VYPE North OK Mar-Apr 2014 by Austin Chadwick

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Delivering

RESULTS

ACE THE NEXT REPORT CARD WITH SYLVAN

At Sylvan Learning, results matter. This report card is the last one you’ll have to worry about if you get started with Sylvan today. Act now to take control of this school year.

Sylvan Learning of Stillwater

405-742-6700

www.stillwatersylvan.com

9 | Stillwater Swimming Rex Holt looks back at the state swim meet and the Pioneers who made the podium.

13 | Cleveland Baseball VYPE’s own Lynn Jacobsen takes a sneak peek of Tiger Baseball for 2014.

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14 | Wrestling Recap How did wrestlers from your school fair at this year’s state wrestling tournament.

29 | Po-Hi Soccer Kyle Kendrick previews the boys and girls Wildcat soccer teams with in depth analysis for the 2014 season.

Trinity Media Group, LLC 6737 S. 85th E. Ave. • Tulsa, OK 74136 All rights reserved. Publisher Austin Chadwick Partner/Editorial Director Brad Heath Oklahoma Sales Director Roscoe Migliore Partner/Director of Operations Rod Coulter Editor Kyle Kendrick Partner Mark Rodgers Contributing Writers Brad Heath, Lynn Jacobsen, Rex Holt, Tiffany Rogers, Joel Hahn, Kyle Kendrick Contributing Photographers Brad Heath, Rip Stell,, KT King, Wes Sharp, Kim Hough, Defininng Moment, Sport Shots OKC, Josh Clough, Michael Mayberry, Brett Rojo, Kirk Wells, Rolf Clements, Kyle Kendrick Contact Information: www.VYPEOK.com • Phone: 918.495.1771 •Fax: 918.495.1787 Subscriptions: 918.495.1771 VYPE is published monthly by Trinity Media Group, LLC. Reproductions in whole or in part without permission are prohibited. VYPE is not responsible for the return of unsolicited artwork, photography or manuscripts and will not be responsible for holding fees or similar charges. All digital submissions and correspondences will become property of VYPE. 4

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Athlete theYear of

S C H O L A R S H I P

April 2014 Bank SNB has teamed up to grant a $1,000 Scholarship to be presented in the June issue of VYPE. Here is how it will work: • Each month, VYPE will take nominations for an Athlete of the Month and a boy or girl will be elected the Bank SNB Athlete of the Month. This will be a chance for boys and girls of all sports to be recognized for their performances. • Nominees can be mailed to Oklahoma@VYPE. com. Give the nominee’s name, school, sport and reasons you believe the athlete should be awarded the scholarship. • The nominees will need to be seniors this season but keep in mind that their accomplishments as juniors will be taken into consideration as well. • Each monthly recipient will be a candidate for the scholarship that will be awarded in June. • All sports will be eligible to have a nomination. • The male and female athletes who are chosen each month will have a pictured bio, highlighting their accomplishments, placed on this page. Nominees will be profiled in VYPE magazine, but it is not necessary to be profiled in order to win the scholarship.

Jackson Murphy Stillwater High School Stillwater Pioneer senior Jackson Murphy is the Bank SNB Athlete of the Month. Jackson is the goalie for the varsity soccer team. When he is not on the field you can find him volunteering as a youth soccer coach, helping in the library and staying involved in the National Honors Society and the Beta Club. Jackson carries a 3.98 GPA and takes AP Statistics and Intro to Engineering. In his free time Jackson enjoys hanging out with friends, playing video games and disc golf. After high school Jackson plans on either attending Oklahoma State University or playing college soccer at another school.

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Panthers and Black Bears Show Their Skill on the Hardwood

Ty Lazenby The Glencoe Panthers and Pawnee Black Bears boys basketball teams both earned a spot in their respective state tournaments; Glencoe in Class A and Pawnee

in Class 2A. The Panthers made it all the way to the state finals and eventually knocked off Kiowa for their second-straight gold ball. Pawnee meanwhile lost to eventual 2A champ Latta in the first round of the 2A tournament by a final score of 54-49. In the state tournament Glencoe was led by brothers Ty and Jake Lazenby. Ty was named the tournament MVP by the Oklahoman after averaging 31 points a game in the three state tournament games. Jake meanwhile was also named to the Oklahoman’s all-tournament team. Not only did the Lazenby brothers power Gideon Gardner the Panthers to yet another state championship they also helped Glencoe finish undefeated on the year and complete a 60-1 two-year run. Pawnee meanwhile was led by sophomores Gideon Gardner and Nathan Brock to a 22-6 overall record this year. Gardner averaged 22.1 points per game this season and Brock chipped in an average of 17.8 points a game. Brock also averaged 6.7 assists and five rebounds per game this season.

www.atscounseling.com

Children • Adults • Families • Marriage

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Enid • Hennessey • Watonga Ponca City Stillwater

(580) 242-4673 (580) 762-1511 (405) 372-7555

Jay Ogle

Stillwater High School

How long have you been involved with FCA? I’ve been involved with FCA since 6th grade, so four years now.

Who influenced you to join? My great friend Tuzo Mwarumba was the one who convinced me to get out of bed an hour earlier on Friday’s to go to FCA and I’m so glad he did.

