VYPE North Oklahoma March 2016 Issue by Austin Chadwick

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Trinity Media Group, LLC 12330 E. 60th St. STE A • Tulsa, OK 74146 All rights reserved. Publisher Austin Chadwick • Partner/Editorial Director Brad Heath • Partner/Director of Operations Rod Coulter Partner/Three Rivers Director Bill Huddleston • Editor at Large Kyle Kendrick • Oklahoma Sales Director Roscoe Migliore Partner Mark Rodgers • Associate Editor Cal Ross Contributing Writers Brad Heath, Cal Ross, Kyle Kendrick, Bill Huddleston Contributing Photographers Brad Heath, Kyle Kendrick, Chris Barker, Bluncks Photography, Defining Moment Photography, Josh Clough, Brett Rojo, Brandy Moton, Kyle Kendrick, The Newkirk Herald-Journal, Vicki Osborne, Rip Stell Graphic Design Kerri Conner Contact Information: Website: www.VYPEOK.com • Phone: 918.495.1771 • Fax: 918.495.1787 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.

16 | Diamond Dolls

6 | Top 10 VYPE Editor Kyle Kendrick counts down the Top 10 best athletes to ever come out of North Oklahoma. Check out who made the cut.

11 | Stillwater Swim Recap The Stillwater Lady Pioneers claimed a Class 5A state title in February. This story is the perfect way to finish off the swim season.

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MARCH 2016

Prom and Softball. A match made in…. Well we aren’t sure. We are sure you will love this fun Q&A though.

28 | Ponca Spring Athletes to Watch

From returning state tennis champion Daniel Langston to baseball standouts Wesley O’Neil and Brian Wicker. We have you covered.

VYPE Fast Five Five “Way Too Early” Observations About Football in North Oklahoma • England Honeybuss is Cushing’s next big playmaker: Look back on Cushing’s success over the past four or five years and one thing is apparent, the Tigers have always had a big time playmaker. First it was the gritty, tough Gage Stallworth at running back. Then the baton was passed to another back in Josh Houtchens. A little different than Stallworth, more Reggie Bush to Stallworth’s Jim Brown, but the results were still great. Now it’s time for Honeybuss to take his turn. He’s already put together great seasons as a sophomore and junior but look for a big explosion from him production wise in 2016. • Newkirk making coaching change: Bob Underwood had been at Newkirk for the past five seasons and led the Tigers to a 20-32 record during that time. In 2016 the Tigers will be under new leadership though due to Underwood issuing his coaching resignation back in January. The Tigers have had just two coaches in the past ten years so fans can likely expect whoever the Tigers hire to be there for a good amount of time. • Stroud and Cushing changing districts: For the past two years Cushing has played in what soccer fans would call the Group of Death, a district so loaded that in 2014 when Cushing went to the state finals they finished fourth in the district and beat Kingfisher in the semifinals who finished first. This year Cushing moves to District 3A-6 alongside the likes of Beggs

and Checotah among others. Stroud on the other hand finished second in District 2A-5 last year but in 2016 will move to District 2A-2 and will now have to deal with perennial power Millwood along with top 2015 teams like Meeker and Luther. • Cleveland’s Jared Keeler is a player to watch: In his junior campaign this season Keeler threw for 1,767 yards and 12 touchdowns. Next year Keeler is likely to be the focal point in the Cleveland offense and those numbers should see a significant increase in 2016. • Coyle will have A LOT to replace: The Bluejackets made it to the Class B finals in 2015 but making it back in 2016 could be tough. The Bluejackets will lose their starting quarterback, second leading rusher and leading tackler, Jared Weathers but that’s just the start. Coyle will also need to replace leading rusher Deshaun Anderson and their third leading rusher LaShay Johnson who rushed for 881 yards himself. Anderson was also fourth on the team in tackles. Other top defensive players Heath Moorman and Ben Scott both graduate in May as well so if the Bluejackets do hope to get back to playing for a gold ball they will need to start by filling the void left by so many key starters. On the bright side the team will return athletic playmaker Chaz Newton, who played receiver and defensive back this year. At those spots Newton caught 39 passes for 762 yards and 10 touchdowns while making 60 tackles and picking off six passes on defense.

VYPE Oklahoma Launches New Website Forums The new North Oklahoma regional website is up and running, You can find region specific content on the site, weekly polls and web exclusive content. There you can also find a link to our new forum boards where we encourage you to come sign up and join the conversation, Hey you can even yell at a VYPE staffer, just be warned we’ve been known to yell back. We have already held two weekly polls and the results of those are listed below. Who has the best rivalry in North Oklahoma? Cleveland-Mannford: 274 votes Stillwater-Ponca CIty: 26 votes Tonkawa-Newkirk: 24 votes Pawnee-Morrison: 19 votes Frontier-Glencoe: 13 votes Perkins-Cushing: 8 votes Blackwell-Perry: 7 votes With the launch of the forums VYPE is letting the first 25 people to post in North Forum win a free VYPE t-shirt www.VYPENorthOK.com

MARCH 2016

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The Best There Ever Was Ranking the top ten athletes to ever come out of North Oklahoma By Kyle Kendrick VYPE North Oklahoma Editor 1. Jim Thorpe – Prague: It’s impossible to get all of Thorpe’s accomplishments into one paragraph. A few of the highlights though are that he was a gold medalist in both the pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Olympics. He was a two-time All-American football player at Army and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Thorpe also played professional football and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame as well. Thorpe also played professional baseball from 1913-1919 and also played professional basketball. The man could do it all folks and that’s why he was an easy choice for number one. 2. Danny Hodge – Perry: Hodge won the 165-pound championship at Perry back in 1951 then went on to have one of, if not the greatest NCAA wrestling career of all-time, winning three NCAA national titles at 177

pounds from 1955 through 1957. While in college at the University of Oklahoma he was undefeated with a perfect 46-0 record. Hodge was also never taken down from a standing position while in college. He later went on to 6

