Carl Junction girls golf is in a prime position to be extremely competitive over the course of the upcoming 2022 season.
After graduating one player from a season ago, the Bulldogs return two state qualifiers from two years ago—senior Rylee Sprague and junior Anna Burch—as well as senior Jasmine Woerner, sophomore Alex Teeter and sophomore Olivia Teeter. Senior Angel Washington also figures to make and impact at the varsity level.
“There has been excitement since we’ve started up practice,” Carl Junction coach Corey Clingan said. “Our top seven players all have a chance to contribute to this team this year, and I continue to hear them pushing each other to get better every day at practice.”
While there are plenty of experienced returners, that doesn’t necessarily transfer to success on the course. Fortunately, along with that experience comes talent—something the Bulldogs have a plethora of as well.
“As this team continues to grow, I have high hopes that the experience they bring to the table will allow them to be successful in the regular season tournaments,” Clingan said. “I also hope for us to make a jump in the COC standings in comparison to the last two years.
“The cohesiveness of this team is something that we haven’t had the last couple of years. I feel like the leadership and determination is there, and I expect the hard work to pay off as this season progresses.”
What’s most intriguing about the Bulldogs this season is that their strength is also their weakness. They don’t have a standout golfer, but they have a varsity squad with every player capable of putting up a low number.
“Some teams have a heavy hitter or anchor, as in they have a golfer who can give them a low score right off the bat,” Clingan said. “One thing we have is that all five players in our varsity spots are very similar in scoring, which could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the day.”
Carl Junction takes part in the Joplin Invitational on Tuesday at Schifferdecker Golf Course.
