Herman’s brilliance lifts Jenks back to mountaintop

Above: The victorious Jenks Trojans from left to right coach Audra Smalley, Tori Kirberger, Kate Dixon, Rylee Williams, Lisa Herman, Francie Dittamore, and assistant coach Danielle Henry 

Complete results are on the Iwanamker website and app and will be posted on the OSSAA website

By Ken MacLeod

To say Lisa Herman’s decision last summer to rejoin her Jenks High School team for her senior year made all the difference would be an understatement.

The state’s top-ranked female prep golfer and future Ole Miss Rebel asked Jenks coach Audra Smalley last June if she could rejoin the team after winning the state title as a freshman in 2023 then foregoing her sophomore and junior years to concentrate on a national schedule.

Smalley, who became the Jenks coach in 2024, had to think for less than a nanosecond on that one.

It culminated Tuesday with a 4-under 68 in blustery winds up to 30 mph and chilly temperatures in the low 50s on the difficult Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville to run away with the individual title at 5-under while boosting Jenks back to the team championship. Jenks finished at 31-over 635, 14 shots clear of Edmond North at 649 with Norman North another shot back in third at 650.

Those three schools had battled fairly evenly all spring but Herman’s performance elevated the Trojans to another level. Norman North came in with two of the state’s top three ranked players and the past two individual champions in this event in Juliana Hong (2024) and Harlow Gregory (2025). But neither played up to their standards, as Hong shot rounds of 78-80 to tie for third at 158 with Erika-Bryton Burkhalter of Edmond North (77-81) while Gregory rebounded from a horrid start to Monday’s round and claimed second at 154 (79-75).

While they were in the top three, they were 15 and 19 shots behind Herman, respectively, which made all the difference in the team race. They had battled her fairly evenly in previous events, including the 6A preview won by Norman North.

“To shoot what Lisa did these last two days in these conditions is just unbelievable,” said Smalley, who was enjoying her first state title after runnerup finishes at Kingfisher and Edmond North. “I mean, she knows exactly what to do all the time. She’s on another level when it comes to these events.

“The way that she works hard and inspires all of our girls to do the same was really invaluable for our team.”

“Give the credit to Lisa and Jenks,” said Norman North coach Butch Roberts. “That’s fantastic golf. I thought Juliana and Harlow might come out and shoot around par today but these were tough conditions and a demanding course. It’s very easy to make bogeys here.”

Herman made three bogeys but poured in a remarkable seven birdies in her final round masterpiece.

“The key today was just to hit fairways, hit greens and maybe drop a putt here or there,” Herman said. “I think it showed some grit with this wind and everything.”

By the 12^th hole Herman had made five birdies against one bogey to extend her six-shot lead from day one. Consecutive bogeys on holes 13 and 14 were erased with a downhill 20-foot birdie putt on 15, then she capped the round by hitting the par-5 18^th in two shots and two-putted for a closing birdie.

Herman has a busy summer schedule including playing for the United States in the Toyota Junior World Championships in Japan, but this was a round she should long cherish.

Also for Jenks, Kate Dixon finished tied for sixth at 162 (80-82), Tori Kirberger tied for ninth at 164 (80-84), Rylee Williams 16^th at 171 (821-89) and Francie Dittamore tied for 23^rd at 177 (89-88).

The remainder of the top 10 In the team race were Owasso fourth at 694, Stillwater fifth at 695, Edmond Memorial and Broken Arrow sixth at 732, Edmond Santa Fe eighth at 751, Piedmont ninth at 763 and Bixby 10^th at 764,