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MARCH 2016

win the silver medal at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Hodge became the first amateur wrestler to be put on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The amateur wrestling equivalent of the Heisman Trophy is also named after Hodge. Along with being a wrestling great, Hodge was also a Golden Gloves boxer and had an amateur record of 17-0. Really he would’ve been number one if it wasn’t for that Thorpe guy. 3. Billy Vessels – Cleveland: Vessels was a standout at the University of Oklahoma and won the Heisman Trophy in 1952

after a season in which he carried the ball 167 times for 1072 yards and 17 touchdowns. He also caught seven passes that year for 165 yards and one touchdown, oh yeah he also completed seven passes that year for two more touchdowns. After college he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts with the second overall pick but chose instead to head to Canada to play for the Edmonton Eskimos in what would later become the CFL. He won the league’s most valuable player award in 1953 and looked to be headed down the path to be a NFL Hall of Famer. After three years in Canada he joined the Colts in 1956 but saw his NFL career come to a tragic end due to a leg injury. He may have been higher on the list but without the benefit of a great pro career he drops to number three. 4. Douglas Blubaugh – Ponca City: Blubaugh was a standout wrestler from Ponca City and eventually went to Oklahoma State University where he became a two-time AAU champion before making the United States Olympic wrestling team in 1960. That year he would travel to Rome for the Olympic Games and come out victorious with a gold medal in the Freestyle Welterweight division after beating the legendary Emam-Ali Habibi from Iran, who had won gold at the 1956 games in Melbourne. After his gold medal victory Blubaugh later became the wrestling coach at Indiana University. 5. Carl Hubbell – Meeker: Nicknamed “King Carl” or my personal favorite “The Meal Ticket” Hubbell was a Hall of Fame pitcher who played for the New York Giants from

VYPE 1928-1943. In those 16 years he won 253 games and posted a career ERA of 2.98. He also racked up a whopping 3,590.1 innings of work. An average of 225 innings a season. He was an All-Star nine different times in his career and won the MVP in 1933 and 1936. Not really hard to see why he cracked this list is it? 6. Matt Holliday – Stillwater: Holliday was an amazing football and baseball player at Stillwater High School and was an All-American in both sports as a senior in high school and the Gatorade player of the year for his region in both sports, but wisely chose baseball as his career path. After heading straight to pro baseball after his career as a Pioneer, Holliday has been a seven-time All-Star, and a fourtime Silver Slugger. In 12 years in MLB he has a career average of .307, 275 career home runs and 1,091 career RBI. Honestly, you could make a case to put him higher on the list but we left him at six since his career is still in progress. 7. Keiton Page – Pawnee: The “Pawnee Pistol” as so many Oklahoma State fans have grown fond of calling Keiton. Did you really think we were going to do this list and leave this guy off? In a standout high school career, he scored 3,709 points which is good for second all-time in career scoring. He also set the Oklahoma record for most points in single-season with 1,287 points his senior year and also led the state in assists and steals that year as well. He won two gold balls in his career at Pawnee and accumulated more honors than we can recount here. Following his amazing high school career Keiton went to Oklahoma State where he scored a total of 1,651 points in four years, shot 85.9 percent in his career from the free-throw line and made 299 career three-point baskets. That last number is good for sixth all-time in Big 12 history while his career free-throw percentage puts him fifth in Big 12 history. He tops Oklahoma State’s

record for all-time career three’s made. 8. Mark Branch – Newkirk: Most basketball gyms are named after basketball players or coaches. Not in Newkirk, USA folks. The Tigers play in Mark Branch Fieldhouse and for good reason. Branch won two state titles at Newkirk in 1991 and 1992 then went on to have one of the greatest collegiate wrestling careers in Oklahoma State University history. Branch was a four-time national finalist, a four-time All-American and a two-time national champion winning the crown in 1994 and 1997. He was the Big 12 Athlete of the Year in 1997. Branch currently serves as the head wrestling coach at Wyoming University.

he both played basketball and ran track at the University of Oklahoma. In his collegiate track career he was a three-time All-American and in 2007 was the Big 12 champion in the shot put in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. During his basketball career he scored 1,108 points and pulled down 682 rebounds. He is 32nd all-time in scoring at Oklahoma.

9. “Brian” Kelly Burden – Cushing: This Cushing native may not be someone everyone is familiar with but he was a very accomplished boxer and someone more than deserving of making this list. Burden who fought under the name Brian Kelly went 45-12 in his career with 26 knockout victories. He also once fought for the WBC World Light Heavyweight title but was beaten in that bout against Bob Foster. Even after losing the title fight Burden went on to win 13 more fights before retiring in 1974. 10. Kevin Bookout – Stroud: Bookout was a standout athlete in almost every sport as a Stroud. Track, Basketball, Baseball he could do it all. Despite being Stroud’s singleseason home run record holder Bookout’s top two choices for sports to play in college were track and basketball. Bookout still holds the state record’s in the shot put and the discus with marks of 7101.05 and 215-00. In college MARCH 2016

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ALL SPORTS

North Oklahoma State Wrestling Recap Several teams show well at the Big House Perry After winning dual state just a few weeks ago the Maroons came into state with a lot of confidence. The Maroons wound up in third place in the final Class 3A team standings with a total of 104.5 points. Perry finished behind state champion Plainview (145.5 points) and Heritage Hall (113.5 points).

