Bulldogs start season with quad victory
SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs golf team started their season with a win Monday at the Fox Haven Country Club in Sikeston.
The Bulldogs defeated three other teams in a quad match with a team score of 161. Kennett finished second with a 193 and Malden tallied a 22. New Madrid County Central did not total a team score because they have just two players.
Although they won the match, Kennett's Bryce McPherson scored the lowest individual round with a 36.
Sikeston's Gabe Wheeler and Kirk Hoggatt tied for second after each shot a 37.
Sikeston is coached by Brent Taylor who takes over for the former golf coach Andy McGill, who is now Sikeston's Athletic Director.
"Being the first year, I have some high hopes," Taylor said. "I've inherited some good players that were state qualified last year. I think our kids are working really hard."
"I'm very pleased and excited about what we have coming up."
Sikeston enters the season after a successful year as a team.
The Bulldogs finished seventh at the Class 3 state championship at Rivercut Golf Club in Springfield.
Wheeler and Hoggett return as the Bulldogs' top two golfers. Conner Landers also returns with varsity experience.
"Our goal, just like last year is to qualify as a team at state," Taylor said. "I really think their working the way they need to to get there."
"Gabe (Wheeler) and Kirk (Hoggatt) right now are really battling each other and that helps," Taylor said. "They just brings everybody else along."
Sikeston said goodbye to four-time state qualifier Evan Deer after a stellar career for the Bulldogs. Ben Murray and Conor MacGillivray also graduated from last season's team.
"I think we're only looking up," Taylor said. "We have a few tough tournaments coming up and I really hope that we have a couple guys finish in the top six or seven at the Notre Dame tournament. I don't see why we shouldn't."
Sikeston will host another quad Thursday and then travel to Cape Girardeau to play in the Notre Dame Invitational on Monday.
Results from their quad are as followed:
Team results
1. Sikeston 161, 2. Kennett 193, 3. Malden 222.
Individual results
SIKESTON -- Austin Bowman 47, Gabe Wheeler 37, Kirk Hoggatt 37, Conner Landers 40, Blake Below 47.
NMCC -- Collier 49, Perry 68.
MALDEN -- Maley 59, Shelton 53, Patillo 56, Hampton 64, Hartle 57, Shepard 56.
KENNETT -- Byers 61, McPerson 36, Beck 43, Neighbors 53, Crossno 62.