‘Too much Taylor Swift’: Dublin Jerome golf comfortable being uncomfortable
Monday, August 10, 2026
By Michael Rich
mrichnotwealthy@gmail.com
Dublin Jerome junior Nikitha Suresh led the Celtics to a state tournament title last year. She won the 50th Ohio Junior Girls Championship on June 15 in Marion. Photo: Kevin Rouch
It’s a rare thing to get a school’s girls and boys golf teams in the same place at the same time. The Dublin Jerome boys and golfs were not only in the same place at the same time, but they also took home the same hardware.
The Celtics swept the Division I state championships. Jerome is the only program to do so and last October at Akron’s Firestone Country Club, the Celtics did it for the fifth time.
And afterwards, they did something else that they rarely get to do … they celebrated together.
“We went to BJ’s (Brewhouse),” said Nikitha Suresh, now a junior, who led the girls team to its state-best eighth title, by scoring 146 over two rounds to finish fifth of 71 individuals.
As a team the Celtics shot 624, 12 ahead of second-place Rocky River Magnificat and 10 other teams.
“We all ordered pizookie’s,” said now-senior Brady Barnum, who won an individual title at state with a two-round score of 137 to win by three strokes over 70 other competitors. “It was a great time. We don’t really get together with the girls team that much, so it was really cool to get together to celebrate as a whole.”
The Celtics boys team held off St. Charles and 10 others to capture their 10th team championship with a score of 578, just two strokes ahead of the second-place Cardinals.
Jerome senior Brady Barnum, a Georgia commit, was the OHSAA Division I state champion last year, as the Celtics boys team also won a state crown. File photo
Both teams are poised to make a run at a repeat. The boys team returns three of the five that competed at last year’s state tournament, including Barnum, classmate Evan Menges (tied-seventh of 71 individuals, 146) and Blaise Barnum (tied-34th, 157), Brady’s brother, who is now a sophomore.
The girls team returns four of five from last year’s group that competed at state, led by Suresh and classmates Adella Pawlowski and Mallory Quickel (both tied-11th, 154) and the now-sophomore Maya Faustino (tied-37th, 170).
Both Celtics programs are always in the mix since the school opened in 2005. Girls coach CD Butcher was an assistant the first year and helped Jerome to its first state title. He’s run the program ever since.
“I don’t think I have anything to do with it except I want it to be a fun experience,” Butcher said. “It’s gotta be fun, otherwise, why do it? These girls – and the boys – have so much pressure on them. (Our program) is almost like a safe space where they can create their own stories.
“They’re by themselves all summer and then they come into a team environment and that’s what I try to do. I try to make a team environment where they want to be a part of and take ownership of.”
Third-year boys coach Brad Sparling finds a lot of inspiration from Butcher.
“He’s got eight championships and he doesn’t get enough credit,” Sparling said. “His emotional intelligence is really high and he is an unbelievable coach. I’m proud to call him a friend. (I’ve used) some of his ideas with our own team to really help us be successful.
“Our No. 1 thing is to try to have fun. We try to create great memories and experiences and relationships with the kids, because I think that’s what it’s all about. We’re trying to adhere to certain standards that develop a real sense of team. (It’s) trying to leave every place better than when we found it. And being grateful for the opportunity, trying to do our best every single time.”
Jerome junior Adella Pawlowski was part of last year’s state title team. This season, she has already won top honors at the Celtics’ Hudson and Zanesville events. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Butcher uses the schedule with stiff competition to prepare the team for the postseason. Long van rides help develop a report and a sense of team.
The girls have wins at the Hudson Lady Explorer Invitational on Aug. 3, the Brunswick Tee-off Classic on Aug. 4 and the Circle K Invitational in Zanesville on Aug. 6
Junior Adella Pawlowski won medalist honors in Hudson and Zanesville, shooting a 69 and a 66, respectively.
At the Circle K invite, the Celtics had the top five finishers with Suresh and sophomore Maya Faustino (each 68) and junior Mallory Quickel (70) each shooting even-par or better). Freshman Hebe Li (71) finished tied for fifth with Fort Frye’s Raeleigh Warden, also a freshman.
Suresh said the mental aspect begins before the team hits the parking lot.
“When we drive into the parking lot, we’re blasting hype music,” said Suresh, who won the 50th Ohio Junior Girls Championship June 15 in Marion. “It’s like a tradition for us – getting us hyped and in the zone. It’s just something to get us awake and Butch is forced to listen to it. The poor guy has probably heard the same songs over and over again the last 15 years.”
Suresh won medalist honors at the first of four OCC-Cardinal events, which took place at Raymond Memorial Golf Course on Aug. 5. The Celtics shot a 285 as a team to cruise to the win, 35 strokes ahead of second-place Olentangy Berlin.
“I’ve heard way too much Taylor Swift in my life,” Butcher quipped.
The boys spend the offseason mentally preparing. They have goal meetings and the returning players go on camping trips to develop their report. Sparling gives his players homework too.
Jerome senior Evan Menges, a Miami University commit, finished in a tie for seventh at last year’s state competition. He took medalist honors at the first OCC event this season. File photo
“We give them challenges,” he said. “So, they have to do something really uncomfortable like taking a cold shower or running 10 miles or sleeping on the hardwood floor. They come up with these ideas themselves. We’re trying to get them really uncomfortable so they can become comfortable being in those situations because – when it comes down to crunch time at the end of the year – it’s not completely new to them.”
So. Barnum found himself sitting on the couch watching movies all day, not an odd activity in and of itself. For him, it was a mental exercise – a challenge.
“I thought it would be enjoyable, but it wasn’t. It was torture,” he said. “I like doing (challenges) because it’s really good for adversity. Pushing through things you don’t really want to do.”
Like the girls team, the boys have also won every tournament they’ve participated in so far. The won the Dublin Coffman Invitational on Aug. 1 and the Wedgewood Classic on Aug. 3, led by Barnum both times.
Barnum shot a 68 at the Coffman invite to win medalist honors and a 70 at Wedgewood to finish in a three-way tie for the top spot.
He missed the first round of the OCC-Cardinal tournament on Aug. 5 to participate in the AJGA Memorial Junior tournament at Ohio State’s Scarlet course Aug. 4-6 where he shot a three-round score of 209 to win the event.
Instead, Menges took top honors at the first OCC event with a 69. Sophomore Christian Yoder (tied-third, 72) and junior Akash Chaudhari (fifth, 73) also finished in the top five.
The boys played at the St. Charles Invitational Aug. 10 at the Lakes Golf and Country Club and will continue league play on Aug. 12 at Turnberry Golf Course while the girls head to Cumberland Trail Golf Course for the Watkins Memorial Lady Warrior Invitational on Aug. 11.
“I think we’re a product of our own success,” Butcher said. “You don’t get good without work because you can’t just show up. We’ve got a tradition. It’s also a tradition that it’s fun to be on the team and they want to be a part of it.”
Jerome junior Mallory Quickel finished in 11th place at last year’s state tournament, tied with her teammate Adella Pawlowski. Photo: Kevin Rouch