On Thursday, the first 18 holes of the 36-hole Good Park Junior Golf Tournament were played. The second and final round will be held Friday at J.E. Good Park Golf Course in Akron. Here are the division leaders after day one:

Note: par 71 

BOYS

Championship Flight: John Furlong-70 (-1)

1st Flight: J.T. Goodson-69 (-2)

2nd Flight: Dan Fearer-74

3rd Flight: (tie) Reilly Bates and Tyler Krzynowek-78

4th Flight: David Podrasky-79

5th Flight: (tie) Riley Pratt and Garrett Stan-78

6th Flight: Tom Ribelli-77

7th Flight: Josh Heckman-78

8th Flight: Danny Arch-82

9th Flight: Brandon Proudfoot-85

10th Flight: Michael Rotilie-84

11-12 year olds: Chase Johnson-72 

10 and under (9 holes): Brian Lutz-48 

GIRLS

16-18: Mandi Morrow-74

15 and under: (tie) Tiana Jones and Katie Kohut-78

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NOTEBOOK

Family tradition 

Although he’s not in the championship flight, J.T. Goodson had the best round of the day with a 2-under 69 to take a 6-stroke lead in the first flight. Goodson is going to be a junior at Hudson High School in the fall. This is his third year competing in the Good Park Junior.

Goodson’s father, John, is the course pro at Lake Forest Country Club in Hudson.

11-year-old phenom

Ian Holt is in a three-way tie for second place in the first flight. Holt shot a 4-over 75 on Thursday.

Holt is an 11-year-old from Stow. The first flight in which he is competing, is composed of a significantly older age group. In the first flight, the next youngest player to Holt is 15.

On Wednesday, 22 players qualified for the championship flight, which will compete in a 36-hole tournament Thursday and Friday.

Here are the players who made the cut and their scores for 18 holes (par 71):

69 (-2): Kyle Bates

72 (+1): Cory Kumpf, Grant Weaver, Kevin Miller, Isaac Charette

73 (+2): John Furlong, Jake Wetzel, Nathan Tarter

74 (+3): Scott Hamlin, Paul Doll, Collin Marozzi, Richie Schembechler, Bryan Mitchell, Jerry Moore

75 (+4): Alex Griffiths, Alex Brinkman, Taylor Feith, Mark Scott

76 (+5): Sean Murphy, Evan McCauley, Ian Cassel, Cody Cutright

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I talked to a couple of the players who made the cut for the championship flight.

Jake Wetzel, 17, is going to be a senior at Parma Padua Franciscan High School this fall. This is his fourth year competing in the Good Park Junior. He had three birdies and shot a 73.

This is what he Wetzel to say about his round: “I’ve been playing pretty rough lately, but I’m starting to get a good feel for it now. I’m just taking one shot at a time.”

Cory Kumpf, 18, is a recent graduate of Jackson High School. He had one eagle, two birdies and shot a 72.

“I went bogey, bogey the last two holes, so it kind of killed me,” said Kumpf, who is competing in his first Good Park Junior. “Besides that I played pretty good.”

Kyle Bates, 18, a recent graduate of Avon Lake High School shot a 2-under 69 in the qualifying round.

“I was pretty happy with it,” Bates said. “I’ve been playing horribly lately. I was struggling to shoot in the 70s.”

But Bates, a four-year letterwinner, two-year captain and second-team All-Ohio selection was on fire Wednesday. The Denision University recruit made seven birdies including the par-4 No. 1, par-5 No. 2, par-3 No. 4, par-5 No.5, par-4 No. 7, par-4 No. 12 and par-3 No. 13.

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GOOD PARK GIRLS

The girls divisions did not play Wednesday because early-morning thunderstorms delayed play, and the girls’ flights were already determined.

However, twin sisters Heather and Carly Arison were practicing putting and chipping for a couple hours late Wednesday afternoon at Good Park. The two rising seniors at Copley High School helped the Indians golf team finish second at the state tournament last season.

Heather and Carly finished third and fourth, respectively, at Good Park last year. With the absence of last year’s top two girls finishers (Megan Weaver and Mandi Morrow), the twins said they expect one of them to win the tournament.

