Logan Hutcheson and Keenan James ended the Montgomery County Wildcats’ golf season in style on May 17 at the Columbia Country Club.

Hutcheson and James earned all-state medals at the Class 1 state golf tournament, placing 15th and 11th, respectively. They joined Aubrey Nelson as the only Wildcats to earn all-state honors in golf.

“I’m glad we ended it on a bang,” said James, who came in 16th in last year’s state tournament in Bolivar, finishing one place short of a medal. “I wished we could have brought the team here.”

The seniors helped the Wildcats turn in an outstanding season. MCHS finished undefeated in match play and captured championships in three tournaments – Warrenton, Elsberry and Eastern Missouri Conference. The team also finished third in the Class 2 district tournament in Hannibal, coming up one place short of qualifying for state.

“I feel like this was probably the best golf season Montgomery County has ever had,” said James, who plans to continue his golf career at Mineral Area College next year.

The Wildcats will lose four players to graduation. Besides James and Hutcheson, Hayden Francois and Nick Saak were the other seniors.

MCHS had a total of 17 players on its team. James, Hutcheson, juniors Keaton Reagan and Alex Hartman and sophomores Robby Rodgers and Maddox James were in the starting lineup for the Wildcats.

Rounding out the boys team were juniors Garrett Banks and Adam Czerniewski and sophomores Cameron Arzola, Jared Cluver, Wesley Cobb and Cade Smith.

The Wildcats had three girls on their team – juniors Marina Ridenhour and Addison Schluss and freshman Kinsley Hutcheson.

Logan Hutcheson said he was happy that he ended his high school golf career on a successful team.

“I think that’s really going to continue next year,” he said. “I hope they’re just as good next year. I think we had a really good team this year and I think that’s going to get more people out to play and take it more seriously because we’ve got a great coach (in Robert Ripperdan).”

The Wildcats started tournament play on April 14 by winning the Red Division of the Warrenton Invitational at Country Lake Golf Club. They shot a 339 to win the tournament by 22 strokes and had four players earning medals.

Four days later, MCHS won the Red Division title of the Elsberry Tournament, shooting a 359.

The Wildcats won the EMO title for the second year in a row and the seventh time in program history after placing first with a 361 in the conference tournament on April 25 at Fulton. James, Hutcheson, Rodgers, Hartman and Reagan finished in the top 15 and earned all-conference honors.
James and Hutcheson competed at the state tournament for the second year in a row. They earned a trip to Columbia by placing in the top 12 in the district tournament.

James said he hopes there will be more MCHS players earning all-state medals in the future.

“They just need to work hard,” James said. “They don’t have to take it too seriously, but take it a little more seriously. And practice the short game.”