Kennett golf team gears up for second season under Hilburn's coaching

KENNETT, Mo. - The Kennett Country Club is set to host another season for Kennett’s golf team.

Head coach Janet Hilburn helped revive the golf team last season after a three-year hiatus.

According to Hilburn, the team is seeing a lot of improvement and confidence from her athletes compared to her first year coaching.

“I’m very excited,” Hilburn said. “Our kids have been working hard, even in the weather and different weather we have faced in these first few weeks of practice.”

Along with Hilburn’s return, the team will return five of its golfers and tag on two newcomers.

Tanner Hansen, Trey Heeb and Gabrielle (Gabi) Harmon are the three seniors coming back this season.

Harmon, a senior at Holcomb High School, is coming back for her second season with the Indians as the only female golfer.

“I didn’t know anything about her last year,” Hilburn said. “I was told she was looking to join, so I let her come out. I instantly saw that she was competitive and that’s exactly what I want on my team. All the boys started falling in line behind her, she was a natural leader and helped pick up the pace on the course. I like her and I’m glad she came back out this season.”

In Missouri, the girl’s golf season is usually held in the Fall. However, as Kennett did not have a female golf team, and neither did Holcomb, Harmon joined the boys' team.

She was determined to find her way on the team. Now, as a senior, she is determined to help lead this team.

“This is my favorite sport and it brings a lot of joy to me,” Harmon said. “I’m excited for me and my teammates this year and hopefully we can have a shot at state.”

Harmon recently signed a letter of intent to continue her golf career on the college level at Williams Baptist University.

Along with Harmon, Hansen and Heeb have taken leadership roles on the team which has grown from last season.

The group only needs four varsity players to score in tournaments. After having five last year, they have grown to seven this year.

Among the returners, Hilburn noticed how the knowledge of the game is growing stronger in her athletes.

“The game is starting to become a little more natural for them now,” Hilburn said. “They know which clubs to use and when to use them, they are getting used to their strokes, everything is starting to flow for them and they are understanding things a little more now compared to last year where they relied on me to tell them what to do.”

The other returning golfers include Robert Krause and Parker Gurley, another Holcomb student.

The team will kick off its competition at the Malden Invitational on Thursday, March 20, where they will play against Malden High School and New Madrid County Central.

The first home tournament will be the Kennett Invitational on Tuesday, April 1, at Kennett Country Club. They will host Dexter, Caruthersville and Sikeston.