Jackson battles through adversity, secures spot at state in tough district tourney

In one of the toughest districts in Missouri, the Jackson girls' golf team advanced all five golfers to qualify for the state tournament as a team during the Class 4 District 1 Tournament at Westborough Country Club on Monday in St. Louis.

Despite finishing third as a team, missing out on a top-two spot and an automatic team qualification for the state tournament, the team shot a 52-over-par 336 on the day.

All five golfers landed inside the top 20 to secure a chance at the state title at the Class 4 State Tournament beginning on Oct. 16 at Silo Ridge Country Club in Bolivar, Missouri.

“I saw girls that went out there and battled their hearts out on a tough golf course,” Jackson coach Jeff Fahrner said. “There were some great teams in that district, but we're a great team too.”

Senior Alana Gilbert’s 6-over 77 score led the way for Jackson on Monday, placing third while sophomore Julia Schlitt shot 78 to place fourth right behind her.

Harper Ready’s 89 and Grace Hightower’s 92 rounded out the scorecard for Jackson, but Madison Thrower’s 95 to finish 20th also secured her a bid at the state tournament.

Finishing 13 strokes back of the championship, with state power St. Joseph’s Academy’s 323 leading the way, the Jackson collective battled with some of the best competition in the state.

With Visitation Academy at 330 and Jackson at 336, the fourth-place Lafayette Lancers landed all the way back at 388 strokes as the top three teams all vied for the top spot in the district.

“Man, there were some great players out there, some great teams,” Fahrner said. “Obviously with St. Joseph, everybody knows that they've done. Visitation – they're a great team, and it was played at their home course.

“We went out there and we went toe-to-toe with them. We were right there.”

Moving forward, the Indians are one of nine teams poised to compete in the Class 4 State Tournament – the only such team to advance based on individual performances. The Indians advanced to the state tournament for the fifth time in as many years, dating back to 2019.

Over those five years, the Indians have placed third twice: 2019 and 2021. In 2020 and 2022, the Indians secured sixth-place finishes.

Alana Gilbert’s 168 over the two-day tournament placed her in 18th last year at Twin Hill Golf and Country Club in Joplin, Missouri. As she returns to the tournament, so too do Julia Schlitt (184, 39th), Harper Ready (190, 51st), and Grace Hightower (193, 53rd).

After finishing sixth last year, the Indians look to build on their positioning in the state tournament with a talented and experienced 2023 squad.

“I just can't wait,” Fahrner said. “I think this team is built for the difficult golf courses. These girls are warriors. They go out there and they battle harder than anybody else. They hang with it.

“They gut it out, they grind it out, so I'm looking forward to it, man. I hope it's a hard course because I think that suits us.”