While not as heralded as previous teams, the Durant High School golfers notched solid performances with including several state qualifiers that included the Lady Lion program reaching state for the 11th straight season while finishing fifth as a team on the Muskogee Country Club course.
Impressively, both the Durant girls and boys teams claimed Class 5A Academic State Championships as each group posted spectacular 4.0 grade point averages.
“These student athletes share the highest example of integrity, talent, intelligence, and so much more,” said head coach Tanner Dupree. “It has truly been my honor to coach them this season and it was most definitely a fun season.”
Senior captain Chloe Henderson led the Lady Lions all season, capturing three individual championships on the way to a Top 10 state finish that also garnered her All State honors.
Joslyn Harbin, Addison Harkey, Kinsley James, and Annie Miller joined Henderson in the fifth-place state finish that culminated a tremendous season that also included seven tournament team titles. In addition to Henderson’s three individual crowns, freshman Bailey Vojta contributed one individual championship as well.
Durant’s season dominance was definitely on display at the Conference Tournament as the Lady Lions made a clean sweep of the awards, bringing home Conference Champions and Academic Conference Champions awards. On the individual side, all five starters at the event (Henderson, Harbin, Harkey, James and Vojta) were each named first or second team All-Conference players and all five were named to the all-academic team.
“Chloe is the only one we are graduating for the girls, and she is one of only four girls in school history to play in four state championships,” Dupree stated. “Her name is etched into our record books based on team accomplishment as well as individual performance. She will most definitely be missed and hard to replace but after seeing how hard the other girls worked this season, I believe they are up to the challenge.”
The Lions boys’ team sent two players to the state tournament to play as individuals as senior Scott Mendez and sophomore Tucker Tonubbee represented their team well and each placed in the top half of the tournament.
They represented the rest of the squad in accepting the Academic State Championship trophy, finishing as the only team out of 261 boys’ groups throughout the state that posted a 4.0 grade point average.
“This is an award for the players, parents, teachers, and administrators throughout our district,” Dupree added.
Earlier in the season, the Lions competed in the inaugural Southeastern 6 Golf Conference Tournament and came away as the Team Academic Champions, with all five members (Mendez, Tonubbee, Kyric Lehrling, John Conley, and Tanner Piearcy) earning first team all-academic honors. Mendez and Tonubbee also earned Honorable Mention All-Conference for their performance on the course.
“Overall, the Lions had a great season, but we lose our captain Scott Mendez to graduation,” Dupree said. “Scott has been our leader for the last two years and not only met the standard but raised the bar for all others to follow. When my wife asked me what senior golfer was the hardest to lose during your career, Scott was the first name that came to mind. His maturity and responsibility are above his peers. We also lose Tanner Piearcy and Colby Marlow to graduation, who are two more young men with big futures that will be missed.
“I want to thank my wife Emily, our children, the administration at Durant Public Schools, principals, athletic director, assistant coaches, teachers, parents, and players. I love getting to share golf with these amazing student athletes and each of you allow me to do that.”