Single Stroke Decides State Title

Kingfisher picked up one state championship Thursday and just missed out on another. The KHS girls golf team finished as the Class 4A state runner-up after Hilldale won a two-hole playoff at Cushing’s Buffalo Rock Golf & Venue. The Lady Jackets shot a 356 during Wednesday’s opening round and trailed Hilldale by eight strokes. The deficit grew to 23 strokes after the first four scores for each team were turned in after Thursday’s final round. That left it to the No. 1 bags for each team to determine the championship. Enter Maddi Kamas. The KHS senior had just one bogey on the day and birdied her final two holes to card a 3-under-par 67 to give her team a total of 363 for the day. Hilldale’s Addysyn Asmus shot a 90 to give her squad a 371. Both teams finished at 719, meaning the team title would be decided by a playoff. All five golfers for both squads played the par-5 fifth hole, but only the four best scores counted toward the team total. Both teams had a 25 after the first hole, sending it to the par-3 second. That’s where Hilldale was able to edge the Lady Jackets by a stroke to repeat as state champ. Kingfisher didn’t go home empty-handed as it got the runner-up trophy and Kamas was crowned the individual state champ. The Oklahoma City University signee dominated the field with her two-day total of 4-under-par, which was 20 strokes better than runner-up Layne Alshie of Fort Gibson. Pictured with their hardware from the tournament are team members, from left, Kylie Hood, Kari Shepard, Olivia Wilcox, Maddi Kamas, Katey Brickman and coach Audra Smalley. For more on the state tournament, see Wednesday’s edition.