El Dorado will break the seal on the 2024-25 high school athletic season on Monday when it hosts the 29th annual Simmons Bank Wildcat Invitational at the Lions Club. Tee off will be at 10 a.m.
“The support from Simmons Bank to keep this event going has been tremendous,” said El Dorado golf coach Chris Ezell. “Their sponsorship has provided 29 seasons of this event and we look forward to it every season.”
El Dorado is the defending champion in the boys’ field. Horatio won the girls division last year but will not participate in this year's event.
The field will include Camden Fairview, Crossett, Fountain Lake, Hamburg, Lake Hamilton, Magnolia and Sylvan Hills. The Wildcats’ JV team will also compete.
Fountain Lake and Magnolia finished second and third in the boys’ field last season.
El Dorado’s Caden Meadows will be featured in the first group off No. 1 in a pairing that will feature the top golfers in the field. Landon Sawyer from Magnolia, Kolt Carden from Fountain Lake and Sam Glover of Sylvan Hills could be an entertaining group to watch. Peyton Yarbrough, Isaac Aaron, Tate Meadows and Michael Moore will form the rest of the varsity team for El Dorado boys.
El Dorado’s JV squad will consist of Jay Reep, Ford Wilson, Mason Moore, Walker Williamson and Jackson Lee.
“Our JV teams have often fared well in this event as many of our kids have grown up playing the Lions Club,” said Ezell. “I can sense that most of our kids are anxious to get the season started and there is definitely a strong sense of pride to host this event.”
Daphny Chen will be the leading Lady Wildcat in the 1B group. Both of the top groups will tee off of No. 1 to start their rounds. Lucy Whitten and Avelyn Chen will provide the other scores for the Lady Cats who took third last season.
“Simmons Bank employees Leslie Carroll and Gage Parker really work hard to make this event special for the kids,” said Ezell. “The Lions Club (Danny Carelock) and staff have always worked hard to prepare the golf course for the arrival of this tournament each year as we tee it up for the first time each season.”