Oxford linking up for best golf season to date
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
OXFORD — There’s a girls golf team on the rise in Oakland County and it comes from a program that is only 13 years old.
Oxford is having its best-ever season to date. Perhaps this could be lucky 13 for the Wildcats, who first launched their program in the spring of 1998.
“I think we are better than last year. How good that is I don’t know for sure,” admitted veteran Oxford coach Terry Kelley, who launched the Oxford girls program in the ’98 season and took over the Wildcats’ boys program in 2003. “There’s a lot of good teams in Oakland County. I know in our league alone that (North Farmington/Harrison Unified) and Troy Athens are both very good.”
Oxford heads into the final weeks of the season with high hopes. The Wildcats have at least the second OAA White Division Tournament and the Division 2 regional at Heather Highlanders near Holly to play with a goal of winning a league championship still a possibility. Oxford also has an outside chance of qualifying for the state finals for the first time.
SWING AWAY: Oxford's Kyla Kurczewski has helped Oxford post it bet season to date and the Wildcats hope to contend for a state final berth at Thursday's Division 2 Heather Highlands regional. File Photo | Dan Stickradt
The Wildcats finished second at the first of two league tournaments in late August and fourth out of 19 teams at the Oakland County Division II Tournament, also in late August. Since then, Oxford has posted a superb 10-0-0 dual match record, which is a new school mark for wins in a season.
Last season Oxford finished third in the league, its first in the OAA after competing in the Flint Metro League. The first two seasons the school had girls golf in the late 90s, the Wildcats competed in the Thumb Independent League until the FML had enough schools to sponsor girls golf.
Now Oxford is in a team that can contend with others of similar talent levels. The school is unranked entering the regional week. Birmingham Seaholm (No. 7) and Birmingham Marian (No. 8) appear to be the top teams at the regional, while Fenton also appears to be solid, having spent time in the D-2 rankings earlier in the season.
Auburn Hills Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham Groves, Bloomfield Hills Andover, Grosse Pointe North, Holly, Ortonville Brandon, and St. Clair Shores Lakeview are also in the Holly regional.
“There are some good schools in our regional,” added Kelley.
LITTLE OLD PAR 3: Oxford's Emily Cleland fires this shot from the tee at last year's regional. File Photo | Dan Stickradt
The reason why Oxford has been so successful is that no varsity players were lost to graduation. A strong sophomore class, led by Kyla Kurczewski, an all-league player last season, has aided this team. Sophomore Emily Cleland is back and senior Lyndsey Hurford has become a key addition. Seniors Hannah Beebe and Claire Wolanin and junior Riley Hayes have also been key contributors as varsity returnees.
Although Oxford has had individuals make the state finals cut in the past, the Wildcats have not done so as a team.
“We’ll see what happens,” offered Kelley. “We have potential. But we have some matches to play (before the regional) and there are a lot of good teams there. We’ll just keep working hard and try to improve and see where we’re at come the end of the season.”
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Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Oxford, Prep Wraps
