Oakdale’s golf team is off to their best start in school history at 10-0 with quality wins over Williamsport, perennial powerhouse Urbana, and defending 1A/2A state runner-up Middletown.

This season, Oakdale’s golf team came in with big expectations after last year’s 8-2-1 regular season, with the only losses against regional powers Linganore and Middletown, and their lone tie against Catoctin.

With Linganore, Urbana, and Middletown all graduating key starters, and Oakdale bringing back five of their six starters, Oakdale coach Marcus Macon knows it’s his team’s year to strike. So far, they’ve done just that, with only one match, a three stroke victory over Urbana, being close.

“They’ve exceeded my expectations,” Macon explained, “Coming into the season I gave goals of improving last year’s record, and for the team to qualify for states.” The Bears are nearly guaranteed to accomplish both.

Last season, Oakdale finished fourth in the Frederick County tournament. High school golf is scored by six starters from each team playing nine holes, and the best four scores from each team are added together with the lowest score winning. In the county contest, all ten county teams compete against each other through 18 holes, and the team with the lowest combined four scores wins.

This year, Macon and the Bears are not just hoping to improve on their fourth place finish: “I absolutely want to be county champions” Macon said, confidently. “I haven’t been in this county long enough to be personally invested in rivalries, but I know my players are. So I especially want them to win the county tournament.” To be crowned county champions, Oakdale must take down two formidable opponents, Urbana and Linganore.

After the county tournament, Oakdale will compete in the 1A/2A district golf tournament. In this district tournament, 1A and 2A schools face off. Coach Macon is not just setting his sights on qualifying for the state tournament, he’s hoping to win it. In just his second year of coaching the Bears, he has his team in position to potentially compete for a state title.

Individually, to qualify for states at the district tournament, boys need to score an 80 or below, while girls need to shoot a 92 or below, both on 18 holes. Macon is hoping he can have as many players qualify for states as possible; another one of his goals from the preseason.

For the new-to-the-game girls on the team whom he has described as “still developing” on the golf course, he’s hoping they give districts a shot. “I just want them to have fun and I think they’ll surprise themselves with how well they can play.”

For the boys, junior captain Jake Ramsburg, setting his sights on the state tournament and an undefeated season replied: “I wouldn’t call it a goal, more of an expectation.” Ramsburg wants to qualify for states as an individual, but he’d be more excited if his team did. “I love having a leadership role on the team. I want our team to do the best.”

To win states as a team, the Bears will have to have one of their best performances of the season. Last year’s state champions, Marriotts Ridge, shot a 324 with, an average of 81. The Bears best average this season has been a 38.5 on 9 holes, a much easier feat to accomplish on 9 rather than a full 18 holes. But Macon thinks he has his team prepared, “We’re ready for whatever’s in front of us.”