Lakota East celebrating historic state tournament finishes by 2 teams

For the first time both the girls and boys golf teams at Lakota East High School finished third in last weekend's Ohio prep tournament. The high final placement in the annual tournament is a testament, say Lakota district officials, to the Liberty Township school's strong golf program.
(Provided Photos/Journal-News)

For the first time both the girls and boys golf teams at Lakota East High School finished third in last weekend's Ohio prep tournament. The high final placement in the annual tournament is a testament, say Lakota district officials, to the Liberty Township school's strong golf program. (Provided Photos/Journal-News)

Lakota East High School has spent the week celebrating a top 3 finish in Ohio by each of its boys and girls golf teams last weekend.

The historically high combination finish in Ohio’s prep golf tournament, which was played at the Ohio State University golf course in Columbus, was the latest acclaim for the traditionally strong Lakota East High School program. Each team finished third in the state.

The Lakota East squads, which competed in the in Ohio’s largest student enrollment division, and coaches said they were pleased and proud but not completely surprised because the Liberty Twp. school has long excelled in golf.

“We have never competed at such a high level before and it has been very nice seeing them continue to grow on the golf course,” said Lakota East Girls Golf Coach Alison Green. “This season has been an extremely exciting for the girls.”

The school, which for years have seen its boys team consistently win the Greater Miami Conference (GMC) league championship, has became a dual threat with the more recent upswing of the girls golf program, said school officials.

For the first time both the girls and boys golf teams at Lakota East High School finished third in last weekend’s Ohio prep tournament. The high final placement in the annual tournament is a testament, say Lakota district officials, to the Liberty Township school’s strong golf program. (Provided Photos/Journal-News)

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Green said this season saw “the Lakota East girls competed against 12 different teams and third place is the highest finish the girls have ever had at the state championship.”

“The girls improved by 41 strokes from last year and finished two spots higher than last year and this was the third straight state appearance for the program,” she said.

Lakota East boys squad, which is coached by Jeff Combs, finished second last year and competed well enough to make the state tournament for four consecutive years.

“We have been building this for quite a while,” said Combs, who cited the boys’ six straight GMC titles and 10 out of the last 14 years.

“I have been coaching for over 20 years but used to coach three (prep) sports but since I have been only coaching golf for last four to five years, we have been able to me more consistent with our off season training and tourney prep, tourney prep,” he said.

“I also am a golf teaching professional all year at Four Bridges Golf Academy, so that helps,” he said.

Richard Bryant, athletic director at Lakota East, said “both programs are exceptional.”

“The girls team has come so far, so fast it is incredible. The girls program has won two GMC titles in the last three years and has qualified to the state tournament the last three years,” said Bryant.

“The kids and coaches deserve all of the credit. I believe that both programs have established themselves in the region,” he said.

Lauren Boettcher, a spokeswoman for Lakota Schools, said the strong finishes in the state tournament reflects well on Lakota East and the entire school community.

“All of our student-athletes and their coaches invest so much of themselves into their sport all year round, so it’s an exciting time of year to see all that they are accomplishing,” said Boettcher.

“Making it to the state level of competition says a great deal about the talent and work ethic of both East golf teams. We are so proud of all they accomplished this season and so glad to have them representing Lakota.”

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