Boonsboro's Jones, Meredith earn top-10 finishes in state golf tournament
Boonsboro junior Kadan Jones fired a 5-over-par 76 Wednesday in the Class 2A-1A boys championship round of the Maryland state tournament on the University of Maryland course in College Park.
Jones finished ninth with a 36-hole total of 13-over 155, seven strokes behind champion Noah Wallace of North East.
Jones, who won the Washington County Public Schools tournament in September, was 5 over par through his first seven holes, then steadied himself with a birdie, nine pars and a bogey over his final 11 holes.
"He had to regroup, refocus, get in the right frame of mind," said Warriors coach John Miller. "I told him, 'You've got to think positive and believe in the shots you need to take and make.' I think he felt pretty good about his round at the end.
"He went from a non-golfer in eighth grade, came in as a freshman rough around the edges, and look how much he has grown. It's a huge boost of confidence for him and I'm sure he'll be doing some stuff in the offseason. We hope next year he can get in that top five."
Boonsboro senior Nickel Lawrence, who made the championship-round cut on the number with a 16-over 87 on Tuesday, shot a 27-over 98 on Wednesday to finish 35th in the 2A-1A boys standings at 43-over 185.
In the 2A-1A girls tournament, Boonsboro sophomore Piper Meredith, the two-time District 1 2A-1A girls champion who finished fourth at states a year ago and was tied for fourth after a 7-over 78 on Tuesday, struggled to a 15-over 86 on Wednesday to finish sixth at 22-over 164.
"It was a grind for her," Miller said. "She left a couple shots out there, just had some bad situations she had to get out of, even just some unlucky stuff with a (ball in a) divot."
Poolesville's Olivia Kong repeated as the state champion with a 5-under 137.
Tuesday
A trio of Warriors made the cut for the championship round.
Boonsboro senior Nickel Lawrence, junior Kadan Jones and sophomore Piper Meredith will tee it up on the University of Maryland College Park course for a second straight day Wednesday, with Jones and Meredith in contention for top-five finishes. Lawrence made the cut right on the number.
"I can't be much prouder," said Boonsboro coach John Miller. "We all know what Kadan and Piper can do on a regular basis, but for Nickel Lawrence being a senior and coming down here and making the cut, we all felt some level of joy beyond explanation when they announced 87 was the cut line. It goes to show you on any given day, someone can step up and have a fantastic round that means something."
Meredith, the reigning and two-time District 1 2A-1A girls champion who finished fourth in the girls 2A-1A standings at states a year ago, is tied for fourth this year after a 7-over 78, seven shots behind co-leaders Olivia Kong of Poolesville, the defending champion, and Megan Kirkpatrick of Glenelg.
Meredith started her round on the 10th hole, playing the back nine first, and was 6 over par through 18. She scored her only birdie of the round on the par-4 second hole and shot 1 over on the front nine.
"There was a lot of adversity. I couldn't get up and down, I didn't putt well or chip well, but I turned it around on the front nine," Meredith said. "It was crazy mental. I told myself how many times I've done this. My body knows what to do, I just had to trust it and play the course.
"My hope is to finish top five. Last year looking back as a freshman at what I accomplished, I feel like I have a lot more experience under my belt now and should be able to perform just as well."
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Jones, the reigning Washington County Public Schools champion, is tied for ninth in the 2A-1A boys standings at 8-over 79, seven shots behind leader Jack Geyer of C. Milton Wright. Jones carded two birdies, eight bogeys and a double bogey.
"I started out piping my first drive right down the middle, hit the green and two-putted for par on 18," said Jones. "It was really just putting today that killed me and was the reason I didn't score better. I'm proud that I made Day 2 and am in the top 10."
Jones believes a low number Wednesday is possible with his ball-striking.
"It's just a matter of doing what I did off the tee again and making the putts this time, and a low score can come," he said.
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Lawrence is tied for 29th in the 2A-1A boys standings. He double bogeyed his first two holes and was 5 over through his first three, but settled down and made pars on eight of his next 11 holes.
"I'm happy to make the cut and I'm blessed," Lawrence said. "I'm taking every shot one at a time, breathing and playing the best I can. I'll do the best I can (Wednesday) and try to come up with a possible top-20 finish. That would be the goal. (But) as long as I have fun, that's what it's all about."
Boonsboro's fourth player, Landon Waters, struggled to a 104. The Warriors finished in 10th place in the 2A-1A team standings with 348 strokes, six strokes under the cut line of 342 as the top six teams advanced to the championship round.
Williamsport's Ryan Acre shot a 91 and missed the 2A-1A cut by four strokes.
On Monday in the Class 4A-3A girls field, North Hagerstown's Sadie Morton shot a 97, missing the cut for the championship round by nine strokes.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County golfers compete in Maryland state tournament