The Maroons were led by junior Cale Betchan competing at 113 pounds. Betchan came in to state after finishing second at the regional meet but in the state finals he pinned Berryhill’s Tanner Ward, the wrestler who had kept Betchan from the regional title just a week prior to state. Betchan becomes Perry’s latest state champion and can know list his name alongside men like Danny Hodge, Ladd Rupp, Ian Fisher, Cecil Beisel and so many more that have won a state title in a Perry singlet.

Other state medalists from Perry were Alex Valencia, Brycen Justus, Hadyn Redus, Riley Cinnamon, Jace Burdick and Dalton Hamaker. Stillwater

Another storied wrestling program in north Oklahoma turning in another fantastic finish. The Pioneers took home fourth place in Class 6A finishing with 58 total team points.

Christian Bahl was the team’s only state champion, winning the title at 160 pounds. The Pioneers got third place finishes from both Tyler Dieringer and Kendon Lee at 132 and 138 pounds respectively. Andew Niemann and Jace Brownlee also both medaled for Stillwater with Niemann taking fourth at 126 pounds and Brownlee placing fourth at 170. Blackwell

The Maroons finished in fifth place in Class 3A with 58 total team points. Blackwell also had two state champions. Justice Circle won at 138 pounds while Dayne Thomason won the 285-pound championship. Rudy Reilly was nearly the team’s third state champ but lost in the finals at 220 pounds leaving him with the silver medal. Stetson Baker was the team’s other state medalist finishing in fourth place at 120 pounds. Newkirk

The Tigers qualified two wrestlers for the Class 3A state meet in Jeffri Juanes and Trey Hobbs. Juanes went 0-2 at state at 106 pounds but Hobbs fared much better at 285. After losing his VYPEOK.COM | MARCH 2016 8

first match at state Hobbs battled through the loser’s bracket and wound up walking away with fourth place. Ponca City

The Wildcats had four wrestlers qualify for state this season, three of which will return next year. Freshman Spencer Shickram qualified at 113 pounds. Juniors Ezequiel Rubio and Austin Fry also qualified at 152 and 182 pounds. Senior Brody Perciful was the team’s last qualifier at 138 pounds. In the end it was Rubio who got the closest to a medal, losing in the consolation semifinals and finishing with a 1-2 record at state. First Team 106 – Alex Valencia – Perry 113 – Cale Betchan – Perry 120 – Brycen Justus – Perry 126 – Wes Ahrberg – Cushing 132 – Tyler Dieringer – Stillwater 138 – Justice Circle – Blackwell 145 – Dalton Hamaker – Perry 152 – Chase Pfluger – Tonkawa 160 – Christian Bahl – Stillwater 170 – Jace Brownlee – Stillwater 182 – Austin Fry – Ponca City 195 – Dalton Hockett – Cushing 220 – Rudy Reilly – Blackwell 285 – Dayne Thomason – Blackwell

Coach of the Year: Ronnie Delk – Perry Second Team 106 – Blake Hickerson – Cleveland 113 – Zach Myles – Cleveland 120 – Austin Mitchell – Pawnee 126 – Hadyn Redus – Perry 132 – Riley Cinnamon – Perry 138 – Damon Hail – Cleveland 145 – Jaedyn Keister – Mannford 152 – Ezequiel Rubio – Ponca City 160 – Kory Wiley – Cushing 170 – Peyton Carmin – Cushing 182 – Kohl Owen – Perry 195 – Robert Speikers – Perry 220 – Jaron James – Cushing 285 – Trey Hobbs – Newkirk

NORTH OK North Oklahoma All-VYPE Basketball

PANTHERS POWER THROUGH Glencoe’s girls and boys basketball teams put together strong seasons

Lady Panthers In the regular season the Glencoe Lady Panthers were nearly unbeatable. Winning their first nine games of the year the Lady Panthers got off to a hot start, showcasing a high-powered offense that scored 90 points or more three times in those first nine contests. Glencoe’s win streak was stopped in its 10th game of the year when they fell to Pond Creek-Hunter by ten points in the championship game of the Pond Creek Invitational. The Lady Panthers answered back in a big way though winning 12 of their next 15 games to take a 21-4 record into the postseason. After cruising to a district title and then a regional title the following weekend Glencoe squared off against the Frontier Lady Mustangs with a trip to the state tournament on the line. The Lady Panthers lost the game against Frontier but rebounded the following night to blow out Davenport and punch their ticket to state with an Area consolation championship. At state Glencoe would take on Calumet, a team with solid guard play and a short bench. Glencoe led most of the way against the Lady Chieftains but in the end Calumet proved too tough and won the game 56-51 to end Glencoe’s season. Glencoe was led on the season by the dynamic duo of junior Chelsea Lazenby and senior Kelsey Castlebury. Lazenby averaged 21.3 points per game while Castlebury added 11.3 points a game. Panthers The Glencoe boys team was coming off threestraight state championships but knew this year would be different after the graduation of superstar Ty Lazenby. Fortunately for the Panthers the Lazenby well hadn’t dried up and super sophomore Trey stepped in to fill the void left by his older brother. The Panthers battled through a daunting schedule with a young lineup but managed to get to the postseason with a 15-10 record. Three wins a row sent the Panthers to the regional championship against Okay. The Panthers jumped out to an early lead on the talented Mustangs but couldn’t hold on and lost the game, leaving them to play on Thursday of the area tournament. The Panthers couldn’t bounce back from the loss

to Okay however and dropped a hard fought game to Regent Prep. Regent would go on to win two more games and advance to the state tournament.

