Jenna Smith shot a 97 Monday to finish fifth in the Central Ozark Conference West Division tournament at Schifferdecker Golf Course in Joplin, her third top-five finish at the conference tournament in a row.
Smith went out in 49 and came back in 48. She made par on the fourth and seventh holes on the front nine, but a 7 on the par-5 first hole and an 8 on the par-5 third pushed her score up early.
Willard freshman Adalyn Wilson won the tournament with a 77. Violet Haut of Webb City shot an 81 for second, Grace Weston of Neosho was third with an 83 and Molly Comer of Carthage finished fourth with a 92. Smith was five strokes behind Comer, and two strokes ahead of Willard’s Addison Proctor and Carthage’s Milana Decrescenzo, who tied for sixth at 99.
Smith has finished in the top five at the conference tournament every year since her sophomore season. She shot a 96 at Carl Junction as a freshman in 2023, finished third in the West Division at Carthage in 2024, and shot a then-career-low 89 at Payne Stewart Golf Course last fall to lead Republic’s medalists. She has already beaten that 89 three times this season, with an 83 at the MSU Relays, an 80 at Marshfield and an 85 at Ozark.
Freshman Eliza Scullawl shot a 111 and finished 17th, and sophomore Chloe Priebe shot a 124 for 25th. Scullawl was 58 on the front nine and 53 on the back, and Priebe went 65-59. With three golfers, Republic doesn’t post a team score.
Republic competes in the Class 4 District 3 tournament Wednesday in Springfield. Smith will be trying to qualify for the state tournament for the third straight year. The Class 4 state tournament is Oct. 19-20.
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