With change comes opportunity…and for the Lady Cougars golf team this spring, change is beginning to result in lower scores and success on the tournament leaderboards. Despite losing two players from the 2023 Class 4A state championship team combined with a move up to Class 5A in 2024, coach Ron Anderson’s golfers remain focused to challenge for the state title again.
Senior golfer London Wilson, who claimed the bronze medalist award last spring in the state tournament, is setting the standard for the Lady Cougars this spring. Already signed to play collegiately at Southwestern State in Weatherford, Wilson remains near the top of the leaderboard. After posting Ada’s lowest individual score while battling high winds on the always challenging trek at The Pointe golf course where the Cougars opened the season in early season action, Wilson tied for medalist honors in the Dickson Tournament at Lake Murray and then finished third with a round of 86 while competing with her teammates in the inaugural Southeast 6 tournament played on the McAlester Country Club layout.
Also returning from last year’s state tournament lineup are senior Ava Manwell and sophomore Bella Stowers. Competing for one of the five spots on the Ada scorecard will be Kenzie Qualls, who exhibited determination in the Southeast 6 tournament while playing as an individual and not counting on the team score. She finished just three strokes off the first place score with a career best round of 87 score. Dani McTague, a freshman had her best competitive round of her high school career in the Dickson tournament. The balance of the Cougars squad includes Kate McCortney (Sr.) Brooklyn Black (Jr.), Natalie Jussely (Jr.) and Paisle Poe (Fr.).
“So many unexpected changes like we’ve encountered this year could affect a golf team, but give our girls credit for their perseverance. I still think we have what it takes to make another run at a state title,” said coach Anderson. “Our schedule and the high level of competition will give us the necessary challenge we need to be playing our best in time for the regional tournament.”
The Ada girls will get opportunities to go head-to-head against other top teams in Class 5A including Carl Albert, Bishop McGuiness, Duncan and Durant in their final four regular season tournaments before hosting the OSSAA regionals on their home course at Oak Hills Country Club on April 24th seeking a third straight state tournament appearance.