How has FCA made an impact in your life on and off the field? FCA has opened up the door to so many great friendships and it has also taught me how to be a leader as a Christian and as a teammate. How have your beliefs helped you as an athlete? My faith has definitely helped me to remain humble in victory and graceful in defeat. I’m a very competitive person and I like to win, but my relationship with God has taught me to be grateful for my ability to compete no matter the outcome.

What is your favorite Bible verse and why? My favorite verse is Hebrews 12:1 because in my sport perseverance, both mentally and physically, is very important. This verse also helps me to remember that God has marked a path for me and I need to listen to him carefully to stay on it.

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OKLAHOMA NATURAL GAS

Player of the Month These players bring the energy to their team! Grace Fodor Bartlesville Swim Bartlesville Lady Bruins senior swimmer Grace Fodor is the Oklahoma Natural Gas Female Athlete of the Month. Fodor recently had a fantastic regional tournament where h the 100-yard Butterfly and she qualified for state in bot also qualified for state as a 100-yard Backstroke. Fodor dley Relay and the 400-yard member of the 200-yard Me Freestyle Relay team. a regional championship with In the 100 Fly Fodor won the 0 10 the in title al ion took the reg time of 1:00.62. Fodor also or Fod ms tea y rela h Bot 1. 1.4 Backstroke with a time of 1:0 s. title al ion reg n wo of t par was a 100-yard Backstroke and the n wo or At the state meet Fod ce yle Relay team to a first pla helped the 400-yard Freest y terfl But ard 0-y 10 the in d d thir finish as well. Fodor finishe ard 0-y 20 place finish with the and picked up another third d. she Medley Relay team fini

Tanner Allen Blackwell Wrestling

Blackwell Maroons senior wrestler Tanner Allen is the Oklahoma Natural Gas Male Athlete of the Month. Allen has been a dominant force in the 285-pound weight class this year piling up tournament championships at every turn. Allen started the year with a cha Edmond Pre Turkey Tourname mpionship at the nt. Allen then picked up wins at the Perry Tourname nt of Champions and the Lee Snider Holiday Classic in Bixby. Finally, Allen also won the championship title at the Big 4x4 Tournament and the conference tourname nt. Overall, Allen entered the state tournament with a 45-0 record and the No. 1 seed from the east side of the state. Not satisfied with those numbers alone, Allen won three matches at the state tournament and was cro wned the state champion.

Get up to $200 in rebates when you purchase and install a new natural gas range. OklahomaNaturalGas.com/rebates

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Stillwater dominates to claim the gold and Silver in Edmond By Rex Holt Stillwater High School’s boys arrived at the Edmond Schools Aquatic Center pool on February 22nd knowing they had the talent and the depth to capture the Class 5A State Swimming Championship. All the Pioneers had to do was perform.

“Most people were really predicting either Bixby or Altus to win the state meet, but we were confident going in and we knew we had the balance and the depth to make it happen,’’ explained 25th-year head coach Kurt Goebel.

“And the kids did just that, they performed like champions. “Everybody got after it and dropped time … you could just tell they smelled blood in the water. We didn’t finish first in any event, but the difference was our kids getting to the finals and doing well across the board.’’ “They deserve all the credit, but it sure was fun to be a part of it.’’ Stillwater finished with 263 points in winning its first boys state title since 1974, with Altus taking second with 258 and Bixby third with 228. The Pioneers finished second (200 medley), fourth (200 freestyle) and sixth (400 freestyle) in relays, while seniors Charles Clark and sophomore Ben Cowles had the top individual efforts on the day. Clark took second in the 100

backstroke and third in the 100 butterfly, while Cowles was third in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.

Senior Matthew Tree was fifth in the 100 backstroke and sixth in the 200 IM and Trey Cushing, a junior, placed sixth in the 50 freestyle and seventh in the 100 freestyle. Junior Nate Carmen also posted a top-eight finish by claiming fourth in the 500 freestyle. The other mermen providing that key depth in SHS’s state title effort, as well as the 5A Academic state crown, were seniors Kyle Goebel, Layne Njaa, sophomore Tim Ilgenstein and freshman Jacob Tree. Depth, meanwhile, is the only thing the Stillwater girls swim squad was lacking at the 5A State

Charles Clark

Championships where they finished as runner-up to Fort Gibson, which won its fourth straight trophy.

The Lady Pioneers finished with 207 points as compared to 247.50 for the Lady Tigers.

“We have a lot of quality girls, we just didn’t have the numbers with only six girls scoring points,’’ added Goebel. “But they swam great and they did come away with a little gold.’’ That gold was courtesy of the 400 freestyle relay team of freshman Isabelle Smith, sophomore Kayla Dunn and juniors Alexx Thomas and Brooke Njaa, who capurted the last event in dominant fashion, knocking seven seconds off of their best time of the season. SHS took second in the 200 medley relay.

