By Don Eskins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Glendale Falcons, with three golfers carding scores in the 70’s, dominated this year’s Class 3, District 3 golf tournament held at the Bill & Payne Stewart Golf Course on Friday, Oct. 7.
The Falcons posted a team low score of 309 to grab this year’s tournament championship. Glendale outdistanced runner-up Helias Catholic, who recorded a 364, by 55 strokes.
Carding scores in the 70’s for the Falcons were freshman Page Bowman, also the tournament’s top medalist, with a 74, Catherine Rhoads with a 76 and Scotlynn Blackington a 79. One stroke back of Blackington was Hannah Peak who registered an 80. Rounding out Glendale’s scoring was Audrey Duvall with an 89.
Helias, in landing the tournament’s runner-up spot, was led by Sophia Hinds who fired a 75. Hinds was joined by teammates Adalyn Bayer with a 94, Flynn Hamilton a 96, Cecelia Boyer a 99 and Molly Case a 101.
For Glendale, head coach Ron Yocum says things couldn’t be better in the Falcon’s camp.
“To win this year’s district championship is fantastic. But it’s also fantastic to have had all five of our girls qualify for the state tournament,” said Yocum. “It’s really hard to get all five girls to state so it makes me really excited to think that we’re going to be able to do that this year. These girls have worked very hard to get to this point in our season and they all deserve to go.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE TOURNAMENT
The Falcon coach said that things have gone pretty much as planned for his charges this year and that they won’t be making any changes in their routine as they prepare for this years Big Dance.
“Our goal at the beginning of the year was to be playing our best golf at the end of the season. So far we’ve been doing just that. So we’re just going to keep doing what we’ve been doing and when we get to state, we’ll see what happens.”
Yocum wasn’t the only Falcon excited about their district win.
“I’m so excited right now, we’re district champions and we’re going to state. I’m so proud of our team, we’ve worked really hard for this,” said senior Falcon captain Scotlynn Blackington.
And what has been Glendale’s secret for success?
“It’s the time we’ve put in on the course this year. We’ve worked hard and now all that hard work is paying off,” said Blackington. “But just as important as the hard work has also been the way we’ve supported each other. We’ve been a team all year, and now we’re going to state, as a team.”
After failing to win during their first two tournaments of the season, the Falcons have now won five in a row.
For Helias, head coach Jay Higgins said that he and his kids are more than happy to be going home with a plaque for second place in this year’s district tournament.
“I’m really pleased with the way our kids played today. Our goal was to shoot in the 360’s, which we did. We knew that wouldn’t be good enough to beat Glendale, they’re an awesome team,” said Higgins. “But we did think it would be good enough to finish second and get us to state. We’ll, we were right on both counts. Our kids are going to state and we couldn’t be happier.”
For Page Bowman grabbing top medalist honors, along with this year’s district championship, made her day even more special.
“Winning top medalist honors at our district tournament means a great deal to me,” said Bowman. “I worked really hard to win it and it makes me proud to know that I won.”
Next up for the Falcons, a trip to state.
Following are the results for the Class 3 District 3 Tournament. The top four players, on both the first and second place teams, plus the next top twelve scores qualified for state.
In a rarity Camdenton qualified four members of its team for state. As a result, even though they didn’t place first or second, they will be able to enter the team competition at the state tournament as they have four members qualified.
C3D3 Team Scores
1. Glendale – 309
2. Helias – 364
3. Rolla – 380
4. Willard – 382
5. Camdenton – 383
6. Bolivar – 386
7. Branson – 399
8. Carl Junction – 416
9. Lebanon – 439
10. Webb City – 457
11. McDonald – 471
12. Hillcrest – DNF
13. West Plains – DNF
14. Parkview – DNF
Top Two Teams
Champions- Glendale
1. Page Bowman 35-39-74
2. Catherine Rhoads 39-37-76
3. Scotlynn Blackington 38-41-79
4. Hannah Peak 43-37-80
Runner-up- Helias
1. Sophia HInds 40-35-75
2. Adalyn Bayer 47-47-94
3. Flynn Hamilton 48-48-96
4. Cecelia Boyer 49-50-99
Individual State Qualifiers
1. Maci Rogers 41-38-79 – Branson
2. Kylee Hopper 40-43-83 – Willard
3. DeLaney Daniels 44-41-85 – Bolivar
4. Audrey Smith – 44-44-88 – Rolla
5. Audrey Duvall – 41-48-89 – Glendale
6. Alyssa Joyce 42-48-90 – Rolla
7. Sydney Righter 45-46-91 – Camdenton
8. Joy Camarena 43-52-95 – Camdenton
9. Aubrey Foster 49-47-96 – Willard
10. Kaydence Yockey 48-50-98 – Bolivar
11. Kaylee Stewart 48-50-98 – Camdenton
12. Ellie Robinson 49-50-99 – Bolivar
13. Emma Howard 46-53-99 – Willard
14. Hannah Beeson 46-53-99 – Camdenton
All-District Team
1. Page Bowman – 74 – Glendale
2. Sophia Hinds – 75 – Helias
3. Catherine Rhoads – 76 – Glendale
4. Scotlynn Blackington – 79 – Glendale
5. Maci Rogers 79 – Branson
6. Hannah Peak – 80 – Glendale
7. Kylee Hopper – 83 – Willard
8. DeLaney Daniels – 85 -Bolivar
9. Audrey Smith – 88 – Rolla
10. Aubrey Duvall – 89 – Glendale
11. Alyssa Joyce 90 – Rolla
12. Sydney Righter – 91 – Camdenton
