After falling short in a state championship opportunity a year ago, the Eupora Eagle golf team was determined to bring home the title this year.
A program that had just returned to playing three years ago, the Eagles had a team that coach Michael Knight felt could win it all in 2022 but they faltered down the stretch and finished fourth in the state championships. This year, the Eagles overcame a 12-stroke disadvantage and came all the way back to claim the school’s first-ever golf championship with a win in the Class I state title round.
“Last year was one of our best teams and we just fell apart when we got to the state championship. I really felt like we could win that, but it just drove our guys this year,” Knight said. “They worked really hard all offseason and we played well all year. After getting down on Monday, I told the guys to keep playing and try to make par and I told them that it could flip at any time. They just kept grinding.”
The Eagle state championship team is comprised of Woods Mitchell, Drew Dabbs, Cameron Knight, Landry Winter, Cohen Hood and Cole Cummings. That group had to have a big day and battle the cold weather in Brookhaven to bring home the gold and they rose to the challenge.
Landry Winter was a catalyst in the comeback from the golf Eagles as the team had to overcome a 12-stroke deficit. Winter would make par on four-straight holes to get the team going and a score of 74 from the 7th grader Knight set the tone for the seniors Dabbs and Mitchell to finish things strong.
Mitchell was the overall state champion of Class I after following up a 75 on Monday with a 76 Tuesday afternoon. Dabbs finished with a 77 and 78 in his two days to help the group get the win as well.
After winning the district title a couple of weeks ago in Grenada, the Eagles moved on to state to beat 14 other teams and a final three that included Loyd Star and Baldwyn. It was a total team effort in Knight’s mind which included Winter balancing football and golf along with his school work, the 7th grader Cameron Knight grinding out the cold for his big Tuesday afternoon, the seniors Dabbs and Mitchell’s leadership and the effort from Hood and Cummings as well.
To see it pay off is what’s the most rewarding for the coach and his players. Now, they’ve set the tone for the teams to come.
“It means everything to these guys. All they’ve talked about for two years is winning it all. Being the first should take pressure off of the guys behind them knowing that they can do it,” Knight said.
“We appreciate the support from the community and the school. They supported us all year and were waiting for us when we got home with our police escort. That meant a lot to the kids.”