Individually, Thomas also was third in the 500 free and fourth in the 100 butterfly, while Smith placed third in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 free and Dunn was fourth in the 200 free and fourth in the 500 free. Njaa was third in the 100 breaststroke and fifth in the 200 IM. Rounding out the Lady Pioneer effort at state were sophomores Hannah Thomas and Samantha Schroeder and lone senior Sarah Carpenter. A pr i l 2 0 1 4

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hool Stillwater High Sc

Angela Fitch

Stillwater High School Angela Fitch is a member of the va rs participates in th e 4,800 meters, ity track team and the mile and som two-mile. Despite etimes the a a 4.0 unweighte rigorous training schedule, Ange la maintains d GPA and takes AP English 4, Ca Statistics. Two of lculus and her favorite class es are Chemistry Alex is involved in and Calculus. se YIG (Youth in Gove veral groups at school including ST rnment), FCCLA, Career Leaders of UCO and National Honors Society, Key Club , Math Club, Beta America, the pep assembly Club ho of Christian Athle st. Alex also spends time with th and is e Fellowship tes, the SMAC co m Change) and PO W (Pink Out Wee mittee (Stillwater Makes a k) committee mem graduation Alex is ber. pla at either the Unive nning on studying to become a After ph rsity of Oklahom a or the University armacist of Kansas

<--Angela Fitch & Bo Frohock--> Bo Frohock

Stillwater High School

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ater High School. track athlete at Stillw s in the 3,200 ity rs va a is k oc oh Bo Fr ecialize e track team Bo sp dying As a member of th you can find him stu d ng ini tra in t no is an Bo A n GP he 0 W a 4. meter run. Currently Bo carries g Bo has g. itin wr or 3 sh gli hin for AP En er, somet his high school care is a member of the has a 3.8 GPA for r sta ck tra tain. The ily worked hard to main and enjoys spending time with fam ty cie o So r ad no lor National Ho to attend Co aduation Bo plans and friends. After gr rsue a degree in English. Bo enjoys y pu College and possibl uld love a career in the writing field. wo d an g creative writin

Submit your nomination for the Team Stillwater, Realtors Academic Athlete of the Month to: Oklahoma@VYPE.com

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Character is a combination of qualities that distinguishes one person or group from another. Hideaway Pizza celebrates achievements of local high school athletes by presenting the monthly “Character Counts Award.”

Nick Hawkins

Samantha Kerns

Stillwater High School

Nick Hawkins is a senior at Stillwater High School where he plays varsity soccer. Nick has received many honors during his soccer career including being named the 9th grade Defensive Player of the Year, the Junior Varsity Newcomer of the Year and is a two-year letterman for Stillwater. Nick excels on the field and in the classroom. Currently Nick has a weighted GPA of 4.05 while taking several AP courses including Statistics, English and Calculus. Nick’s favorite class is Intro to Engineering and plans on studying Electrical Engineering in college. When Nick isn’t studying for a test or competing for the Pioneers, you can find him hanging out with friends and family. For his commitment to Stillwater High School and his teammates, Nick Hawkins is this month’s Character Counts award winner. Congrats Nick!

“To have good character you must be positive, respectful, and responsible for yourself and helping others. Integrity to learn and strive to improve your morale and performance is two of the most important things to me, along with pushing others to do so also,” Samantha Kerns said. The senior is member of the varsity track team and carries a 4.0 GPA. Samantha is taking AP U.S. History, PreAP English and Pre-AP Chemistry, while focusing on track, National Honors Society and YIG (Youth in Government), Math Club and FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America). Samantha is making plans for life after high school, “I am looking forward to majoring in cello performance/Music Education at Oklahoma State University.”

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Losing in the Area Tournament was a tough pill to swallow for the PerkinsTryon girl’s basketball team. The Lady Demons, who finished the year 16-6, had reached the state tournament three consecutive years, finishing second in Class 3A a year ago. The team loses a key player in senior Jeri Adkism. “Jeri has been a starter since she was a freshman,” Perkins coach Jerry Burnett said. “We will miss her. We went to three state tournaments with her. She averaged about 11 points a game.” Junior Bailey Wensler, who has started since she was a freshman, was the team’s leading scorer this year and will return next season. Brianna Hobbs, a freshman, moved into the starting rotation late in the season and Burnett already has high hopes for Hobbs, as she continues to mature.

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Junior Rylee Craycraft and sophomore Raegan O’Donnell are a couple of players Burnett is counting on in 2014-15. But the future looks bright for years to come as both the seventh and eighth grade girl’s teams recorded undefeated seasons. The Lady Demons were not been blessed with a lot of height, forcing Burnett to rethink his philosophy. “We had to change everything we did,” Burnett said. “We spread the floor to take advantage of our speed and quickness.” Looking back on the season, Burnett pointed to victories Bridge Creek and Stroud as marquee moments.

“We took on Bridge Creek when they were undefeated,” Burnett said. “That was our first big win against a highly ranked opponent. We also beat Stroud once at their place. Our kids are very coachable and they adapted well.” Burnett said the team is already talking next season. “We are hungry to get back to state,” Burnett said. “We’ve built tradition here.”

Anderson Answers Call for Cleveland – One More Time Dale Anderson answered the call to duty as the school’s baseball coach. Anderson will only coach one year as he has been tabbed to take over as athletic director for the 2014-15 school year.

“I am excited,” Anderson said of coaching baseball. “I love baseball. My kids played at Perkins. I started a competitive program there. So I’m excited to get back in it. I hope to have a lot of fun with it. “I coached baseball at East Central way back in the day. It was probably 13 years ago and I coached for four years. I haven’t coached baseball for the past eight years.”

Anderson is just now getting the winter sports athletes out for baseball.

Anderson has a wealth of returning talent on which to build around. Among those back include seniors Austin Brownell at pitcher, Casey Cook, Derek Reeves, Dakota Hewitt and Desmond Freeman in the outfield, and Hunter Bundy at second base. Tyler Myles, a junior, saw time at shortstop last year. Sophomore southpaw pitcher Ty Smith, junior Jayce Cavin and seniors Will Driskell and Brownell will figure in the rotation on the hill. Anderson expects freshman Jordan Clark to see action at first base and

pitching.

