H IGH SCHOOL PR EV I EW
Talent in abundance in prep ranks by scott wright
O
klahoma high school state golf championships weren’t held last year, but that didn’t prevent several of the state’s best junior golfers from getting noticed on the national stage. The state has one of its deepest crops of young talent in years, with the state tournaments set to be held in early May. Here are the top 10 girls and boys golfers in the state of Oklahoma for the 2021 season: GIRLS Maddi Kamas, Sr., Kingfisher The Oklahoma City University signee was state runner-up in Class 4A for 2019 and had the best stroke average on the OJGT Tour last season with a 70.5 over eight rounds. Kamas is ranked as a top-75 player nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard, her stroke average in 21 tournament rounds in all venues is 72.76. She won the WOGA State Stroke Play Championship in 2020 and finished runner-up to Emily Miller in the OGA State Junior Championship. Kamas won four of five events in one stretch last summer and has prevailed in 10 OJGT tournaments in her career. Jenni Roller, Jr., Regent Prep Roller was the Class 2A state champion as a freshman in 2019 and comes in among the top 150 in the AJGA rankings. Verbally committed to the UniverJenni Roller sity of Tulsa, she has two top-five AJGA finishes and took second at the OGA State Junior and third in the WOGA Junior in 2020. Has a 74.92 stroke average in 32 tournament rounds. Raychel Nelke, Jr., Pocola Another junior coming off a strong summer on the OJGT and amateur circuits, Nelke had a stroke average of 72.3 and won the inaugural Oklahoma Junior Raychel Nelke Masters at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa and won the WOGA Junior at Cedar Ridge Country Club. Verbally committed to 50
GOLF OKL AHOMA • APRIL/MAY 2021
the University of Oklahoma, she has a 74.58 average in 21 tournament rounds. Reagan Chaney, Sr., Plainview Chaney claimed the Class 3A state championship as a sophomore in 2019 with rounds of 66-70 at Westwood Park in Norman. She Reagan Chaney won the OJGT Kickoff Classic and took third in the OJGT Tour Championship. Signed with Oklahoma City University. Lilly Whitley, Sr., Edmond Memorial One of the top players in Class 6A, Whitley finished Lilly Whitley tied for seventh at state as a sophomore and had an OJGT stroke average of 73.4 last season. She has 10 high school and three OJGT tournament victories. Signed with Kansas State. Brooklyn Benn Brooklyn Benn, Jr., Oklahoma Christian School Won four consecutive tournaments as a freshman and finished as the Class 2A state runner-up while leading OCS to its Olivia Coit first-ever team title in 2019. Olivia Coit, Jr., Edmond Memorial A strong OJGT performer last season with a stroke average of 74.0. Emily Vang, Jr., Catoosa Won a Class 4A regional Emily Vang title and finished sixth at state as a freshman in 2019. Sarah Sherrard, Sr., Christian Heritage Academy The Oklahoma Christian University signee took third in the Class 2A state Sarah Sherrard tournament in 2019 and had an OJGT stroke average of 76.2 last season. Jaiden Gregston, So., Duncan An up-and-comer from a powerhouse Class 5A program in Duncan. Jaiden Gregston PLAYERS TO WATCH: Gracie Doke, Jr., Jenks Jenna Triplett, Jr., Edmond North Peyton Coburn, Fr., Bishop Kelley Rylee Roberts, Fr., Edmond North Meghan Charles, Sr., Sand Springs
Maddi Kamas Lindyn Ross, Sr., Plainview (signed with Oklahoma Baptist) BOYS Andrew Goodman, Sr., Christian Heritage Bound for the University of Oklahoma, Goodman has been climbing the junior golf rankings over the last few years. Goodman is ranked in the top 25 nationally by Junior Golf Scoreboard and in the top 60 of the AJGA rankings. He had an OJGT stroke average of 65.5 last season. Jordan Wilson, Sr., Edmond North Wilson was the Class 6A champion as a sophomore in 2019, winning by four shots at Rose Creek Golf Club in Edmond. He won the 2018 Jordan Wilson OGA State Amateur Championship at Oak Tree National, defeating Austin Eckroat in the championship match. He has signed with Oklahoma State. William Sides, Jr., Cascia Hall A player who has shown major growth the past two years, Sides is ranked in the top 40 of both Junior Golf Scoreboard and AJGA naWilliam Sides tional rankings. He is verbally committed to SMU. Jake Hopper, Jr., Norman North Hopper, who is committed to OU, finished fifth at the Class 6A state tournaJake Hopper ment as a freshman two W W W.GOLFOKL AHOMA.ORG