SPORTSINK.COM PHOTO
Jessica Porvasnik has been a starting member of the Highland girls golf team since her freshman season. This is the 2009 Highland girls team, including Porvasnik, far left. She was state runnerup in 2010 and the Hornets placed fourth as a team. This year, she finished sixth and the team placed third.
Our SportsInk.com Athlete of the Week for Nov. 1-7 is Highland sophomore golf standout Jessica Porvasnik. Porvasnik finished as OHSAA state runnerup at Ohio State’s Gray Course nine days ago.
Porvasnik shot a 70 on Friday and a 77 on Saturday to finish with a 7 over-par 147. “The greens were much faster on Saturday so some of my putts got away from me,” she said. “I was excited our team went from eighth to fourth and my second place finish was pretty cool as well."
Porvasnik is right when she talks about her putting game as she registered 31 putts on Friday and 35 on Saturday. “The greens were harder and quicker on Saturday," she said.
Keep in mind the 15-year old sophomore still has two more years of high school golf ahead of her and also remember she's only had a club in her hand for three years.
“I went to Michigan three years ago and my aunt took me for a lesson and the instructor said I had real potential so I came home and took up golf,” Porvasnik said.
Neither of her parents (Stacey and Ron) were regular golfers so her development can be traced back to wanting to excel at the game. “I need to keep working on my short game and putting if I hope to be a state champion,” she said.
With her brilliant sophomore campaign in the books, it will be fun to watch Porvasnik's improvement and pursuit of a state championship over the next two years. She carries a 1 Handicap and a terrific work ethic to improve.
She and her teammates, along with coach Mary Becker, have put Highland golf on the map.
“Ohio State was not the toughest course of the year, Massillon was, but I was pleased with the way I played and I lost to a real good golfer,” she said. Cincinnati Mason senior Emily Wright won the tournament with a 2-over par 142.
Jessica Porvasnik
Highland
Sophomore
Golf
TV: “7th Heaven”
Movie: “Caddyshack”
Pizza: Cheese
Home Cooked meal: Alfredo
IPod: “Party in the USA”
Class: Math
Clubs: Nike