA Junior Tour programs through their status on their Player-of-the-Year Points Lists.
Play will consist of eight matches under a Fourball format on Saturday and 16 singles matches on Sunday. Fourball is also known as Best-ball in which individuals in a team of 2 play their own ball and the lowest score is the one that counts. Under match-play one point is awarded for each victory with teams receiving one-half point for ties.
The NOPGA team has won each of the first two Cups by the identical score of 16-8. The inaugural JOC was played at Westfield Country Club in 2023 with Columbus Country Club playing host last year.
NOPGA Junior Team
The NOPGA boys team consists of just two returnees from the victorious 2024 squad with six players making their Junior Cup debut. The girls team has three returnees and five first-year players. The NOPGA team will be captained by popular NOPGA junior coaching veteran Jimmy Beers, who served as the assistant captain in 2024. He will be assisted by Kirtland Country Club Director of Instruction Mike Pickett, who also is the head coach at Painesville Riverside High School.
THE BOYS
Mick Ambrose
Age: 17 Residence: Canfield Attends: Canfield High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Finished fifth on the Golf Dome Points List despite playing in just eight events. He had one victory – when he shot his low round of 69 at Turkeyfoot – and one runnerup finish and four top-5s. Season scoring average: 73.92. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Dominic Castelluccio
Age: 16 Residence: Westlake Attends: St Ignatius High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. His one victory, one runner-up and four top-5 finishes placed him sixth on the Golf Dome Points List while playing 12 events. His low round of 70 came in his T1 finish at Pine Hills. Season scoring average: 75.20. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Dexter James
Age: 16 Residence: Hudson Attends: Hudson High School
2025 Highlights: Third appearance. Played in a team-high 23 events and posted victories at Alliance, Tanglewood and Pine Hills and added 11 top-5 finishes to lead the Golf Dome Player-of-the-Year points race. He is the most experienced Junior Ohio Cup player on the roster. Season scoring average: 74.75. Junior Ohio Cup record: 2-2-0.
Ryan O’Leary
Age: 15 Residence: Westlake Attends: St Ignatius High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Played in 17 events with victories at Catawba Island, Black Brook, Riceland and Pine Hills to finish first on the Golf Dome Points List in his age group. Twice finished as a runnerup and had six top-5 finishes. Had a low round of 72. Season scoring average: 77.5. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Griffin Pickett
Age: 16 Residence: Painesville Attends: Painesville Riverside High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Was fourth on the Golf Dome Points list with one win, two seconds and five top-5 finishes in 15 events. His low round of 71 came in his victory at Country. He’s the son of assistant captain Mike Pickett. Season scoring average 76.85. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Jacob Rainieri
Age: 16 Residence: Mogadore Attends: Lake Center Christian High School
2025 Highlights: Second appearance. Third on the Golf Dome Points list with one victory and four top-5s in 15 events. His low round of 72 produced victory at Ellsworth Meadows and equaled one other time. Season scoring average: 75.74. The grandson of NOPGA Hall-of-Famer John Rainieri. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-1-1.
Wren Spires
Age: 16 Residence: Medina Attends: Medina High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. In 15 events he had victories at Fairlawn and Erie Shores and was twice a runnerup with six top-5 finishes. He was second on the Golf Dome Points List. His low round of 70 came during his victory at Fairlawn. Season scoring average: 75.32. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Elijah Stewart
Age: 13 Residence: East Liverpool
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Youngest player on the team. Named to Team Ohio in 2024. Played in 10 events and finished second on the Golf Dome Points List. He won at Ashland, Tannenhauf, Manakiki and Old Avalon and had three runnerup finishes. A low round of 67 produced his win at Manakiki. Season scoring average: 73.3 Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
THE GIRLS
Julia Gulla
Age: 19 Residence: Sagamore Hills Attends: John Carroll University
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Finished third on the Golf Dome Points List in nine events with victories at Black Brook, Shawnee Hills, Tanglewood, Old Avalon, Pine Hills and Barrington. Low round of 69 got her victories at Old Avalon and Pine Hills. Season scoring average: 73.36. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Kayla Knaze
Age: 17 Residence: Fairview Park Attends: Magnificat High School
2025 Highlights: Second appearance. Led the Golf Dome Points List with victories at Lake Forest, Fairlawn, Ellsworth, Catawba Island Club, Turkeyfoot, Glenmoor and Windmill Lakes and six top-5s. Shot her low round of 70 in wins at Turkeyfoot and Windmill. Season scoring average: 76.50. Junior Ohio Cup record: 1-1-0.