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GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Erika Stevenson – Perkins-Tryon COACH OF THE YEAR: Stephen Castlebury – Glencoe FIRST TEAM Tyra Aska – Coyle McKenna Pulley – Newkirk Chelsea Lazenby – Glencoe Kaydee Banks – Bristow Kenzie Lyons – Ponca City Kirstin Molina – Frontier Dylan Fix – Stillwater

SECOND TEAM Kelsey Castlebury – Glencoe Shilah Young – Coyle Karlea Jones – Cushing Tracie Sinegal – Chandler Jaidan Alley – Pawnee Lilly Garner – Mannford

Kelton Carter – Stillwater Jacob Birnbaum – Ponca City Jackson Jacobs – Tonkawa Brock Shepherd – Blackwell

HONORABLE MENTION Tucker Alexander – Tonkawa Josh Wilson – Ripley Braden Whittenburg – Mannford Tristin Jorgensen – Prague Nolan Childs – Frontier Kolton Reed – Hominy

McKenna Pulley

HONORABLE MENTION Kayden Burtner – Blackwell Megan Stump – Cushing Jaclyn Sturgeon – Ripley Samantha Allen – Tonkawa Kycen Dunivan – PerkinsTryon Coltyn Harrill – Newkirk BOYS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Gideon Gardner – Pawnee COACH OF THE YEAR: David Page – Pawnee

FIRST TEAM Maverick Ball – Cleveland Noah Garner – Mannford Trey Lazenby – Glencoe Tu Godwin – Stroud Caylan Biddy – Pawnee Conner Larson – Ponca City SECOND TEAM Rafael Galaviz – Cleveland Josh Wilson – Ripley

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SWIMMING Stillwater Girls Win State, Boys Fifth

Pioneers prove again why they are one of the top programs in the pool

Last year the Stillwater Lady Pioneers won the Class 5A state swim title with a team score of 314, crushing the competition by beating second place Heritage Hall by a whopping 132 points. This year was just more of the same for the Lady Pioneers as they won their second straight title and blew out the competition with a winning margin of 97 points. Stillwater head coach Kurt Goebel said that he had a good feeling after the regional meet and he ran the numbers prior to state and

had his team 28 points ahead of the next team.

“After the regionals and seeding happened we had a 28-point lead if everyone finished where they came in at. We knew it was going to be a matter of maintenance and we just set our goals at putting as many kids in the finals as we could,” Goebel said. When asked which one was tougher though, the first state championship or the last Goebel had a quick answer. “Oh the second one for sure. It was a whole lot tougher because it’s easier to chase than be chased.”

The Lady Pioneers got first place points from sophomore Dewi Blose in the 100yard backstroke. Blose won the event with a time of 57.79, just edging out second place finisher Deven Speed from Lawton Eisenhower. Stillwater’s 400-Yard freestyle relay team also took home first place honors at state with a time of 3:50.56, breaking the state meet record. The relay team was made up of Isabelle Smith, Cecilia Smith, Kayla Dunn and Blose.

Cecilia and Isabelle Smith both also had great finishes as individuals with Cecilia taking second in the 200-yard individual medley and Isabelle taking second in the 500-yard freestyle. Sophomore Sadie Freudenberger took third place honors in the 100-yard

freestyle and was also a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay team that placed third. Other members of that relay team were Cecilia and Isabelle Smith and Hanna Fontenez.

On the boys side of things the Pioneers took home fifth place as a team but for a young squad that finish shows what the Pioneers are capable of in the next several years. Senior Ben Cowles and freshman Ryan Clark were the team leaders at state this year. Cowles best finish came in the 200yard freestyle where he finished third while Clark’s came in the 200-yard individual medley where he also placed third. North Oklahoma All-VYPE Swimming Girls Sadie Freudenberger – Stillwater Cecilia Smith – Stillwater Raelene Tree – Stillwater Isabelle Smith – Stillwater Kayla Dunn – Stillwater Dewi Blose – Stillwater Ellie Roth – Ponca City Boys Ben Cowles – Stillwater Ryan Clark – Stillwater Jackson Tidland – Stillwater Gage Barrick – Ponca City Steven Lorret – Ponca City

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BASEBALL Preseason Rankings and All-VYPE

North Oklahoma Baseball Power Rankings

1. Stillwater: The Pioneers have a long tradition of great baseball and this year should be no different. Expect big things and a deep postseason run from this team as they challenge for a Class 6A state title.

2. Chandler: The Lions finished 22-11 last year and saw their season come to an end at the regional tournament. This year Chandler is expected to be a top 10 team in Class 3A by many and have a chance to make a state tournament run.

3. Ripley: This fall the Warriors went 31-6, gaining valuable experience. That should only help this team as they attempt to make it back to the state tournament for the third year in a row. 4. Perkins-Tryon: The Demons won 24 games last season and although they couldn’t make it to the state tournament if the team can build on the success from last year fans could easily be making a trip to Oklahoma City in May for the Class 3A state tournament. 5. Ponca City: Last year the Wildcats were the team who got hot at the right time, advancing all the way to the Class 6A state tournament. Although they lost several key plyers to graduation this is a team to watch.

Riggs – Prague, Thad Sherwood – Cushing, Trevor Vernon – Morrison OF: Wesley O’Neill – Ponca City, Brady Davis – Perkins-Tryon, James Avery – Stillwater Second Team

P: Gage Barrick – Ponca City, Gunner Sawright – Prague, Zeke Dougan – Perkins-Tryon, Abe Spencer – Stillwater C: Tyler Wehrenberg – Morrison

INF: Ryan Lusk – Newkirk, Tucker Alexander – Tonkawa, Austin Frazier – Meeker, Riley Metzger – Stillwater

OF: Wyatt Dilley – Cushing, Hunter Heath – Meeker, James Cole – Barnsdall

6. Morrison: The Wildcats have a roster that has won a lot of games over the past several years. This year look for the team to continue that trend. 7. Cushing: The Tigers finished 2015 with 19 wins. In 2016 expect that number to go up and for Cushing to make a deep playoff run.

8. Prague: A 16-12 record from a year ago has only served to make this team hungrier for success. Head coach Garan Qualls has been a part of several very successful college programs which will only help the Red Devils this season.

