Wheeler finishes second during SEMO Conference tournament at Dalhousie

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Sikeston's Gabe Wheeler shook off a rough start to finish second at the SEMO Conference Golf Tournament Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau.

Wheeler, who finished with a round of 75 -- just one back of the tournament's medalist, Cape Central's Travis Simmons (74) -- battled both rough course conditions and a slow start, which consisted of a bogie on his first hole and then a double bogey on the third.

"He started off rocky," Sikeston golf coach Brent Taylor said. "He struggled on the range this morning before we started and bogeyed right off the bat. He kept grinding though.

The sophomore rattled off a few birdies before reaching 15 where he eagled the hole. Wheeler, unfortunately, double bogeyed the last hole of the day which proved to be the difference in him finishing second.

"For a sophomore to struggle like that and to finish second in our conference, you've done something," Taylor said. "We're proud of him."

As a team, Sikeston finished fifth in the conferences North Division with a 353. Notre Dame won the team competition with a 323 while Cape Central took second with a 326.

"We didn't play very well as a group," said Taylor. "The course played tough and we just couldn't put it together."

Team and individual scores are as followed:

Team

1. Notre Dame 323, 2. Cape Central 326, 3. Poplar Bluff 331, 4. Jackson 352, 5. Sikeston 353, 6. Dexter 377

Individual

Cape Central -- Travis Simmons 74, Kobe Franklin 79, Luke Kinder 83, Parker Browne 97, Garrett McMillan 90.

Dexter -- Ethan Stevens 85, Drake Mitchell 86, Myles Urhahn 100, Austin Chesser 106, Brandon Berry 109.

Jackson -- Eli Pike 88, Adam Way 88, Zach Crader 93, Hunter Asher 83, Garrett Griffin 100.

Notre Dame -- Jack Litzelfelner 80, Brady Dixon 79, Cody Cox 87, Nick Cantoni 79, Jon Renner 85.

Poplar Bluff -- Nick Woodlard 79, Hunter Pyland 83, Ryan McVey 84, John Gilmore 85, Trenton Thomas 91.

Sikeston -- Kirk Hoggatt 86, Gabe Wheeler 75, Connor Landers 97, Conor McGillivray 95, Austin Bowman 107.

South Division

The Kelly Hawks took second as a team in the South Division during the SEMO Conference tournament with a score of 404.

Derrick Garner and Brandon Housman were named to the All-Conference team after shooting a 91 and 95, respectively.

Kennett took the team title with a score of 396.

Advance -- Witten 82, Walker 120, Woodson 122, Lorch 110, Hood 130.

Clearwater -- D'eimeco 101, Huff 117, Jamison 106, Johnson 116.

Kelly -- Garner 91, Housman 95, Roberts 112, Rhiley 106, King 133.

Malden -- Patillo 106, Shepherd 103, Bartel 99, Belcher 121.

Caruthersville -- Lynch 122, Martin 83, Montgomery 112, Abbott 124, Winchester 122.

Doniphan -- Smith 97, Deason 109, Murphy 114, Michel 120, Ivy 108.

Kennett -- McPherson 83, Beck 81, Neighbors 112, Myers 120.

NMCC -- Terry 111, Collier 111.