“I feel like this is a good team,” Anderson said. “Jeff Fry is my assistant. We know we have seven kids coming out from winter sports. “Austin and Casey were the only two we had out in January and February with varsity experience. It might take us a while to get in a groove but I’m very excited about the season.”

The Tigers face a difficult schedule with playoff contenders such as Class 4A No. 1 Berryhill and No. 20 Cushing. Other ranked opponents include 3A No. 10 Metro Christian and No. 12 Perkins-Tryon and Class A No. 10 Ripley. “I didn’t do myself any favors in

scheduling,” Anderson said. “I don’t back away from challenges. I’m too stubborn. When I coached at East Central, we would play Jenks, Union and Owasso. I’m a firm believer in that I don’t care what my record is as long as we represent ourselves in the postseason. Playing tough teams helps prepare you for the playoffs.” One might say Anderson is beginning his farewell tour of high school baseball.

“I am going to miss coaching,” he said. “I have a good rapport with the kids and will miss that. But I hope to take that with me as the AD. I’m excited to open the next chapter of my life.”

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Perry takes top honors in Class 3A with Tonkawa and Newkirk finishing in the top five. Blackwell on his way to the finals. Perry’s Blake Avery won a major decision over Cody Lewis of Geary, 14-6. 138 - Senior Brandon Smith of Newkirk placed fourth by defeating Kyler Vowell of Hinton and Wyatt Schoolfiled of Comanche.

145 - Tonkawa senior Jacob Collins won a decision over Bodie Davis of Plainview, 8-4 in the first round of consolation bouts, then defeated Newkirk junior Beau Stopp, 7-3 to face Kingfisher senior Christian Wrestlers from Perry, Tonkawa, Blackwell, Roney in the third place bout. Collins lost a 6-1 decision finishing his high school Newkirk, Pawhuska and Barnsdall made career with a record of 32-8 this season. history by carving their names into the record books. Some doing so as two and 152 - First time state champion Jared three-time state champions. Here is how Schieber of Newkirk won a 5-3 decision they finished in each weight class. over senior Colton Looper of Perry. Both won by pin and major decision while on 106 - Perry freshman Cale Betchan a collision course to the finals. The win finished a 33-16 season as state runnergives Schieber a 33-3 record for the year. up after facing an undefeated Kaden Kevin Howard of Tonkawa placed third by Gfeller from Heritage Hall. Betchan beat winning a 2-1 decision over Aryion Young Tanner Ward of Berryhill and Louden of Heritage Hall. Akin of Sperry to get into the finals.

David Thomas

113 - Senior Anthony Jauregui of Tonkawa grabbed a second place finish after beating Brycen Justus of Perry and Grant Sorenson of Heritage Hall before facing the eventual champion in Zach Atencio of Plainview. 120 - Owen Simpson of Tonkawa became a two-time state champion by defeating Cullen Patterson of Salina, 8-6. The junior capped off a 26-1 season and will attempt to become Tonkawa’s first ever three-time state champ. Noah Nida of Perry finished third after winning a 7-3 decision over Tyler Ramirez of Madill. 126 - Senior Briar Stopp won his third state title in as many years after his 8-2 decision over Rio Zamora of Madill in the finals. The win put Stopp over 30 wins for the season. Pawhuska senior Taylor Priest placed fourth for the Huskies. 132 - A stacked 132-pound bracket witnessed Derick Shrum of Jay winning it all, but Tonkawa’s Brandon Hurst didn’t make it easy. The senior from Tonkawa won a 10-5 decision over Garrett Willis of Plainview and pinned Dakota Hagan of

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160 - Perry senior David Thomas added his name to the list of two-time champions when he defeated Jacob Vap of Newkirk, 6-1. Thomas hit the 40-win mark with the victory over Vap in the finals. 170 - Junior Sam Schuerman of Blackwell won a 6-3 decision over Heath Gray of Chandler in the 170-pound finals. Schuerman finished the season 45-3. Riley Betchan of Perry placed third by major decision over Zalin Edwards of Pawhuska. 182 - Marlon Houston Jr. of Pawnee defeated Darian Mixon of Chandler, 3-1 in the finals. John

Gruenwald of Sperry placed third.

195 - Barnsdall senior Caleb Hawes became a two-time state champion with a 9-4 decision over Perry’s Garrett Beier. Beier had two wins by pin before facing Hawes in the finals. 220 - Braden Ruth of Davis became a three-time champion. In the semifinals Ruth defeated Bo Montez of Perry who would go on to finish fourth overall.

285 - Blackwell big man Tanner Allen won a close decision over Bryan Jordan of Tonkawa, 6-3. Allen finished the season with an amazing 48-0 record and is considering several college offers. In the opening round Allen pinned Hunter Jones of Davis then pinned Dorian Fagan of Plainview in the semifinals.

Tanner Allen

Head coach Dan Close in his 17th year at Dewey High School is excited for the talented squad he has returning for the season. The Bulldoggers have enjoyed some success at meets during the season over the last few years, but head coach Dan Close and several of the returning members are hungry to make the podium at the state meet. Senior Tyler Roecker was the runner up in the 300 hurdles last year after coming from the middle of the pack to take second. Roecker will also run the 110 hurdles after finishing just short of the making the finals last year.

and could be a medal hopeful for coach Close.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have some kids with a great chance to really do something special at state this year,â&#x20AC;? Close said.

