El Dorado opens golf season with youthful exuberance
El Dorado’s golf program has received an influx of numbers for the second consecutive year with 21 of its 24 players being sophomores and freshmen. Both boys’ and girls’ teams qualified for the state tournament last year and hope to improve on those finishes.
El Dorado returns seven boys and six girls who saw action last season. Nine of those players competed in varsity matches.
Brendan Jones, Preston Howard, Baylor Blackburn and Aaron Ezell are all returning lettermen from last years’ Wildcats along with Hayes Jackson, Landon Langston and Landen Rainwater.
Jones, a senior, and Howard, a junior, will be asked to lead the boys’ team as their years of experience will be looked upon to provide the confidence needed to compete at this level. Sophomores Blackburn and Ezell gained valuable experience last season as freshmen. And this year's freshman class has made an immediate impact in the competition for playing time. New additions to the team include sophomore Brody McKinney and freshmen Jon Brooks Elia, John Hollis, Braden Major, Saxon Morgan, Trey Murphy and Clayton Sewell.
“As we are preparing for the first event of the season, Elia, Hollis, and Morgan have jumped in the middle of the competition with the returners pushing to claim a spot in the Simmons Bank Wildcat Invitational,” said El Dorado coach Chris Ezell. “This added depth will help
Continued from Page 1B us throughout this season and keep each individual working to improve their golf game.”
The Lady Wildcats return six sophomores and added four more to the roster. Returning players include Krystina Charles, Emma Gaul, Lani Hammock, Alexa Hulsey, Aubrey Marx and Jana Powell, who join newcomers Sydney Marx, Brooke McCoy, Ellis Parker and Hope Walthall.
Walthall, a freshman, is finishing up her summer schedule and could be the leader of El Dorado’s young girls’ roster.
“Up to this point Walthall, Gaul, Hammock, Hulsey and Aubrey Marx have had extremely close battles for those top spots,” said Ezell, who likes the numbers on both squads.
“I believe our overall depth will have to be a factor for this season. It will take a team effort. Everyone has been so close up-and-down the roster with the results we are seeing in our qualifiers. We don't seem to have a true number one that will go out and shoot 75 and below so it will take everyone contributing for our team to be successful.”
El Dorado tees off the season on Aug. 5 on its home course with the Simmons Bank Invitational. The tournament’s strong field features Bryant, Benton, Lakeside, Sheridan, White, Texarkana and newcomer Sylvan Hills.
“This will be the 24th season for us to host this event and we feel honored to have Simmons Bank continue their involvement in our golf program and hosting this event with the El Dorado Golf and Country Club,” Ezell said. “We get to bring some of the best golfers in the state to El Dorado and see how we measure up.”