9. Tonkawa: With a young team last season, the Bucs finished 16-11. The experience those young players gained should be vital this year making Tonkawa a scary team in the Class 2A ranks. 10. Glencoe: This fall the Panthers finished 19-7 and gained extremely valuable big game experience by taking on teams like Ripley, Preston, Cimarron and Lookeba-Sickles. Those big games should only prove beneficial this spring as the Panthers try to make some noise in Class A. Preseason All-VYPE North Baseball First Team

P: Austin Hamilton – Tonkawa, Kyler Patterson – Cushing, Dillon Longbrake – Perkins-Tryon, Tanner Neely – Morrison C: Brian Wicker – Ponca City

INF: Bryan Hook – Tonkawa, Bo

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Stillwater Spring Athletes to Watch Samantha Dennison: Senior Golfer – Last year Dennison played amazing all the way to the state tournament and in the end placed seventh with a twoday score of 156 at Class 6A’s final tournament of the year, helping to lead Stillwater to a sixth place finish as a team.

Jordan Brown: Senior Sprinter – Most people know Brown for his football prowess. Yes, he just signed his letter of intent to continue his gridiron career at the University of Tulsa but he is also a standout sprinter for the Pioneers. Last year he placed third in the 200-meter dash and was on the 4x100 meter relay team that finished sixth. Last year Brown also competed on the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams.

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Mackenzie Enmeier: Senior Golfer – A year ago Enmeier put together an amazing junior season and finished in 23rd place at the Class 6A state tournament with a two-day score of 170. With Enmeier, Dennison and Emily Batchelder acting as senior leaders look for the Lady Pioneers to put together a strong year and potentially finish in the top 3 teams at the state tournament.

Lauren Gattis: Senior High Jump – As a junior Gattis was the top performer for the Lady Pioneers at the Class 6A state meet, finishing in third place in the high jump. With another year under her belt expect Gattis to challenge for the top spot in the event this year and help lead the Lady Pioneers all spring. Elissa White: Junior High Jump/ Pole Vault – Track often churns out some of the most versatile athletes and that’s the story in White. An amazing volleyball player, White also stars in the high jump and pole vault and qualified for state in each event a year ago. She placed eighth in the high jump last year and took 14th in the pole vault.

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.”

Sidney Rogers Stillwater Soccer

Stillwater Lady Pioneers Head Soccer Coach, Joey Parker, describes one of his players as an “all around great athlete and person on and off the field.” Coach Parker then added some words to describe senior captain, Sidney Rogers, which are always happy, likeable, great work ethic, and strives to be the best. Rogers has been an important asset to the program and has been a three-year starter since her move to Stillwater her sophomore year. Rogers has set some big goals for herself as captain which included, to play her best every game and to motivate her team throughout the entire season. Rogers then added a goal the team hopes to achieve, which is to make it to playoffs. “We have a great team of girls who are definitely capable,” Rogers continued. Something that keeps Rogers motivated to work hard everyday is knowing that it is her last year to play with her teammates and coaches. She also credits her family, and her faith as an additional motivation. “Most of all I play for Christ because He has given me the gifts I have, and I want to glorify Him with them,” Rogers stated. Rogers currently has two brothers, Jordan and Chandler Rogers, who wrestle for Oklahoma State University. When asked if this adds pressure when it comes to excelling on and off the field Rogers said, “my brothers are definitely people to look up to when it comes to athletics because they are amazing! They are also my biggest supporters!” Rogers is not only an incredible athlete on the field, but in her community as well. She currently volunteers her time at Life.Church working with 5 year olds, she also coaches a younger girls team with the local Apex Soccer club, serves as a MatMaid for the boys wrestling team, and enjoys almost anything outdoors including riding her horse. For her dedication to her athletic program, school, and community your Stillwater Character Counts Athlete of the Month is Lady Pioneer, Sidney Rogers.

MARCH 2016

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FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE

MONTH

Carley Walstad – Stillwater Track

This fall Carley Walstad was the senior captain of the Stillwater volleyball team helping the Lady Pioneers to a solid season, finishing the year ranked No. 13 in Class 6A. Now with spring fast approaching the Stillwater senior is working on her track and field skills.

During indoor season Walstead will compete in the shot put and the discus because it allows her to work on the fundamentals of throwing and because she loves competition but once outdoor season arrives Walstad will only throw the discus. Carley has qualified for state in the event each of the last two years and has constantly improved her finish, something she hopes to do again this year. “My sophomore year I got 10th in the state. My junior year I got seventh. My goal for this year is to get on that podium with a medal around my neck,” Walstad said. For her continued dedication to her athletic career Carley Walstad is the Stillwater Female Athlete of the Month. Did You Know 1. Carley’s favorite place to compete is Deer Creek because the throwing rings are closer to the other action allowing her to

watch her teammates.

2. Because Stillwater track coach Rusty Atkins and her personal throwing coach, coach Norris are always telling her how important footwork is when throwing; Carley’s warmup routine is to practice her spin footwork after she stretches out her arm. She also usually plays some catch with her friend Hailey and listens to music.

3. During indoor season Carley spends about an hour and a half a day practicing her throwing then ups that number to two hours during outdoor season. 4. After high school Carley plans on attending either The University of Tulsa or Oklahoma State University and plans on double majoring in Business Management and Economics. After graduating college Carley plans to go to law school and pursue a career as a defense attorney with an emphasis on white collar crime and embezzlement.