A wild card for the Bulldoggers may be football player Jared Fink who could run the hurdle events this year. Fink rushed for more than 1,600 yards this year.

In the field events the Bulldoggers are looking strong with junior Robbie Ketchum competing in the pole vault. Last year Ketchum finished 9th after vaulting a personal best of more than 11 feet. Fellow pole-vaulter Ellie Cantrell (Jr.) also placed in ninth and is expected to be improved this season.

Jaycie Nickerson

Anthony Davis will throw the discus and shot after qualifying for state as a sophomore. Jaycie Nickerson will be one to watch in the 100 and 300 hurdles this year. Nickerson qualified for both last year

Tyler Roecker

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Bartlesville boys and girls swim teams finished second and fourth respectively at the Class 6A state swim meet at Edmond. Norman North captured both the boys and girls team titles. Backstroke at 58.63. Hannah Steward made it a 1-2 Bartlesville finish with a time of 59.54. Fodor was the anchor on the 400 Free Relay team that captured the gold in a time of 3:38.21. She swam the opening leg of the team’s third place finish in the 200 Medley Relay.

Alex Ward Bartlesville boys and girls swim teams finished second and fourth respectively at the Class 6A state swim meet at Edmond. Norman North captured both the boys and girls team titles.

“We had a fantastic two days,” said swim coach Jeff Allen. Grace Fodor recorded the best time in the 100

Steward picked up four medals on the day. In addition to her second place finish in behind Fodor, she was seventh in the 100 Butterfly and swam the third leg in the 200 medley and the second leg in the 400 Free Relay.

“If we had four or five more girls we would have won the state tournament,” Allen said. “We had by far the best four girls in the state. They set a new team record that was set in 1986 in the 200 Medley Relay. They are just quality swimmers, rose to the occasion and lit the place up. They were going against Norman North, which had 15 kids. We only had four.” Fodor and Steward will graduate in May, leaving an opening next season.

“Our next three classes are stacked,” Allen said. “We have seven girls coming in next year as freshmen and another four or five behind

them. They should all score at state. If I would have had them this year, we probably would have won, that’s how good they are. The future of the girls team is extremely bright.” In boys action, brothers Kyle and Alex Ward and Aaron Stanek each won individual events. Kyle Ward won the 200 Freestyle with a time

Grace Fodor

“I just try to stay out of their way and watch them go. I try not to over-coach. A lot of coaches get caught up in over-coaching and my philosophy is to get out of their way, support them and let them have fun.

“Hats off to Norman North. They had a fantastic meet. We had a fantastic meet. A lot of races were incredible. For nine boys, we swam a great meet and be in the hunt with less than 20 points (separating us from Norman North) was pretty exciting.” State Tournament Individual Results

Hannah Steward of 1:42.46. Alex Ward captured the 100 Breaststroke in 58.46 and Stanek won the 50 Freestyle in 21.77. Bartlesville finished second in the 200 and 500 Freestyle Relay events while the Bruins took third in the 200 Medley Relay. “Every single one of the boys swam amazing,” Allen said. “We won three individual events, we were second in two of the relays and third in the other. Man it was fun to watch.”

Allen said his philosophy going into the state meet was simple – don’t get in the way of the athletes. “State is an exciting environment,” he said.

GIRLS 200 Medley Relay – 3rd Gracie Fodor, Haley Downey, Hannah Steward, Avery Bennett 1:51.03. 200 IM – 2nd Haley Downey 2:10.87.

50 Freestyle – 8th Avery Bennett, 25.88.

100 Butterfly – 3rd Grace Fodor, 57.94; 7th Hannah Steward, 1:01.09. 100 Freestyle – 5th Avery Bennett 56.29.

100 Backstroke – 1st Grace Fodor 58.63; 2nd Hannah Steward 59.54. 100 Breaststroke – 2nd Haley Downey 1:06.50.

400 Free Relay – 1st Avery Bennett, Hannah Steward, Haley Downey, Grace Fodor 3:38.21.

BOYS 200 Medley Relay – 3rd Caleb Goodart, Alex Ward, Mason McCauley, Thomas Downey 1:40.51. 200 Freestyle – 1st Kyle Ward 1:42.46; 7th Peyton Stambeck 1:49.96.

200 IM – 5th Thomas Downey 1:59.16; 6th Alex Ward 1:59.39. 50 Freestyle – 2nd Aaron Stanek 21.77. 100 Butterfly – 2, Kyle Ward 51.02; 6th Mason McCauley 54.12; 8th Peyton Stambeck, 55.46.

100 Freestyle – 1st Aaron Stanek 47.30; 8th Leon Faulk 52.59. 500 Freestyle – 3rd Thomas Downey 4:48.21.

500 Free Relay – 2nd Peyton Stambeck, Alex Ward, Kyle Ward, Aaron Stanek 1:28.45.

200 Freestyle Relay – 2nd Peyton Stambeck, Alex Ward, Kyle Ward, Aaron Stanek 1:28.45. 100 Backstroke – 7th Mason McCauley 56:36.

