Three years ago, Maddox James and Robby Rodgers were part of a large group of freshmen who were trying to fight for varsity spots on the Montgomery County golf team.

Now, they’re state qualifiers.

James and Rodgers, both seniors, clinched their state tournament berths after placing in the top 15 at the Class 2, District 2 championship tournament on May 13 at Norwoods Golf Club in Hannibal. Rodgers finished in a tie for 13th with Palmyra’s Preston Fuget with a 12-over-84 and James finished in a tie for 15th with Monroe City’s Cole Hays with a 13-over-85, making it the fourth year in a row the Wildcats had at least one state qualifier.

“It’s really cool to finally be able to make it,” Rodgers said. “I really wanted to make it last year, but I missed it by a few strokes, which was frustrating. But it means a lot to take this town back to state.”

Rodgers finished 60th with a two-day total of 186 and James placed 81st with a 202 at the Class 2 state tournament on May 13-14 at the Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, which is north of Kansas City.

Rodgers competed at districts for the third time. He shot a 97 in each of the last two years, but came up short of a state bid each time. This year, he cleared the district hurdle by firing a 39 in the back nine holes. He was also named to the all-district team.

“I had a practice round the day before and I shot a 51 on that same back nine,” Rodgers said. “Heading into it, I wasn’t feeling the greatest, but I kind of rallied and pulled off my best nine-hole score so far. It couldn’t have been at a better time.”

A year ago, James came up four strokes shy of a state-qualifying bid, shooting a 95 at districts. This year, he finished with a 43 in the front nine and a 42 in the back to earn a trip to Smithville.

“I hit every single green on the par 3’s,” James said. “I had eight feet or less for my birdie putts. I made one birdie on the Par 3s and I had a stupid bogey on one of them. I three-putted it, which really frustrated me, but I was on point with my irons and hitting them close every time, pretty much.”

James competed in his second state event in two months. He was a member of the MCHS boys basketball team that finished fourth in the Class 3 Show-Me Showdown in March.

James said he was thrilled to become the second person in his family to compete in the state tournament. His older brother, Keenan, was a two-time state qualifier and earned all-state honors in his senior year in 2022.
“Ever since he made it in his junior year (in 2021), I set the goal to be as good as him and hopefully go to state,” James said.

The Wildcats finished fifth in the team standings with a 357. Hermann (319) and Palmyra (327) finished in the top two to qualify for state. Centralia was third with a 328 and South Shelby came in fourth with a 340.

Sophomore Karter Reagan finished 27th with a 90, sophomore Wyatt March placed 43rd with a 98 and senior Cade Smith was 64th with a 112. All three players competed in districts for the first time.

In the 2021 season, Rodgers and James were among seven freshmen on the golf team and played at the junior varsity level for most of the year.
The next year, Rodgers and James won spots on the varsity lineup and have been valuable players since. Rodgers earned all-Eastern Missouri Conference honors three times. James earned his first all-league award this year.

Rodgers is sad that his high school golf career has come to an end.
“I think I’m going to miss being able to come out here with my friends and being able to mess around with my coaches and being able to goof off,” Rodgers said. “But we’ll still see each other. It’s been really fun all four years.”