Korrine Knaze
Age: 14 Residence: Fairview Park Attends: Magnificat High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Led the Golf Dome Points List after wins/ties at Tannenhauf, Fairlawn, Ellsworth, Alliance, Turkeyfoot, Shawnee Hills, Glenmoor, Windmill Lakes and Chippewa. Never below third in 15 events. Low round of 69 came at Turkeyfoot. Season scoring average: 77.0. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Yumi Kohara
Age: 16 Residence: Cuyahoga Falls Attends: Walsh Jesuit High School
2025 Highlights: Second appearance. Had victories at Fairlawn, Alliance and Eagle Creek and three seconds in 16 events to finish second on the Golf Dome Points list. Had seven top-5s. Low round of 73 came at Turkeyfoot. Season scoring average: 79.89. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-2-0.
Rachel Rush
Age: 14 Residence: Hudson Attends: Hudson High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. She did not enter the victory column but her eight top-five finishes in 14 events placed her second on the Golf Dome Points List. Had a low round of 80 in finishing second at Fairlawn. Season scoring average: 88.3. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Annelise Stencel
Age: 19 Residence: Akron Attends: Ithaca College
2025 Highlights: Third appearance. The most experienced and successful player on the team in Junior Ohio Cup play. Was fourth on the Golf Dome Points List with wins at Country and Rawiga. Played nine events with seven top-five finishes. Low round of 73. Season scoring average: 78.75. Junior Ohio Cup record: 4-0-0.
Elena Varga
Age: 16 Residence: Hudson High School: Hudson High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Placed sixth on the Golf Dome Points List while playing only eight events with her lone win coming at Fox Den when she shot a season-low 71. Added two runner-up finishes and one third to her resume. Season scoring average: 78.73. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
Kate Vickerman
Age: 17 Residence: Medina Attends: Highland High School
2025 Highlights: First appearance. Played in 18 events five top-five finishes. While she did not win she finished fifth on the Golf Dome Points List with two thirds. Her low score of 79 came in the final round of the Section Championship at Medina CC. Season scoring average: 87.73. Junior Ohio Cup record: 0-0-0.
CAPTAINS
Jimmy Beers, PGA
Perhaps no one in the NOPGA is more closely identified with junior golf than Jimmy Beers. So, it was a natural progression for him to replace Drew Pierson as captain after serving as the assistant captain on the winning 2024 team. Through his 28-year career he has compiled an exceptional resume devoted to junior golf. Three times he has been chosen as the winner of the NOPGA Youth Development Award, devoting a lifetime of developing and conducting programs that have produced winning players and teams. Since opening the Jimmy Beers Golf Academy in 2021 more than 300 junior players have participated, with 100 currently enrolled. Prior to opening his academy Beers was the Director of First Tee Akron and worked with approximately 1,000 juniors. He received the 2024 PGA of America Game Changer Award and in 2024 he was named the NOPGA Youth Development Award winner for the third time. His expertise includes coaching success as his PGA Junior League team has won the prestigious Firestone Junior Cup four of the last five years with a current three-year winning streak. He has been chosen to coach the PGA Junior League All-Star team seven times. Two of his star students at the Gonzalez-Ribble sisters. Ellie, 15, had two victories on the NOPGA Junior Tour in 2025 while competing in the 16-19 age group and Emma (14) posted three wins in five events in the 11-15 age group.
Mike Pickett, PGA, Assistant
That Mike has been selected to assist captain Jimmy Beers seems only fitting. As the Director of Player Development at Kirtland Country Club he has impacted many young players through his creation of the KCC Academy, the Kirtland Junior Invitational and other endeavors. His work with juniors began years ago and he has patterned his approach based on the influence his coaches imparted to him. He has served on the NOPGA Junior Golf Committee. He has taken a leadership role in many facets related to junior golf, from offering free programs to players, parents and other coaches through endeavors such as Golf Mindsets Night, the NEO Junior Golf Planning Webinar and the Junior Golf College Recruiting Playbook. He has been the PGA Junior League Region Director, working with more than 100 players, and won the PGA Junior League Gamechanger Award earlier this year. He has coached the Junior League All-Star Team, has been a Junior League employee and a Junior Tour sponsor. In 2023 he became the head coach at Painesville Riverside High School, leading the Beavers to consecutive 10-0 records in conference play and twice reaching the district tournament. One of his most satisfying duties on the Junior Ohio Cup is that he will be able to coach his son, Griffin.