100 Breaststroke – 1st Alex Ward 58.46.

400 Free Relay – 2nd Kyle Ward, Thomas Downey, Mason McCauley, Aaron Stanek 3:12.45.

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Cassie Mihm Bartlesville

Mason McCauley Bartlesville

Academic Athlete of the Month Senior basketball player Cassie Mihm is the gold standard when it comes to academics. A 3.9 student, Mihm takes AP Physics, English and Calculus in addition to a college government class at Rogers State. Despite the full academic load, Mihm is active in National Honor Society, Chemistry Club, track and basketball and is this month’s Bartlesville Female Academic Athlete of the Month. Her free time is often spent volunteering at her church, St. John’s Catholic. “I volunteer at St. John’s Catholic School,” Mihm said. “We read, we help out with events, we even shovel snow. With a heavy school load, Mihm admits she hits the books a lot for study. In her free time she is learning Gaelic and playing both the guitar and piano. On the basketball court, she is one of the leaders for the Bruins.

Mason McCauley boasts a 3.7 grade point average with a full course load that includes college algebra/trigonometry, orchestra, U.S. History, advanced business computer applications, English and chemistry. “It’s definitely a full day,” said McCauley, who was named the March Academic Athlete of the Month. The junior swimmer picked up four medals at the Class 6A state tournament. He swam the third leg of the 200 Medley Relay team that finished third and the third leg of the 400 Free Relay that finished second. Individually, he placed sixth in the 100 Butterfly and seventh in the 100 Backstroke. His favorite event is the 200 Fly but the event is not offered at the high school level. In addition, he participates in the Washington County Youth Court. “It’s good experience for those interested in going to law school after college,” said McCauley.

Submit your nomination for the RE/MAX Realtors Academic Athlete of the Month to: Oklahoma@VYPE.com

“EXCEEDING YOUR EXPECTATIONS”

Kevin Lynch

Donna Barclay

(918)214-3700 (918)440-3000 YourBartlesvilleRealEstateTeam.com of Bartlesville

1809 SE Washington Blvd Bartlesville, OK 74006 Office: (918) 335-3833

Toll Free: (877) 335-6888

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated 20

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Character Counts Athlete of the Month

ConocoPhillips is proud to highlight the great student-athletes who uphold the fabric of character on and off the field and court. Senior two-sport athlete Rachel Day is anxious to get back on the playing field after missing here senior season in basketball with a partial Achilles Tendon tear. “I injured it in a preseason scrimmage and I am just now at a point where I might get to play,” Day said.

A 4.0 student, Day is active in National Honor Society and Rotary Club activities in addition to basketball and softball. In addition to her course load at Bartlesville, Day also attends Rogers State where she is enrolled in history and speech classes. Day is the March Character Counts Female Athlete of the Month.

Rachel Day Bartlesville Softball

Away from school she participates in her youth group at Bartlesville Southern Baptist Church.

The first Thursday of every month Day can be found at Wayside Elementary reading to Kindergarten students on her lunch hour.

“It’s fun,” she said.

Day and some friends organized a Christmas party at a local nursing home. The feature activity was bingo. “They were really into the prizes,” she said with a laugh.

Day plans to attend Central Oklahoma in Edmond where she wants to study nutritional science.

“I want to become a physical therapist,” she said. “in that field, it helps to have some science background.” Her injury and subsequent rehab only serve to fuel her desire to help others.

“I like to help people,” she said. “Helping people, getting them back on their feet is something I am interested in doing.”

A three-year starter in softball, Day hopes to resume her role at first base any day.

Same values. Same name.

Local pride.

At ConocoPhillips, we’re building on our SPIRIT values – safety, people, integrity, responsibility, innovation and teamwork – to create a company like no other. A company with global reach and strong ties to the local communities where we operate. With more than 1,500 employees in the community, ConocoPhillips is proud to call Bartlesville home. As an industry leader exclusively focused on exploration and production, we are pioneering a new standard of excellence. But even as we embark on this new journey, the way we do business, our pride as a Bartlesville citizen – our spirit – is staying the same. It’s just a part of who we are.

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Tri County Technology Athlete of the MOnth Caleb Pease Caney Valley

Caney Valley Trojans baseball player Caleb Pease is the Tri County Tech Athlete of the Month. On the diamond Pease starts at catcher for the Trojans and also is a major run producer in the middle of their lineup. Meanwhile at TriCounty Tech Pease is enrolled in the welding program instructed by Scott Sutherland.

Pease said.

“I chose to enroll in welding because I knew it would be a skill that will always be needed. If I need to find a job during hard times I can fall back on the skills I have learned the past two years,”

After high school Pease plans to attend college although he is undecided on what university he will attend. While in college Pease plans to pursue a business degree.

Pease said he picked the welding program because it gives him a skill that is in constant demand.

Pease went on to add that because Tri County Tech has the curriculum in technology, it has been a place that has taught him valuable lessons. Caleb highly recommends any student to take courses and expand their horizons. “I would recommend Tri County to others. It has allowed me to expand my learning capabilities that high school couldn’t do alone,” Pease said.

Providing Superior Training

• College credit available to high school and adult students

• Full scholarships available for qualified adult applicants

• Payment plans available

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For enrollment information contact Lauren Walls at

918.331.3291 or lwalls@tctc.org

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Wesleyan Christian School will unveil a new sport this spring. The Bartlesville based school – already a member of the OSSAA – opens its first season of high school baseball with an inaugural 15-game schedule.

played the sport in a few years.

“The overall attitude has been very good,” Summers said. “We’ve fielded a team of 12 players, grades 9-12. The kids are focusing on fundamentals.”

