When you play for Dublin Jerome, pressure isn’t something you avoid — it’s something you learn to carry. As the most winning program in Ohio girls golf history, the Lady Celts enter every season with expectations that feel almost mythical. But this year’s championship story is not just about defending a legacy. It’s about five golfers — Nikitha Suresh, Adella Pawlowski, Mallory Quickel, Maya Faustino, and Mingyuan “Minnie” Zheng — who learned how to shoulder that weight together, turning nerves into resilience and high stakes into a shared purpose.

Their season was defined not only by competitive fire but by joy, connection, and moments that felt suspended in time. And yet everything came down to one final putt.

When that last putt dropped at states, the dominant emotion — expressed in different words, tones, and smiles — was relief. For Nikitha, the team’s steady and quietly fierce first seed, it was as if the pressure she had been absorbing all season finally loosened. “I was relieved to finally get it done,” she said. “And proud of our team.” Minnie echoed that feeling deeply; after months of high expectations and razor-thin margins, she felt tension melt away in an instant.

For Maya, the freshman whose poise surpasses her age, the moment was pure release. “I was overwhelmed and kind of relieved. My first thought was just, ‘Yes!’” That simple word captured the disbelief and excitement that swept across the green.

But the true magic came seconds later. As Nikitha stepped off the 18th green, her teammates sprinted toward her — a blur of green and gold — before launching into a group hug that said everything words couldn’t. “It felt unreal to finally win,” Maya remembered, her voice still carrying the awe of that moment.

Every championship team has its own energy, and the Lady Celts embody a blend of contrasts that somehow fits together seamlessly. Nikitha describes them as supportive, competitive, ambitious. Maya calls them focused but fun. Mallory — who brings equal parts grit and comic relief — labels the group unique, hilarious, gritty. And Adella, the undeniable spark plug of the team, says they are different, exciting, unique.

That mix created a chemistry that showed up everywhere — in practice rounds, in tournament pressure, and especially in the van rides where music blasted and laughter filled the space between long days. Their favorite memories weren’t always found on fairways but at places like BJ’s, where each girl ordered her own pazookie and swapped stories from the round. “We all told fun stories and had a lot of fun,” Adella recalled. Minnie agreed: “Celebrating together makes every win feel more special.”

Still, championships aren’t built on personality alone. They’re built on moments — clutch ones.

Nikitha’s turning point came early, when the team won the season’s first tournament by a single stroke. “It set the standard,” she said. “It showed how competitive the season was going to be.” That early test sharpened their focus and foreshadowed how close many matches would be.

Adella delivered one of the season’s most unforgettable performances when she birdied her final three holes to flip a two-stroke deficit into a one-stroke lead — a surge that felt legendary even as it unfolded. Mallory’s defining clutch moment came at the Olentangy Braves Invitational, when she stood over her final hole knowing exactly what she needed — and delivered the birdie that sealed a one-stroke victory. “Butch told us earlier he thought it would come down to one stroke,” she said. “And it did.”

For Maya, the breakthrough wasn’t one swing but a shift in mindset. After a rough start at states, she regrouped, breathing through the nerves to finish strong for her team. That kind of composure is rare, especially in a freshman. And for Minnie, confidence crystallized after shooting a personal-best 77 at Echo Springs — a round that reminded her she could rise to any moment.

Being part of Jerome’s legendary program means something different to each girl, but the pride is universal. “It’s an honor,” Nikitha said. Maya added, “I’m proud to be part of something with so much history.” Mallory called it “something so special,” a privilege not many athletes experience. Minnie sees it as carrying forward the values of “hard work, sportsmanship, and teamwork.” And Adella summed it up simply but powerfully: “Golf is such an important part of my life. Being part of this legacy means a lot.”

When the emotional dust settles, the Lady Celts will be remembered as champions — but the moments they’ll hold closest are softer: early-morning tee times, pep talks, jokes that broke the tension, long van rides, shared desserts, and the feeling of sprinting into a group hug on the 18th green.

Five golfers. Five personalities. One heartbeat. One legacy carried forward.

The Lady Celts weren’t champions solely because of how they played.

They were champions because of who they were — and who they were for each other.