A division of

RILEY METZGER

Stilwater High School Academics are an integral part of Stillwater High School athletics, and with a 3.88 GPA and experience in several AP classes, Riley Metzger is the quintessential of how to balance sports and school. “I make school my first priority so I can enjoy my time on the baseball field,” Metzger said. Metzger is a junior at Stillwater where he plays baseball in multiple positions. “I’ll be used in a utility role this season, playing different positions as needed,” Metzger said. “This year I have played first, second and third base, right field and I have pitched in relief.” His favorite memory is having the opportunity to start on the Pioneers’ varsity team his sophomore year with seniors who were great role models on and off the field. When he is not on the diamond, Metzger is a member of the St. John Catholic Church and the prestigious National Honors Society. Upon graduating high school, Metzger plans to continue playing baseball in college while majoring in mechanical engineering. As for this baseball season, Metzger has only one goal in mind. “I want to make it back to state,” Metzger said. “It was a rough one last year, so the goal is definitely to make it back to state and win that last game. Overall, I think we definitely have a chance.”

MARCH 2016

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Diamond Dolls Four of North Oklahoma’s top softball players talk with VYPE about life on the diamond, prom, music and more Alyssa Dawson: Drumright Baleigh Herring: Chandler Neleigh Herring: Chandler Kayla Vasquez: Cushing

VYPE: What grade are you in and what are your plans after high school?

Dawson: I’m a senior, after high

school I plan to attend Coffeyville Community College to play softball.

B. Herring: I’m a junior, after high school I plan on going to college and getting a job.

N. Herring: I’m a junior, after high school I plan on playing college softball at Stephen F. Austin.

Vasquez: I’m a senior. I haven’t

decided what I’m going to do yet after high school but I have lots of options for my future.

VYPE: Was shooting a cover for

Vasquez: No, but it is definitely something I will remember.

VYPE: How old were you when you started playing softball? What first got you interested in the sport?

Dawson: Four years old. I got

Dawson: Shoes! B. Herring: Dress. N. Herring: Dress. Vasquez: The dress definitely.

interested because I was always following my sisters around and watching them play.

VYPE: Back to sports. Tell us your

B. Herring: Eight. I got interested

Dawson: Going to state every year.

because my dad always played sports growing up so he introduced them to me.

N. Herring: Eight. My dad first got me interested in it.

Vasquez: I’m pretty sure I was

born with a bat in my hand. So ever since I could play I’ve never stopped.

VYPE: How important is the dress for prom?

favorite sports moment of your high school career?

B. Herring: Playing in the fastpitch state tournament.

N. Herring: Playing in the fastpitch state tournament and verbally committing to SFA.

Vasquez: Bottom of the eighth, 3-2

count, and I hit a walk-off homerun to beat our rivals 11-10 in districts my junior year.

VYPE: Are you planning to continue

Dawson: Very important.

your softball career in college? If so, where at?

B. Herring: Kinda important.

Dawson: Yes, Coffeyville Community College.

VYPE magazine in a prom dress something you ever thought you would be doing?

N. Herring: Kind of important.

Dawson: Never!

the first thing you think of when you hear the word prom. It’s all about the “perfect dress.”

N. Herring:Yes, at Stephen F.

VYPE: Which is more important the

opportunity hasn’t come to me yet.

B. Herring: No. N. Herring: No. 16

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Vasquez: I think it’s important, it is

dress or the shoes? MARCH 2016

B. Herring: No. Austin.

Vasquez: I hope so, but the right VYPE: What is the last song you

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Diamond Dolls downloaded?

N. Herring: Washington

what would it be?

Dawson: Party in the USA by Miley

Vasquez: Probably Chandler and

Dawson: Always spend extra time

Cyrus.

B. Herring: Wide Open Spaces by The Dixie Chicks.

N. Herring: Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

Vasquez: Downtown by

Macklemore. This song just really gets me pumped and happy.

VYPE: Any pregame rituals? If so what are they?

Dawson: I have a lucky feather

Perkins. It has always been a good game between each of them.

VYPE: If your prom could mirror one

at the cages, it pays off!

B. Herring: If softball was easy,

movie or TV show what do you want it to mirror and why?

everyone would play it. When things don’t go your way, push through and keep working.

Dawson: Footloose. So I could feel

N. Herring: Never take your talent

B. Herring: Grease, because I love

Vasquez: Don’t accept yesterday’s

like a country girl.

the 1950’s music and fashion.

N. Herring: Back to the Future,

because it’s my favorite movie.

for granted. Always put in the work. performance and work harder each day.

VYPE:: Anybody you would like to

Vasquez:

thank for helping you get to where you are at today?

VYPE: When you look at this cover

Dawso n: My mom and dad for

B. Herring: No.

in 20 years what are you going to tell people?

N. Herring: Yes, before every inning

Dawson: I never saw myself taking

B. Herring: My parents, Barry and

B. Herring: That I had a lot of fun

N. Herring: My parents, my high

that I always have to touch every member and coach of the team with.

I fist bump with my catcher.

Vasquez: I can’t think of them at the moment, but when I get on the field it just comes naturally.

pictures in a dress but I guess my hard work paid off. and it was a good experience.

VYPE: Who is the toughest

N. Herring: This picture represents competitor you’ve ever faced on the some of the best years of my life diamond? and the fondest memories. Dawson: The pitcher from Wayne

Vasquez: Don’t let the dress fool

B. Herring: Washington

VYPE: If you could give young

my sophomore year.

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MARCH 2016

you. I can swing it.

softball players one piece of advice

always supporting me and for paying for all my softball needs. Lisa Herring. My whole family, especially my Pops.

school coaches, my tournament ball coaches and the rest of my family for supporting me.

Vasquez: I want to thank all of my

coaches that I’ve had throughout softball. From Brian Hood in coach pitch to Chad Short letting me as an eighth grader play with the high school, and to Nikki York for making me better everyday.