The theme for head coach Bo Summers and assistants Nathan England and Micah Siemers is ‘building the foundation.’

Summers looks to build around a pair of middle infielders in Caleb Carpenter and Braydon Revard at shortstop and second base, respectively. Both should also see action on the hill for the Mustangs, Summers said.

Summers has a blend of youth and experience, although some haven’t

Seniors Jonathan Kowalczik, Dalton Sebert and Adrian Gabby hope to leave their leadership mark on the

“It’s exciting,” Summers said. “It’s a challenge, a huge challenge. The kids are excited to be part of the first team that we hope will be a championship program.”

squad. Juniors Stephen Whitehead and Joshua Randolph, sophomores Dusty Shull and Levi Krebbs and freshmen Justin Ernst, Benjamin Hamm and Nathan Buzan round out the first-ever Wesleyan baseball squad.

“Caleb leads by example,” Summers added. “Braydon was the quarterback of the football team. The other players respond well to him.”

W ESLEYAN C HRISTIAN S CHOOL

• 3 graduates were honored as Commended National Merit Finalists • 2 graduates received the Gates Millennium Scholarship • Yearly, the Senior Class averages over $100,000 in scholarships with ACT scores consistently exceeding national averages • Approved by SEVIS International to accept international students • A Pre-K through 12 accredited school • Member of National Honor Society

Wesleyan Christian School exists to assist Christian families in providing their children with an outstanding education that is thoroughly grounded in biblical truth and effective in forming godly character to the glory and honor of God. www.wesleyanchristianschool.com

Mentoring

918.333.8631 Fine Arts

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Athletics

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Po-Hi Track

Ponca City Track Teams Ready to Get Out of the Blocks Both the Ponca City girls and boys track teams are looking forward to a successful season this spring.

On the boys side of things senior pole-vaulter Heath Cromwell leads the way in the field events. Also expected to give the Wildcats a big lift in the field events this year is sophomore move-in Jacob Birnbaun. Birnbaun spent his winter in the gym playing basketball, but that just meant that head track coach Alan Hibler, who is also the head boys basketball coach, got a front row seat to his athletic talent. Hibler said Birnbaun

can “dunk it pretty much any way you want him too” which should work out well as he competes in the high jump this spring.

In the running events district runners Caleb Gentry and Thes Kascsak will be major factors for the Wildcats. Other key runners will be Joey LeClair and Matt Vaughan. Both Vaughn and LeClair are both quarter-mile guys who will also compete in several relays.

For the Lady Cats, Jacye Grimm will be a huge contributor this year as she carries expectations of a state championship in the shot put into

the season. Another key competitor for the Lady Cats in the throwing events will be Jessi Parent. Parent’s strongest event is the discus and head girls coach Lee Guess believes Parent has the ability to finish in the top three at state in the event. Other key figures on the Lady Cats team will be Cheyenne VanZandt, Julia Hiatt, Lyric Chandler, and Tate Fezer. “Our goal is to qualify all four relay teams for state. If we can do that we have a chance to be very good,” Guess said.

Wildcat Baseball

Ponca City’s Boys of Summer Ready to Hit the Diamond need to set ourselves up well going into regionals.”

Joey Furber The Ponca City Wildcats baseball team put together a stellar 22-12-2 record last season and fell just short of the state tournament losing in the regional final. This season the Wildcats and first-year head coach Drew Burris are setting their sights even higher though.

“Our goals are to win 25 games and finish in the top three of our district. We feel like if we do those things it will set us up well for regionals,” Burris sad. “From there our goal is just like everybody else, to make the state tournament, but to do that we

Burris, who comes to Ponca from Little Axe and replaces former head coach Jared Freeman, will have a good nucleus of returning players to work with but will also have to replace some big guns in the lineup and on the mound.

Gone are Josh Evans, Sam Raglin, Case Jenkins and Skyler Edens who all were major contributors last year in the middle of the lineup. Evans was also the team’s top pitcher while Raglin and Edens started in the infield and Jenkins patrolled centerfield. Returning players who Burris said he will definitely be counting on are Brian Wicker, Dalton Mazurier, Joey Furber, Austin Emmel, Blake Shephard and Robert Nanni. Riley Sells did not play last year but also will be a player asked to perform well for the Wildcats. Emmel and Furber will be the team’s two

main starters on the mound while Mazurier, Sam Flowers, Shephard, Sells and Nanni will all also provide big innings. At the plate look for Nanni, Wicker and Mazurier to anchor the middle of the order and drive in runs by the bunches. On the defensive side of things Nanni will most likely spend his time at shortstop while Wicker handles the catching duties and Mazurier uses his speed and athleticism in the outfield.

