2 Pioneers make All-State tourney ‘last hurrah’

Onley to play on junior college level

By I.C. Murrell icmurrell@stwnewspress.com

STILLWATER, Okla. — Tyler Grantham, Taylor Onley and Cha’ Reeder will remember Emerald Falls in Broken Arrow for two things: It’s where they’ll their last round of high school golf, and it’s the site of the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State tournament.

For Onley, it’s a sign of graduation to the next level of golf, as he will play at Iowa’s Indian Hills Community College.

Onley and Grantham were solid performers for Stillwater this spring, guiding the Pioneers to a runner-up team finish in the Centennial Conference, fifth in their Class 6a regional and 10th at the state 6A meet.

“They placed fairly high in several different tournaments,” Stillwater boys coach Larry Hesler said Saturday.

So did Reeder, who said she won two to four tournaments in 2010.

“The thing that’ll be tough to replace is that I knew I could expect a score that was low 80s or high 70s,” girls coach John Weaver said. “She was very consistent, no matter what the weather was like.”

Reeder hasn’t played much golf since her 14th-place finish at state this year, but Monday’s All-State event will let her close out her high school career a second time.

“I know at state on the 18th hole, I started crying because I knew it was the end,” she said. “But All-State came around, and coach was like, ‘I should fill out the paperwork (to be considered for it),’ and I did.”

And she got rewarded. Like Onley and Grantham, Reeder lettered all four years on the Stillwater varsity team, but she was named All-Centennial Conference three years as well. The two boys made all-conference twice.

Reeder’s forte is her ability to play a round of golf, Weaver said.

“She understands what shot she needs to hit, what clubs to use,” he said. “She’s a very smart golfer. She doesn’t try to hit low-percentage shots. She hits good, smart golf shots.”

While Onley’s strength is his driving ability, Grantham is better at putting, Hesler said. But he added Grantham, too, can drive the ball long.

Grantham is getting back to the swing of things on the course after suffering kidney stones and while working at Cimarron Trails in Perkins. He’s happy about Emerald Falls because he says it’s a better course than Mohawk Golf Course in Tulsa, which originally was the site selected for All-State.

Stillwater played its state tourney at Emerald Falls in 2009.

“It’s an honor to be selected for it. It should be fun,” Grantham said.

A message left for Onley was not returned.

The three Pioneers will stay overnight tonight at Oral Roberts University and play their All-State round for the East team starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Fort Gibson’s Gary Hendrix will coach the East.

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