Even though it did not celebrate another Eastern Missouri Conference title, the Montgomery County golf team enjoyed another strong season under first-year coach Cody Hasekamp.

The Wildcats finished 24-2 in dual matches, placed second in the EMO tournament and had a state qualifier in senior Keaton Reagan. Their only losses were to Hallsville and Mexico.

Reagan was the Wildcats’ top golfer for most of the season. He earned medalist honors in four matches, won the individual championship at the EMO tournament and placed 25th in the Class 2 state tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.

At the conference tournament on April 24 at Sun Valley Golf Course in Elsberry, Reagan was in a tie for first with Bowling Green’s Kaden Klocke and Silex’s Carter Johnston with a 13-over-84, but was awarded the title on a scorecard playoff.

“It was definitely a culmination of a lot of hours spent perfecting his craft,” said Hasekamp, who replaced Robert Ripperdan as MCHS coach this spring.

Reagan qualified for state by finishing in a tie for fifth with Sam Walterer of Lutheran St. Charles with an 82 in districts in Hannibal. He shot a two-day score of 173 at the state tournament.

Reagan was part of a senior class that included Alex Hartman, Garrett Banks, Adam Czerniewski, Addison Schluss and Marina Ridenhour. Hartman and Banks earned all-conference honors this season, finishing 12th and 14th, respectively, at the conference tournament.

The Wildcats also had an outstanding season from junior Robby Rodgers. He placed sixth in the EMO tournament to earn all-conference honors. Rodgers began his junior season on March 23 by finishing with co-medalist honors with a 40 in a five-team match against Clopton, Mexico, North Callaway and Van-Far at the Montgomery County Golf Club.

“Robby is kind of my sleeper because he is not a kid who is going to wow you on a shot by shot basis,” Hasekamp said. “But he is so consistent and so steady that I always know what I’m going to get from Robby.”

Junior Maddox James also played varsity for the Wildcats. He finished runner-up with a 43 in a match against Wright City, Silex and South Callaway on April 6 at the Montgomery County Golf Club.

Juniors Cade Smith and Jared Cluver, sophomore Kinsley Hutcheson and freshmen Karter Reagan and Wyatt March were the other players on the MCHS squad.

The Wildcats’ two-year run as EMO champs came to an end as they finished second by five strokes to Bowling Green at the conference tournament. They also placed sixth in the Red Division at the Warrenton Invitational, third in the small-school division at the Elsberry Tournament and sixth in the district tournament in Hannibal.

MCHS began its season by winning the five-team match against Clopton, Mexico, North Callaway and Van-Far by one stroke. The Wildcats finished with a 170.

In the April 6 match against Clopton, Mexico, North Callaway and Van-Far, MCHS shot a season-best 166. Reagan shot a two-under-33 to earn medalist honors in that contest.