State golf: Muskogee, Oktaha juniors in contention after 36 holes

May 11—Mesa Falleur shot 74 and 70 and at even-par 144 going into the final 18 holes Tuesday in the Class 6A state tournament at Forest Ridge Golf Club in Broken Arrow, he needs to make up four shots.

Owasso's Ben Stoller leads with consecutive 70s. One shot back is Jordan Wilson of Edmond North (71-70) and three back is Dylan Teeter of Bixby (72-71). Behind Falleur, it's four shots back to Carson Wright of Norman.

The Muskogee junior started both rounds on the par-4 10th hole. He birdied the par 5 11th and par 4 12th and was at par until a bogey on 2 and 4 and a double bogey on 5 and a bogey at the par 3 seventh. He birdied the par 4 eighth.

He birdied 11th in the second round, then bogeyed the par-3 13th. He had six consecutive pars before a birdie on the par-4 No. 2. He bogeyed 5, birdied 6 and did so again on 9.

The contrast was on No. 2.

"The first round I hit a fairway bunker on the right, then hit it down wind and over the green on my next shot," he said. "The second round I hit it straight down the middle, then hit with seven feet and made the putt. I made a few good putts coming down toward the end."

Roughers coach Brad Huddleston called it a "very solid" two rounds.

"The wind was up, the course conditions were rough,' he said. "They got a lot of winter kill, the ground is still under repair and there's not a lot of Bermuda grass. It makes a big difference. The ball striking was really good. The lies are thin."

Falleur took a look ahead to a day that's expected to bring colder temperatures and rain.

"To win this you have to hit it where you want to," he said. "The fairways don't have much grass, so it's going to roll. You can really get in trouble fast on this course."

The other Rougher is back in the pack in his first state tournament. Sophomore Logan Ridley shot 86 and 88 and is tied with one other player at 174.

"It's a great experience for him," Huddleston said. "Being a sophomore, you need tournament golf experience so to be able to compete in state will be invaluable to him going forward."

Edmond North shot 593 and leads second-place Jenks by 14. Broken Arrow is third at 612.

Class 2A

Bren Dunlap of Oktaha shot 72 and 74 and his 6-over 146 has him in the top four contenders for the Class 2A medalist after 36 holes Monday at Earlywine Golf Course in Oklahoma City.

It's been where he's been all season, medaling in every tournament and winning four. He's got work to do to make it five wins this season.

Dunlap is tied with Community Christian's Cash Clark, whose scores were reversed from what Dunlap carded. They are two back of Conner Cryer of Tipton, who shot 71 and 72. But Crescent's Dominic Stevens shot back-to-back 65s and leads by 13 shots going into the final round of 18 holes on Tuesday.

"When I saw the first 65 I thought well, he'll come back to the field, but he didn't," said Oktaha coach Terry Elam.

Dunlap, a junior, is the lone Oktaha representative as well as the only area rep. Teamwise, Walters shot 307 and 319 and leads at 626, 24 shots ahead of Cashion. Of note, just outside the coverage area, Keys is ninth with a 706.

Dunlap is looking inward for a little more patience going to the final round on Tuesday.

"The first round, I felt I did pretty good. I could have putted better, and I had a few bad tee shots where I could have maybe chose a different club," he said. "But really the thing was I got in a hurry and I need to slow things down."

It's his second state tournament. He played as a freshman but COVID-19 knocked last year out.

"He got some good experience his freshman year," Elam said. "Like he said, just slow it down, take one shot at a time and I think he'll be fine tomorrow, if we can dodge the weather."

Rain is in the forecast.

Class 4A

Wagoner duo Gauge Merz (97-92—189) and Justin Carter (100-94—194) are back in the pack as the lone area guys in the event being played at the par-72 WinterCreek Golf and Country Club in Blanchard.

Cascia Hall's William Sides shot a pair of 68s and is tied with Elk City's Tres Hill, who carded a 69 and 67. It's nine shots back of third-place Drew Mabrey of Holland Hall (75-70—144).

Cascia Hall shot 598 and leads Elk City by three shots, with Holland Hall third at 639.