Another sister tandem from Copley will also be at Good Park. Elisa, a recent Copley graduate, and Molly, who is going to be a junior at Copley, are scheduled to compete with the rest of the girls’ field Thursday and Friday.

I arrived at the 70th annual Good Park Junior at 11 a.m. Wednesday and Larry Zimmerman, tournament manager and Good Park general manager, told me I was about five hours early.

That’s because early-morning thunderstorms in Akron delayed the start of the tournament by at least a couple hours.

The first group was scheduled to tee off at 7 a.m. That same group was making the turn at about 11:15 a.m.

Stay tuned for more updates.

July has arrived and that means some of the best young golfers from the area will get their chance to shine in local tournaments.

Some of the top young golfers in the country will compete in the 32nd annual Westfield Junior PGA Championship, which will run Wednesday through Saturday.

The 70th annual Good Park Junior, which will be held Wednesday through Friday, will feature some of the area’s best young talent and will offer more of a local field than the Junior PGA.

I will be covering Good Park in Akron. Michael Beaven will be covering the Junior PGA in Medina county. Here is a link to a story by the Beacon Journal’s Tom Gaffney about the formats and differences between the two local tournaments.

Check back for tournament updates later this week.

Devon Torrence, a recent graduate of Canton South High School, is planning to juggle two sports at the next level.

Torrence, a center-fielder, was  drafted by the Houston Astros in the 16th round (501st overall pick) of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft in early June. Torrence is also committed to play football at Ohio State University. 

Torrence is now playing for the Greeneville (Tenn.) Astros in the Class A rookie Appalachian League. He has one hit and one stolen base in 12 at-bats.

Here is a link to a story by Marla Ridenour about Torrence’s decision to play multiple sports: http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/sports/colleges/17404006.htm

I have been researching professional athletes who were born and/or went to high school in the Beacon Journal’s five-county coverage area (Summit, Stark, Portage, Medina and Wayne). Below is a list of baseball players who made it to the majors.

 I couldn’t find all the high schools, so please let me know if you have any additional information about the players listed. Also, please notify me if you know of any players who have been left off the list.  Finally, I must thank Beacon Journal baseball historians Bill Lilley and Larry Pantages for helping me compile the list.

Here it is:

Andy Sonnanstine (pitcher) Wadsworth High School/Kent State University — Tampa Bay … 2007-current.

Damon Minor (first baseman/DH) born in Canton and went to Hammon H.S. in Oklahoma/University of Oklahoma — San Francisco … 2000-04. 

Ryan Minor (first baseman/third baseman/DH) brother of Damon Minor born in Canton and went to Hammon H.S. in Oklahoma/University of Oklahoma — Baltimore, Montreal … 1998-2001. 

Jeff Tabaka (pitcher) Copley H.S./KSU — Pittsburgh, San Diego, Houston, Cincinnati, St. Louis … 1994-2001. 

Kenny Robinson (pitcher) Archbishop Hoban H.S. — Toronto, Kansas City … 1995-97. 

Mike Birkbeck (pitcher) Orrville H.S./University of Akron — Milwaukee, New York Mets … 1986-95.

Scott Fletcher (shortstop) Wadsworth H.S./Ga. Southern University/University of Toledo — Chicaco Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Texas, Milwaukee, Boston, Detroit … 1981-95. 

Bob Knepper (pitcher) born in Akron and is believed to have moved out of the area for high school — San Francisco, Houston … 1976-1990. 

Randy Bockus (pitcher)  Sandy Valley H.S./KSU — San Francisco, Detroit … 1986-89.

Thurman Munson (catcher) now-closed Lehman H.S. in Canton/KSU — NYY … 1969-79.

Art Kusnyer (catcher) Buchtel H.S. – Chicago White Sox, California, Milwaukee, Kansas City … 1970-78. 

Billy Baldwin (outfielder/DH) Buchtel H.S./Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana — Detroit, NYM … 1975-76. 

Gene Michael (shortstop) East H.S./KSU — Pittsburgh, L.A. Dodgers, New York Yankees, Detroit … 1966-75.