Inside the Eye of the Tornado A look at the upcoming spring sports season in Drumright Everyone loves a prognosticator. Whether you are a college basketball fan and get hyped up every time somebody whispers the words Lunardi or Bracketology or you are a baseball fan that can’t get enough of Buster Oney everybody loves it. So here at VYPE we decided that we would do a little prognosticating ourselves about the spring sports teams in Drumright.

BASEBALL The Tornadoes were 14-6 on the diamond last season and were eliminated after a tough district tournament with Mounds. Drumright won the first game of the district tournament but then lost the next two and saw their season end. Looking ahead to this year expect some big wins. At one point last year the Tornadoes won nine of 11 contests in less than a month. They also had a 13-4 record heading into the postseason which by no means is something to scoff at. Now for the fun part, the prediction. Drumright breaks

the 18-win mark this year and makes a serious run at a state tournament spot.

TRACK Last spring the Tornadoes girls and boys track teams both battled hard and had some strong finishes at the regional meet in Stroud. While neither team may have the depth to win an overall team title this year both have chances to make some noise at the state meet. On the girls side, sophomore Madison Gray should be the team leader while the boys will look to senior David Hiltzman and juniors Nycolas Collyar, Branden Harper, Trey Broyles and Jacob Williams to lead the way. Prediction: Both teams send athletes to state this year. Gray challenges for a medal in the 1600 for the girls with Collyar placing in the 3200 for the boys and the boys 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams challenging for a spot on the medal stand.

GIRLS SOCCER After finishing with seven wins a year

ago and four in district play the Lady Tornadoes are back looking for more success this spring. Led by senior Alyssa Dawson look for Drumright to make some noise this season in Class 4A. Prediction: The Lady Tornadoes win nine games this year and make it to the Class 4A playoffs.

BOYS SOCCER The Drumright boys team wasn’t quite as successful as the girls last year but the Tornadoes still finished strong with a 4-5 overall mark. The Tornadoes started even stronger last year going 4-1 over their first five contests but dropped their next four games to finish one game under .500. The good news is that three of the team’s losses came by two goals or fewer. With the experience of another season and the close calls from last year to strengthen them Drumright won’t be a team to sleep on this spring. Prediction: Drumright finishes above .500 this year as they continue to build the foundation of a program that is a perennial contender.

MARCH 2016

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State Farm Home Office, Bloomington, IL

Character is a combination of qualities that distinguishes one person or group from another. State Farm celebrates achievements of local high school athletes by presenting the monthly “Character Counts Award.” As a sophomore for the Cushing Lady Tigers soccer team Isabel Queton is already looked at as a team leader. Last year as a freshman Queton burst onto the scene and showcased her ability on the pitch. More than just a soccer phenom though Queton is an all-around solid studentathlete and citizen in the Cushing community. Queton is involved heavily with FCCLA and does a lot of volunteer work in the community. Recently Queton volunteered at Feed My Starving Children and also with Cushing Pride, an organization that helps to clean up around town.

In the classroom Queton carries a 4.0 grade point average and after high school she plans to go to college and focus on a career in Sports Medicine. Queton said she chose that career path because she has always been involved with sports her whole life. “My family, especially my grandfather, a well-educated man, always taught me to further my education as much as possible. I plan on doing just that and in doing so honoring his memory,” Queton said. For her amazing dedication to athletics, academics and her community Isabel Queton is the Cushing Character Counts Athlete of the Month. Getting to Know Isabel

• If she could play any other spring sport besides soccer Isabel said it would be track because it’s a sport that forces you to push yourself beyond your limits. “It doesn’t leave you any room for slacking at all. It would also help me get faster and healthier in the process. Track is also known for teaching athletes about selfdiscipline and integrity,” Queton said.

Isabel Queton Cushing Lady Tigers

• The best thing about being a Cushing Lady Tiger according to Queton is being around coaches and teammates that give you high expectations and push you to go beyond them.

• Queton said her goals for this season include ending the year with a better record than last year. “This year, I believe that we as a team have gotten a lot better and that we are more than capable of achieving that goal,” Queton said.

When I say “good,” you say “neighbor.” When I say “good,” you say “neighbor.”

Now back that's is teamwork. Giving my way of saying “Thank you.”

Rhett Minson, Agent 716 S Mill Pryor, OK 74361 Bus: 918-825-4000 rhett.minson.mdjt@statefarm.com Rhett Minson, Agent 716 S Mill Pryor, OK 74361 Bus: 918-825-4000 rhett.minson.mdjt@statefarm.com P097314.1 20

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Now that's teamwork. CALL FOR A QUOTE 24/7 State Farm Home Office, Bloomington, IL

VYPE

Cushing Spring Players to Watch Karlea Jones

Kyler Patterson: Senior P/IF – At the plate last year Patterson hit .321 with 26 RBI and 32 runs scored. On the mound Patterson went 8-1 with a 1.42 ERA 76 strikeout and only 14 walks allowed in 59 innings pitched. Thad Sherwood: Senior P/IF – Hit .362 last year with 19 RBI and 28 runs scored. Cushing head coach Jon Yates describes Sherwood as a “great ballplayer that comes to work everyday.” Dalton Hockett: Junior IF – A big bat in Cushing’s lineup, Hockett hit .330 last season, drove in 33 runs and scored 33 runs. According to coach Yates, Hockett has been working hard on his hitting this offseason and has the Cushing coaching staff expecting big things this spring.

22-00. With last year’s event winner, Skylar Oren, graduating after his win last year Morris now has to be the odds on favorite to finish in the gold medal position this year. Naudia Mooreland: Sophomore Sprinter – Last year Mooreland took home fourth place in the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.47. She also qualified for state in the 200-meter dash and just missed out on the medal stand, finishing in seventh place with a time of 26.66. All the state placers that finished above Mooreland in both events are back this season but Mooreland should still be a favorite to bring home medals in each.

