The Jackson boys golf team was able to cap off its undefeated regular season by winning this year’s SEMO Conference Tournament on Friday, April 27.
Three days later on Monday, April 30, the Indians were able to win the Class 4 District 1 Championship with a score of 296 to advance to sectionals as a team.
“I can’t reiterate how important it is to have four kids play well, and we had four kids play really well again today,” Jackson head coach Zack Walton said. “[Junior] Tanner [Walton] was our low guy today, but it changes week-to-week. We have four really good players who any day can shoot a good round.”
Walton won his second-straight individual district championship with a score of 72, something no golfer has ever done in program history.
Freshman Carsen Silliman took second place behind Walton with a score of 73.
Also finishing in the top five for Jackson was junior Jaden Hightower, who tied for third with a 75. Junior Case Englehart finished fifth overall at 76.
This year’s Class 4 Sectional 1 Meet will take place starting on May 7 as state will be from May 13 to 15.
Englehart and Walton each placed in the top 60 in last year’s state meet.
In the SEMO Conference Tournament, it was Englehart placing the highest for Jackson in third, where he finished two over par with a score of 74.
Two golfers tied for fourth place, Hightower and Walton, both finishing three over par at 75.
Silliman was able to take fifth place with a score of 76 as the final top-10 finisher for Jackson was sophomore Seth Waters with a 79 to take 10th.
Taking the top two spots were golfers from Poplar Bluff as Nathan Woolard was one under par at 71 while Justin Pierce was one over par to take second with a score of 73.
The Mules took second place behind Jackson as their final three players hit 83 and above to finish with a score of 314.
Taking third was Kennett, which failed to have a golfer earn all-conference as the team’s top scorers were Chas Byers and Jack McHaney at 81.
Two golfers tied for seventh place as fourth-place Cape Notre Dame’s Nate Hulshof scored a 77 along with fifth-place Dexter’s Spencer Warren.
The final golfer to garner SEMO All-Conference honors was Saxony Lutheran’s Luke Daniel, who finished six over par with a 78.