Dean Chance (pitcher) what is now called Northwestern H.S. (formerly called West Salem H.S.) — L.A. Angels, California, Minnesota, Cleveland, NYM, Detroit … 1961-1971. 

Mike Hershberger (outfielder) Massillon Washington H.S./University of Cincinnati — Chicago White Sox, Kansas City, Oakland, Milwaukee … 1961-71. 

Jack DiLauro (pitcher) North H.S./UA — NYM, Houston … 1969-70. 

Joe Sparma (pitcher) Massillon Washington H.S./Ohio State University — Detroit, Montreal … 1964-70.

Gene Woodling (outfielder) East H.S. — Cleveland, NYY, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington … 1943-62. 

Hal Naragon (catcher) Barberton H.S. — Cleveland, Washington, Minnesota … 1951-62.

Rod Graber (outfielder) born in Massillon — Cleveland … 1958. 

Ron Negray (pitcher) Garfield H.S. — Brooklyn, Philadelphia, L.A. Dodgers … 1952-58. 

Paul Stuffel (pitcher) Marlington H.S./KSU — Philadelphia … 1950-53.  

 Tommy Henrich (outfielder/first baseman) Massillon Washington H.S. — NYY … 1937-50. 

Charles Stanceu (pitcher) born in Canton — NYY, Philadelphia … 1941-46. 

Vince Shupe (first baseman) born in East Canton –Boston … 1945. 

Dick Hahn (catcher) born in Canton — Washington … 1940. 

Steve Rachunok (pitcher) born in Rittman — Brooklyn … 1940. 

Rabbit Warstler (shortstop/second baseman) North Canton Hoover H.S. — Boston, Philadelphia … 1930-40.

Fred Tauby (outfielder) born in Canton — Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh … 1935-37. 

Bob “Fatty” Fothergill (outfielder) Massillon Washington H.S. — Detroit, Chicago White Sox, Boston … 1922-33. 

Hal Haid (pitcher) born in Barberton — St. Louis, Boston, Chicago White Sox … 1919-33. 

George Sisler (first baseman) now-closed Central H.S. in Akron/University of Michigan — St. Louis, Washington, Boston … 1915-30.

Fred Bratschi (outfielder) born in Alliance — Chicago White Sox, Boston … 1921-27.

Roger Peckinpaugh (shortstop) born in Wooster — Cleveland, NYY, Washington, Chicago White Sox … 1910-27. Player/manager for NYY in 1914, manager for Cleveland 1928-33 and 1941. 

Bill Upham (pitcher0 born in Akron — Brooklyn, Boston … 1915-18. 

Harry Betts (pitcher) born in Alliance — St. Louis, Cincinnati … 1903-1913.

Fred Graf (third baseman) born in Canton — St. Louis … 1913.

Scott Ingerton (utility) born in Peninsula — Boston … 1911.

Bob Spade (pitcher) born in Akron — Cincinnati, St. Louis … 1907-10. 

Herm Malloy (pitcher) born in Massillon — Detroit … 1907-08. 

Warren Shanabrook (third baseman) born in Massillon — Washington … 1906. 

Ed Poole (pitcher) born in Canton — Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Brooklyn … 1900-04. 

Sam Wise (utility) born in Akron — Detroit, Boston, Washington, Baltimore, Buffalo … 1881-93. 

Joe Neale (outfielder/pitcher) born in Wadsworth — Louisville, St. Louis … 1886-91.

Ossie France (pitcher) born in Green — Chicago Cubs … 1890.

Stow baseball coach Brian Banfield has resigned and will take the assistant principal job at his alma mater Poland Seminary High School.

Banfield guided the Bulldogs (24-6, 13-1) to their second consecutive Western Reserve Conference title this past season. He was also named WRC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.

Banfield is a 1993 graduate of Poland Seminary, where he played baseball and football. Banfield said he will not continue his coaching career at his new job.

We received a fax from Barberton High School’s athletic office that said the school is looking for a new head baseball coach for the 2008 season, meaning Magics coach Jon Hance will not be returning next season.

I spoke to Hance and he confirmed that he will step down after eight seasons as head coach to spend more time with his family.