Lady Jackets close strong for 4th place finish
Day 2 showing had team 4 strokes from runner-up
KARI SHEPARD chips onto the green during the Class 4A girls state golf tournament. She had two rounds in the 90s as KHS placed fourth. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smugmug.com ]
Olivia Wilcox
KINGFISHER golfer Sierra Townsend lines up a putt during the Class 4A girls state golf tournament in Oklahoma City last week. Townsend shot two rounds of 98 for a 196 total. [Photo by Russell Stitt/www.stitt.smug.com]
Things looked bleak for the Kingfisher High School girls golf team after the first day of the Class 4A state tournament.
Luckily for the Lady Jackets, unlike last year, there was a second day.
KHS was 15 strokes better in Thursday’s second round at Lake Hefner Golf Club’s south course and eventually finished fourth in the team standings.
Hilldale lapped the field for the team title as its 616 was 107 strokes better than second-place Wagoner.
However, Kingfisher’s 727 total over two days was just four strokes off the state runner-up pace.
That reality hit coach Audra Smalley and the rest of the Lady Jackets hard once the final scores were posted.
It seemed far-fetched after Wednesday’s 371 had KHS in a tie for seventh place in the 12-team field.
“It’s always heartbreaking to get so close and not get the results that you wanted,” Smalley said. “But I can’t say enough about this team. We have worked hard, improving 50 strokes from the first tournament to the last.”
As has been the case all season, Kingfisher was led by Maddi Kamas (see related story).
The sophomore shot a 3-over-par 73 and led the tournament by one stroke after Wednesday’s round. She finished with a 74 and was the 4A state runner-up by a stroke.
However, epitomizing Kingfisher’s second-day charge was junior Alexis Stitt.
Coming off a career round at last week’s regional, Stitt didn’t card a single par and struggled to a 102 in the state tournament opener.
She came back Thursday with an 87 to tie her career-best round for a 189 total.
“To see her struggle, but come back with her lowest round at the state tournament was great,” Smalley said.
Sierra Townsend had matching rounds of 98 for a 196.
“Sierra was steady all season; she improved her length tremendously off the tee,” Smalley said. “She was so close to breaking into the 80’s and after this summer, she will.”
The team’s five-bag, Kari Shepard also shot 196 with rounds of 99 and 97.
“Kari really came on strong at the end of the season, giving us quality rounds from a five-bag,” Smalley said. “To break 100 in back-to-back rounds at the state tournament is impressive.”
And newcomer Olivia Wilcox finished at 101 and 103.
“Olivia has been playing golf for about three months. I coached her in softball and I know that she is a really good athlete,” Smalley said.
“She has a natural swing and will only get better with more time and practice.”
Time is something this group has. All five golfers will return next season.
Smalley expects them to be right back at the state tournament, but maybe next year with a different frame of mind.
“I think they came in thinking that they couldn’t compete and then for them to see that we were four strokes from state runner-up…they were excited for next year,” Smalley said.
“I know we are going to work even harder to get the results next year that we wanted today.”
Team standings
Hilldale 312-304-616 Wagoner 370-353-723 Muldrow 360-364-724 Kingfisher 371-356-727 Pauls Valley 360-371-731 Grove 357-382-739 Elk City 370-374-744 Clinton 399-393-792 Tuttle 414-394-808 Cushing 406-410-816 Catoosa 410-413-823 Tecumseh 420-413-833
Kingfisher golfers
Kamas 73-74-147 Stitt 102-87-189 Townsend 98-98-196 Wilcox 101-103-204 Shepard 99-97-196