SOPGA Junior Team
THE GIRLS
Sage Shriver – Shriver played in 15 events on the SOPGA Jr. Tour picking up three wins to go along with 15 top-10 finishes.
Isabelle Perini – Perini notched four wins in her nine events on the season to cement her spot on Team SOPGA. She finished inside of the top-7 in each of her nine events on the season.
Aubrey Arnold – Arnold brings experience to Team SOPGA as one of only three returning girls to the Junior Ohio Cup. She finished in the top-3 in half of her events on the season. Samantha Spearman – Spearman finished her season on a tear to earn her spot on Team SOPGA for the first time. She finished outside of the top-10 just a single time out of her 11 events this season.
Samantha Spearman – Spearman finished her season on a tear to earn her spot on the SOPGA Team for the first time. She finished outside the top-10 just a single time out of her 11 events this summer.
Rebekah Hartley – Hartley makes her return to Team SOPGA thanks to a consistent season with a strong finish. She was a member of the inaugural Team SOPGA for the 2023 Junior Ohio Cup.
Aubrey Lunn – Lunn competed in six events this season and did not finish outside of the top-5 a single time. She finished her year strong with a victory in her last event for the summer to solidify her spot on Team SOPGA.
Emma Gebhart – Gebhart was the Girls 13-15 Player of the Year and has made her first Junior Ohio Cup. She tallied two victories on the season to go along with 4 runner-up finishes. Taylor Stringfield – Stringfield was a member of the 2024 Team SOPGA and is ready to bring the cup to Southern Ohio. She recorded a pair of victories to go along with 4 other top-5 finishes.
Taylor Stringfield – Stringfield was a member of the 2024 Team SOPGA and is ready to bring the Cup to Southern Ohio. She recorded a pair of victories to go along with 4 other top-5 finishes
THE BOYS
Braylen Haney – Haney returns to Team SOPGA as the reigning Boys 16-19 Player of the Year. He recorded three wins in eight events to earn his spot on Team SOPGA for the second year in a row.
Casey Colton – Colton, like Haney, makes his second appearance at the Junior Ohio Cup thanks to four wins in just seven events. Those wins paired with a runner-up locked Colton in on Team SOPGA.
Brady Reuter – Reuter is making his Junior Ohio Cup debut in 2025 thanks to 10 top-10 finishes in 11 events this season. His best finish was a solo second at the Johnstown Jr. Open this season.
Reid Seimetz – Seimetz, another rookie, is joining Team SOPGA thanks to nine finishes inside of the top-10 throughout the summer. He finished the season strong with a tie for at the Canal Winchester Jr. Open to lock down his spot.
Luke Holop – Holop competed in a total of six events this season on the SOPGA Jr. Tour. His season was highlighted by a win at the Champions Jr. Open and a T2 finish at the Apple Valley Jr. Championship thanks to a second round four-under-par 68.
Carter Westendorf – Westendorf teed it up in six events on the SOPGA Jr. Tour throughout 2025. His season ended on fire with two wins and a runner-up finish in his final four events of the season to earn his spot on Team SOPGA.
Lucas Massa – Massa makes his third consecutive appearance at the Junior Ohio Cup thanks to his third consecutive Boys 13-15 Player of Braylen Haney – Haney returns to Team SOPGA as the reigning Boys 16-19 Player of the Year. He recorded three wins in eight events to earn his spot on Team SOPGA for the second year in a row.
Brady Reuter – Reuter is making his Junior Ohio Cup debut in 2025 thanks to 10 top-10 finishes in 11 events this season. His best finish was a solo second at the Johnstown Jr. Open this season.
Luke Holop – Holop competed in a total of six events this season on the SOPGA Jr. Tour. His season was highlighted by a win at the Champions Jr. Open and a T2 finish at the Apple Valley Jr. Championship thanks to a second round four-under-par 68.
Carter Westendorf – Westendorf teed it up in six events on the SOPGA Jr. Tour throughout 2025. His season ended on fire with two wins and a runner-up finish in his final four events of the season to earn his spot on Team SOPGA.
Christian Yoder – Yoder makes his Junior Ohio Cup debut thanks to an impressive 2025 campaign. Three wins along with five runner-up finishes earned was exactly what he needed to make Team SOPGA.
SCHEDULE: THIRD JUNIOR OHIO CUP AT CANTON BROOKSIDE
FRIDAY, OCT. 17: Practice rounds, Beginning at 2:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCT. 18: Fourball competition, 8 matches beginning at 11 a.m.
SUNDAY, OCT. 19: Singles competition: 16 matches beginning at 10 a.m.
