Both Greenwood High School golf teams are headed to their respective state tournaments after qualifying earlier this week in the 5A West conference tournament held at Cabot. Both GHS squads finished among the top three teams against league competition to earn the right to advance further into post-season play.
The Lady Bulldogs will play next Monday, September 27th, at Glenwood Country Club, while the Bulldogs must wait until Tuesday, October 5th, to play at Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado. The two teams are coached by Ronnie Sockey (girls) and Tyler Woods (boys). Last season the GHS ladies finished second at state and the GHS boys placed third.
Conference tournament
This past Tuesday at Cabot, the Lady Bulldogs finished tied for second place, led by the play of seniors Hallie Jones and Grace Woody. Jones fired an 18-hole total of 77 and Woody carded an 81, followed by Addison Curtis (116) and Maggie Leonard (118). The top three scores accounted for the team total of 274, the same as Russellville, 16 strokes behind first place Mountain Home (258). Jones and Woody also finished 2nd and 3rd individually among all players.
The GHS boys placed third overall in the league tournament, edging out two other teams by a single stroke. The Bulldogs combined to score a round of 332, four strokes behind second place Vilonia (328) and 19 strokes behind first place Van Buren (313).
GHS senior Chris Daggs led the way with a round of 80. Deacon Drennan, another senior, had a personal best score of 82. Senior Jake Spoon carded an 84 and junior Harrison Adams an 86. Senior Joe Russell turned in a round of 89, but his score did not count in Greenwood’s team total.
Ryder Cup
Both GHS teams have enjoyed fine seasons with winning records, including another Ryder Cup victory over traditional rival Fort Smith Southside. On August 19th Greenwood won round one of a three match competition between the two schools, then won both matches in September to claim bragging rights once again.
On September 9th the two schools matched up for nine holes at Ben Geren Park in Fort Smith with Greenwood winning handily, 5-0. The boys’ duo of Daggs and Russell won their match, as did the GHS team of Spoon and Adams. Deacon Drennan and Aiden Sockey partnered to make it a clean sweep for the Bulldogs over the Mavericks.
Lady Bulldogs Grace Woody and Maggie Leonard won their match as did the team of Hallie Jones and Addison Curtis. After two matches Greenwood held an insurmountable lead over Southside, 9-1, with one match remaining.
That final match included 18 holes and was played on September 13th as Greenwood finished off their Southside rivals and retained possession of the Ryder Cup. For the Lady Bulldogs, Hallie Jones won over Southside’s Hailey Cline, Grace Woody defeated Lela Kamolsiri, and Southside’s Isabella Vann won over Greenwood’s Lacy Cox.
In boys’ action, Aiden Sockey won over the Mavericks’ Nick Bray, Deacon Drennan defeated Eli Thomason, Joe Russell won over Dakota King, Harrison Adams topped Drew Hunter, Southside’s Jonathan Hart defeated Jake Spoon, and Greenwood’s Chris Daggs won over Jack Williamson. The team score for the day was Greenwood 7, Southside 2, with Greenwood winning the overall three match competition going away, 17-3.
Van Buren – Alma
On August 30th both GHS squads faced Van Buren at Ben Geren Park in Fort Smith. The Alma Airedales also participated on the boys’ side. The Van Buren girls and boys won the match, with Greenwood finishing second. The Lady Bulldogs also played the match without their best golfer, senior Hallie Jones.
The GHS girls combined for a score of 316, or 14 strokes behind the Lady Pointers at 302. Grace Woody led Greenwood with a round of 90 over 18 holes, followed by Maggie Leonard (98) and Maleigha Carney (128). Greenwood’s Jessica Williams also carded a 131 but did not figure in the team scoring. Junior varsity scores for Greenwood included Aliana Garcia (126), Addison Curtis (111), and Laci Cox (106).
In boys’ play, Van Buren edged Greenwood by three strokes, 324 to 327, to take first place. The Alma boys shot 369 for third place. Joe Russell led the Bulldogs with a team low score of 78 strokes. Chris Daggs and Harrison Adams both carded scores of 81, while Jake Spoon and Deacon Drennan each shot 87. Junior varsity players Aiden Sockey (90) and Jay Wright (97) also competed.
Vache Grass
Two days later, on the first day of September, the GHS linksters were back on their home course on perhaps the hottest day of their season. Greenwood’s Vache Grass Country Club hosted the scorching five-team competition featuring prep golfers from Elkins, Siloam Springs, Fort Smith Northside, Van Buren, and Greenwood.
In boys’ play the Bulldogs (320) finished second behind Van Buren (310). No other team finished within 40 strokes of the Bulldogs and Pointers. In fact, Greenwood’s junior varsity squad shot 377 and finished fourth behind third place Siloam Springs (364). Elkins and Northside finished a far distant fifth and sixth.
The Bulldogs had two players score in the 70s to lead the charge. Chris Daggs (76) and Harrison Adams (78) set the standard, followed by Jake Spoon (81), Deacon Drennan (85), and Joe Russell (86). Six JV players finished within eight strokes of each other for Greenwood, including Jack Golding (91), Jay Wright (93), Aiden Sockey (94), Matt Parker and Ben Bryan (99), and Railin Jordan (101).
The GHS girls, still missing Hallie Jones, were again paced by Grace Woody (77), who also earned medalist honors for the day. Greenwood (267) won the team competition going away. Van Buren (308) was second, followed by Siloam Springs (336), and the GHS junior varsity team (339).
Besides Woody’s 77, Greenwood’s Maggie Leonard scored 90, followed by Addison Curtis (100) and Laci Cox (112). Junior varsity players and scores for the Lady Bulldogs included Jesi Williams (111), Maleigha Carney (112), Aliana Garcia (116), and Lauren Oler (124).
Glenwood
On September 9th the GHS linksters traveled to Glenwood Country Club to battle Lake Hamilton High School in a preview of the girls’ state tournament to be held next week on the same course. Hallie Jones shot an 87 to lead her teammates, followed by Grace Woody’s 94. Maggie Leonard (117) was third for the Lady Bulldogs, giving the GHS girls a combined score of 291, well ahead of the Lake Hamilton girls at 335. Addison Curtis (116) and Jessica Williams (110) also competed.
For the Bulldogs, Chris Daggs (78) led the way, followed by Jake Spoon (80), Harrison Adams (89), and Joe Russell (85). The GHS boys (332) easily won over Lake Hamilton (366) and Fountain Lake (368). Ralin Jordan (84), Deacon Drennan (91), Jack Golding (97), Aiden Sockey (98), Matt Parker (99), and Ben Bryan (109) also competed for Greenwood.
Bentonville
Just prior to playing in their conference tournament, the GHS girls and boys took part in the First Tee tournament in Bentonville on September 16-17. Five Lady Bulldogs competed in the event, as did five Bulldogs. Hallie Jones and Jake Spoon were the individual scoring leaders for Greenwood.
Jones fired a team-best score of 75, while Grace Woody carded an 84. Maggie Leonard’s 108 rounded out the scoring for the third-place Lady Bulldogs at 267. Addison Curtis (109) and Maleigha Carney (115) also participated. Springdale Har-Ber and Bentonville finished first and second, respectively. Hallie Jones (75) was #3 overall behind a 61 and a 74.
Jake Spoon carded a career personal best score of 77 to edge out classmate Chris Daggs (79) for the team leadership. Harrison Adams (84), Joe Russell (85), and Deacon Drennan (94) rounded out the scoring for Greenwood, which finished with a team total of 325 strokes.