Joplin boys golf continued its dominance to start the 2021 season after taking first place as a team in the Horton Smith Invitational on Monday at Schifferdecker Golf Course.
The Eagles earned their third tournament win with a score of 318, while Carl Junction placed second with a score of 330. Webb City placed third with a team total of 337, while Carthage (353) placed fourth and Nevada (359) fifth.
“They were kind of upset with their scores, but I told them, ‘Guys, you don’t want to peak too early,’” Joplin coach Jack Pace said with a smile. “Just enjoy the game right now and have fun. You want to peak around conference, districts and state. … I always say, though, when the kids feel like they aren’t playing to their expectations and they are still winning, that is a sign of a good team.”
Rounding out the team scores, Thomas Jefferson (370), Lockwood (387), McAuley (403), Seneca (413) and Sarcoxie (455) placed sixth through 10th.
Nevada’s Owen Swearingen finished with the medalist honors after carding a five-over-par 76. Carl Junction’s Noah Williams took second place after finishing one stroke back with a 77, tying with Joplin’s Kaden Park, who also carded a 77. Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell and Wyatt Satterlee both tied for fourth place after shooting 79 to round out the top five individual scores.
Joplin’s Fielding Campbell and Harry Satterlee tied for sixth with a final score of 80. Ethan Sage finished just outside the top 10 with an 83 for the Eagles, who have won all six of their matches as a team this season.
“The course was playing a little bit more difficult than I expected,” Fielding Campbell said. “I got off to a rough start, eight over after six holes, but I was able to grind it out and fire an 80, which I was not too upset with in the end.”
We kind of expected this because all of us have been playing a lot over the summer,” Campbell added about Joplin’s start to the season. “If we keep working hard, the success will continue for us.”
Carl Junction’s Zach Wrensch finished in a tie for ninth with an 82, while Jacob Teeter finished the round with an 83. Tommy Walker shot an 88, while Cooper Wyrick closed with a 90.
Webb City was led by Keegon Dill, who finished in eighth place with a score of 81. Braxton Cahoon shot an 84, while Cody Frazier finished with an 85. Jager Carter closed the day with an 87, while Carson Frazier shot an 89.
Britt Coy’s 83 led Carthage, while Owen Derryberry finished with an 87. Ben Nicholas finished with a round of 88, while Quinn Brewer shot a 95. Brandon Gacke’s 97 rounded out the Tigers’ fourth-place grouping.
Other notable scores from the area: Thomas Jefferson’s Owen D’Amour finished in a tie for ninth place after finishing with a round of 82. McAuley’s Evan D’Amour carded an 86. Nevada’s Logan McNeely shot an 88, while Lane McNeely shot a 95. Seneca’s Eli Olsen led the Indians with an 87. Lockwood’s Reese Fyfe finished just outside the top 10 with an 83.
