BOYS GOLF: Weast’s consistency leads Inola to eighth-place finish at Class 4A state tournament
As Travis Weast stood on the 18th tee at Dornick Hills Country Club on Tuesday afternoon, his focus remained as steady as it had been for three rounds.
After a weekend of battling the undulating greens and punishing rough, the Inola junior capped off his best round of the tournament with a string of 14 pars over 18 holes, helping solidify his top-20 individual finish and his team’s place in the top third of the state.
Weast’s efforts led the Longhorns to an eighth-place team finish out of 12 at the OSSAA Class 4A Boys State Championship held last Monday and Tuesday in Ardmore. They posted a three-round team total of 981 (plus-141) across the challenging par-70 layout.
Oklahoma Christian School claimed the state title with a commanding 896 (plus-56), while Heritage Hall’s Ben Lathrop captured the individual crown with a 209 (minus-1).
"After the first 18 holes, we sat in 12th place," Inola coach Tucker Thompson said. "After 36 holes—and over 10 hours on a tough course—we climbed to 11th. And on the final 18, we battled our way into eighth place in an incredibly stacked field on fast, demanding greens. But this isn’t just eighth at state—this is eighth out of more than 70 teams in Class 4A across Oklahoma. That’s something to be proud of."
Weast placed 16th overall in the 73-golfer field, carding rounds of 79, 78 and 76 for a 233 (plus-23). His final round featured a closing stretch of five-consecutive pars on the back nine, which kept Inola anchored in the team standings and offered a steadying presence throughout the two-day event.
He also notched five birdies through the first two rounds, including a notable one on the par-4 18th during Monday afternoon’s second round.
Junior Caden Thompson joined Weast in the top 25, finishing 25th overall with a three-round total of 238 (plus-28).
Caden Thompson opened with a 79 and fired a team-best 76 in Round 2, aided by a birdie on the final hole. Although his third round proved to be a challenge — marked by a difficult three-hole stretch of double bogeys on the front nine — he still managed birdies on Holes 14 and 17 to close with an 83.
Caleb Helling followed with a 249 (44th), while Aidan Schaefer (68th) and Dior Seji (72nd) rounded out the team effort for the Longhorns with scores of 269 and 275, respectively.
Although a state championship eluded it, Inola’s trip to Dornick Hills showed promising individual growth, and with the entire team returning in 2025, the Longhorns are positioned to aim higher next spring.
"With this group of underclassmen now making three-straight state tournament appearances, our expectations for next year are high," coach Thompson said.