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Lady Cats Soccer

Po-Hi Girls Soccer Team Looking to Build on Last Season The Ponca City Lady Cats soccer team finished last year with a 6-10 overall record, and made it into the state playoffs. The finish was an impressive one after the Lady Cats started the year off at 1-6. This season the Lady Cats and first-year head coach Marcelo Aguilar will be trying to build on the foundation laid by last year’s team while competing in an extremely challenging district that includes the powerhouse Jenks Lady Trojans and playoff teams in Bixby and Union. Key players that the Lady Cats will be counting on this season will be senior midfielders Cheyenne Hull and Katie Strait along with senior forward Brianne Cherry. With three athletic players like Hull, Strait and Cherry the Lady Cats should be able to find the back of the net against

nearly any defense but the team will need to find a way to replace all-state forward Stephanie Engster who graduated after last season. When asked about her goals for the season Cherry kept things simple. “My goal is for us to work as hard as we can in practice and have a better record than last year,” Cherry said. Strait meanwhile expanded on Cherry’s answer. “I would say that my biggest goal for the team this year is to make it to playoffs, but also for each and every player to take something positive away from every game and apply it to their lives,” Strait said. “Soccer has shaped my character so much in the last four years and has really taught me the value of hard work, dedication to the game and learning to rely on my teammates not only

Cheyenne Hull

Katie Strait

Brianne Cherry on the field but off the field as well. My team is my family and no matter how bad I’ve played or the trouble I’ve gotten myself into I always know that I can rely on my teammates for support and encouragement.” With a focus on the playoffs, the Lady Cats won’t need to wait long to find out where they stand with two of their first four games coming against district opponents Bixby and Union. The Lady Cats will also play in a very competitive Stillwater Cup in late March where they should see several very tough teams.

“It’s not the will to win that matters – everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” Paul “Bear” Bryant

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Ponca City Boys Soccer Senior Laden Wildcats Have High Hopes for 2014

Scott Feaster The Ponca City boys soccer team has one key advantage this year that they haven’t had in recent history; experience and lots of it. The Wildcats will rely heavily on six seniors this season according to head coach Ben Steichen. Leading that group will be midfielder Oscar Ochoa, whose older brother Andy was an all-state player for the Wildcats last year. “Oscar’s older brother was really great for us and we think Oscar will be just as good,” Steichen said. Fellow senior midfielders Jackson Bowker, Scott Treleaven, Ernesto Ochoa and Cristian Melendez will also play major roles for the Wildcats this season as well according to Steichen. Senior forward Andrew Lesnick rounds out the group of talented seniors. “We are pretty excited about this group said Steichen. They are all very accustomed to how we like to play since they all have been starting since they were freshmen or sophomores,” Steichen said. Having such a seasoned group of seniors will also pay dividends in the team’s preparation for matches this year as well according to Steichen. “I think it does. We can focus our practices and workouts more on preparing for our matchups instead

of having to work on more basic skill things,” Steichen said. “It also helps us bring along our younger guys because they can learn from the seniors on how we want them to play because the older guys are such great leaders.” But it isn’t just the talented senior group that will be helping the Wildcats to wins this year. Ponca also has a very strong freshman group who will also be counted on to make big plays on the pitch this year. The Wildcats will also depend on junior defender Gage Sardina to help anchor their defense this year. With such a great mix of experienced veterans and talented young players, Steichen said his goals for this year are very simple. “We just want to improve our shape and tactics every game. We are in a very competitive district with a lot of great coaches and great players. Obviously we would also like to make the playoffs like everyone else,” Steichen said.

Oscar Ochoa Looking ahead to the season Steichen said that he is looking forward to several matches but one in particular is when his team will travel to Bixby just after Spring Break. “A lot of the matches we look forward to will come later in the season but from a perspective of knowing where we are at the match at Bixby will be a big one,” Steichen said.

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Andrew Lesnick

up 26 tackles in 10 games.

Ponca City Wildcats senior football and soccer player Andrew Lesnick is the Ponca City Male Academic Athlete of the Month. Lesnick recently signed to play football at Northwestern Oklahoma State University as a kicker and punter. On the field this season Lesnick averaged over 35 yards per punt and blasted a long of 57. Lesnick was also over 80 percent on point after attempts this fall. Lesnick also played some corner for the Wildcats this season racking

In the classroom though Lesnick is just as good carrying a 4.0 grade point average. Lesnick is also involved in other extracurricular activities at Ponca like student council.

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Kinzee Goodno Ponca City freshman volleyball and basketball player Kinzee Goodno is the Ponca City Female Academic Athlete of the Month. Goodno is a middle hitter on the volleyball floor and a forward for the Lady Cats basketball team. An intimidating figure at 6-feet tall Goodno has already established herself as an athlete to watch as she matures in her athletic career.

In the classroom Goodno takes several advanced placement classes like Pre AP English, Pre AP Biology and Pre AP Geometry. Taking those difficult classes haven’t slowed Goodno’s achievements in the classroom as the freshman carries a 3.5 grade point average. After high school Goodno plans to attend college but is unsure about her plans following obtaining her bachelor’s degree.

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Award-Winning Healthcare Is Closer Than You Think.

We Are Top Performers on Key Quality Measures TWO YEARS IN A ROW!

It might sound simplistic but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true. By focusing on quality care for patients and doing whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right, we have received national recognition. The Joint Commission recognizes Ponca City Medical Center for achieving excellence in performance on its accountability measures during 2011 for Pneumonia and Surgical Care. So what does our being a top performer in using evidence-based care mean for you? Peace of mind in knowing that our local care is tops in the nation. Find out more at our website: www.poncamedcenter.com

Out of the more than 3,400 eligible accredited hospitals reporting accountability measure data to The Joint Commission, our hospital is one of only 620 hospitals to earn the Top Performer distinction for 2011. This is the second year in a row Ponca City Medical Center has been recognized as a Top Performer. Ponca City Medical Center is one of only 244 hospitals that achieved the distinction two years in a row.

Thank you for your support.

580-765-3321

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2010 Pneu m Surgi onia cal C are

2011 Pneumonia Surgical Care