GOLF: Claremore sweeps Metro Lakes Conference Tournament; other local standouts shine

Apr. 12—Claremore's golf teams showcased their dominance at the Metro Lakes Conference Tournament, securing both the boys and girls championships.

The boys team emerged victorious with a commanding 22-stroke margin, while the Lady Zebras claimed a 13-stroke victory Thursday at Shangri-La Golf Club in Afton.

Leading the charge for Claremore was sophomore Jack Williams, who clinched the individual title over 38 competitors with a score of 70, finishing five strokes ahead of second-place finisher Tyler Case of Grove.

Notably, Williams demonstrated his skill on the back 9, finishing 2-under-par with three birdies. Tripp Jackson, a junior, also had a strong showing, securing third place with a score of 76 and five birdies to his name.

"He came off the front with three bogeys, and then the wind really picked up, so he played that back 9 in the toughest conditions," Claremore boys coach Tim Gregg said. "He buckled down and hit some good shots in that wind."

The rest of the Zebra boys also performed admirably, with Connor Burton finishing in 10th place with a score of 83 and Gage Hall finishing in 11th place with an 84.

Landon Tah rounded out the team's efforts with a score of 91, placing him in 20th position.

"We were pretty confident going in," Gregg said. "It was close the first nine, and then toward the back when the conditions got really tough, we kind of just stayed where we were and everybody else fell down."

On the girls side, Claremore shot a total of 413 to claim victory.

Hadley Abraham — a senior — stood out, tying for second place and ultimately finishing third of 32 golfers after a tiebreaker. She finished within one stroke of the winner, Joely Wise of Collinsville, who shot a 97.

"I really felt like she played really well considering how hard that course is and how hard the wind was blowing, so I'm super proud of her," Claremore girls coach Scott Greenland said. "She was disappointed because she obviously wanted to win, but she did really well."

Kate Merriman, a sophomore, was not far behind Abraham, finishing with a score of 99. Ava Pettus and Victoria Neal also contributed to the team's success, finishing in ninth and 11th place, respectively, with scores of 107 and 109.

Leah Merriman completed the team effort with a score of 110, placing 13th.

"I told them leading up to it on the way there that we can win this, and I expect us to," Greenland said. "Not because the field is easy, but because we're there — we just gotta put it all together. I was really proud of them for making that happen. They all shot one of their better rounds or close to it."

In other tournaments involving Rogers County linksters, Verdigris junior Maddox Mason emerged victorious at the Verdigris Valley Conference Tournament on Monday at Shangri-La Golf Club, winning by a comfortable six-stroke margin over 42 competitors with a score of 74 — a performance that included three birdies.

Cole Finch, a senior for the Cardinals, secured third place, carding an 81, while the senior trio of Ryan Wells (95), Daigan Marveggio (102) and Tyler Willis (103) accounted for the rest of the team's scoring, placing 22nd, 32nd and 33rd, respectively.

Oologah also had notable performances, with sophomore Henry Barron finishing in fifth place with a score of 81. Brady Evans and Jaxon Lustig tied at 94 to secure 20th and 21st place, respectively. Jaden Henry and Eli DeSpain also showcased their skills, finishing in 29th and 41st place, respectively, with scores of 98 and 111.

On the girls side, Lady Mustangs senior Eastin Keith impressed with a score of 96, allowing her to secure 10th place and lead Oologah to a third-place finish with an overall score of 421.

Mattie Morton also contributed to the team's success, finishing in 15th place with a score of 101, while Brooklyn Jones (108), Karsyn Littlepage (116) and Preslee Moffett (119) rounded out the team scoring, placing 19th, 27th and 29th, respectively.

The Verdigris girls finished fourth with a score of 447.

Tyler Finch, a junior, led the way with a 14th-place finish and a score of 101. The freshman trio of Jackie Beauchamp (110), Emma Martin (116), Callie James (120) and senior Cadence Barnes (120) were responsible for the remainder of the Lady Cardinals' scoring.

The Vinita Invitational proved to be a memorable tournament for the golfers from Rogers County as well. Held Thursday at the Coves Golf Club in Afton, the event saw outstanding performances from several local standouts.

Inola sophomore Caden Thompson stole the show, capturing the title over 49 other golfers with a score of 77. His skill and composure were evident as he navigated the challenging course, shooting two birdies on the back 9 to pull away from Sequoyah senior Colby Morgan, who placed second with a 79.

Thompson was not the only standout for the Longhorns, for they claimed the team championship to further solidify their dominance.

Sophomore Travis Weast and senior Trevor Groff played integral roles in the team's success, finishing in the top 10 individually at sixth and eighth.

Weast posted a score of 82, while Groff followed closely behind with a score of 83. Their strong performances contributed significantly to the team's winning score of 329, a comfortable 16 strokes ahead of runner-up Miami.

Sequoyah also had a strong showing at the Vinita Invitational, with Tate Dunlap finishing in 10th place with a score of 84. In addition to Morgan, Dunlap's performance was instrumental in helping the Eagles secure a third-place finish in the team standings with a score of 352.

Sequoyah's team effort was further bolstered by the contributions of Judah Gibson, Luke Wood and Caden Reavis.

Gibson, a junior, finished in 21st place with a score of 93, while Wood, a senior, secured 23rd place with a score of 96. Reavis, a junior, rounded out the team's scoring with a score of 100, placing him in 33rd position.

Although junior Kyler Moore finished 22nd with a score of 94, his score was not counted toward the team total because he was seeded higher than 5.

Verdigris also made its presence felt at the Vinita Invitational.

Mason, who had earlier secured the Verdigris Valley Conference title, continued his impressive form, tying with Sequoyah's Morgan with a score of 79 before finishing third on a tiebreaker.

Mason's effort was complemented by senior Cole Finch, who finished seventh with a score of 82.

Cole Finch's strong showing contributed to the team's fourth-place finish with an overall score of 357. Wells and Willis also played vital roles, finishing in 24th and 31st place, respectively, with scores of 96 and 100.

Marveggio completed the team's efforts with a score of 110, placing him in 44th position.

Chelsea also participated in the tournament, finishing eighth with a score of 405.

Dalton Harris, a freshman, led the Green Dragons with a score of 93, securing 20th place. Slayte Smith, another freshman, followed closely behind with a score of 97, placing him in 26th position.

Kayden Hull, a freshman, and Michael Wooten, a junior, also made valuable contributions to the team's effort with scores of 104 and 111, respectively. Ethan Bunnell, a freshman, also competed but turned in an incomplete scorecard.