Kelsey Lauerman: Junior Golfer – Last year Lauerman was the two bag on the Cushing golf team and finished tied for 43rd at the state tournament with a two-day score of 200. Now the unquestioned leader on the team look for Lauerman to step up and deliver this spring. Amarie Griffith: Sophomore Golfer – As a freshman last spring Griffith was a big piece of the Lady Tigers team that went to state. She finished tied for 43rd with a two-day score of 200 and will be expected to improve that number this year if Cushing hopes to go back to state in 2016.

Karlea Jones: Junior Long Jump – As a sophomore last Trey Morris: Junior Long Jump – Last season Morris was year Jones finished sixth at state in the long jump with a mark of the only athlete to score points at the state meet for the Cushing 16-03. With more experience track team. Morris scored those under her belt this year look for Jones to continue to be an points by taking second place athlete to watch in 2016. in the long jump with a mark of MARCH 2016

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VYPE Jayden Solberg

Shea Ready

Four Fantastic Players to Watch in Chandler Shea Ready: Lady Lions Golf – Sophomore Josie Patterson will likely be the team’s No. 1 bag this year but to do well at state you need more than one great golfer and that’s where Ready will come into play for Chandler. A No. 2 that most any team would love to have Ready has state tournament experience and more than that she scored well when she went last year as a sophomore. Her score of 196 was good enough for 28th last year and that was after a rough start on day one of the tournament. If she can put together two consecutive days of low scores like the 92 she posted on day two last year look for Ready to finish inside the top 20 this year and possibly even the top 15. Jalen Milligan: Lady Lions Track – One of the most basic characteristics of a pure athlete is that they can participate in just about anything 22

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MARCH 2016

and be good at whatever that activity is. People like Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Tony Gonzalez and more all go into this category. Jalen Milligan does too. Last year as a sophomore Milligan placed sixth in the 100-meter dash and second in the long jump at the Class 3A state meet. She also qualified for state in the 100-meter hurdles and just missed the medal stand finishing in eighth place. This year look for even more hardware to stack up in Milligan’s trophy case and for her to again make some serious noise once state rolls around in May. Blayne Solberg: Lady Lions Slow Pitch – A junior this season Blayne is a pitcher and catcher for the Lady Lions slow pitch team and was a key part in her team’s run to the state tournament last year. As a sophomore Blayne blasted 11 home runs in Chandler’s high-powered offense. This year look

for Solberg to again be a leader for the Lady Lions and again make her team a state champion contender. Jayden Solberg: Lady Lions Slow Pitch – What does the last name sound familiar? It’s because Jayden is Blayne’s twin sister and another key cog in the Chandler softball machine. Jayden will play in the outfield for the slow pitch season and not only brings some solid glove work to the table but also some great offense as well. Last year Solberg hit six home runs and this year could easily see that number climb into double digits.

Josie Patterson -Chandler

Upperclassmen leaders are great. Sometimes young talent is better. Last year Chandler’s Josie Patterson would’ve fallen into the second category. In her freshman season last year Patterson, played as the Lady Lions No. 2 bag and finished in 11th place at the Class 3A state meet with a two-day score of 172. With that performance and a strong performance from the rest of her team, the Lady Lions took third place as a team at state last year. This year Patterson said she hopes to become more consistent with her play throughout the regular season and then place in the top five at the state tournament. She also has lofty goals for her team, although she knows they won’t be easy to accomplish. “Our No. 1 bag and our No. 3 bag graduated last year and the girls replacing them aren’t as experienced but we hope to make it to the state tournament and compete again this year,” Patterson said. In order to make those goals a reality Josie says she works on her game almost everyday after school and then for a couple hours over the weekend. The area she works the most? Her short game and shots from 100 yards and in.

For her efforts on the course Josie Patterson is the Chandler Athlete of the Month. Three Fun Facts About Josie Patterson • Josie’s favorite professional golfer is Stacey Lewis. • Josie’s favorite course to play is KickingBird in Edmond. • Josie said the best thing about being a Chandler Lady Lion is getting to play sports with her best friends.

Your hometown Bank, Serving You 902 Manvel Ave, Chandler, OK 7483 (405) 258-1210 www.firstbankchandler.com MARCH 2016

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VYPE The Stroud 5 The five Stroud track athletes you need to get to know for 2016 • Tiller Bucktrot: Senior Shot Put/Discus – Most folks know Bucktrot because of his skill on the gridiron as a massive person mover on the offensive line. In fact, Bucktrot signed to continue his football career at the University of Tulsa next year. In track however Bucktrot is also one to watch. Last year he won both the shot put and the discus at the Class 2A state meet. In the shot put he registered a throw of 49-01 and in the discus a mark of 155-03. Those marks are enough to remind you of another Stroud big man that went on to play Division I athletics, Kevin Bookout. • Cassidy Fisher: Senior Shot Put/Discus – Fisher is the top girls performer at Stroud and last year won the shot put and took home fourth in the discus at the state meet. Her mark in the shot put of 39-01 has people wondering if she could set the Class 2A state meet record this year which currently sits at 41-07 and is held by Luther alum

Jennifer Edwards. Sure that extra 2-06 seems like a big number but not so much when you consider that Fisher cracked the 40 barrier last year as a junior. The question really isn’t will she defend her title but instead will she set the new record? And if so, how high? • Dixie Anderson: Sophomore Sprinter – Want somebody you can watch for the next few years? Look no further. As a freshman last year Anderson placed third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:01.12 behind Cashion’s duo of Lexy Maroney and Presley Payashape. Anderson also competed in the 200-meter dash at state but didn’t qualify for the finals. Anderson just gets that much more fun to watch though when you consider that Maroney and Payashape are also sophomores so the 400 in Class 2A just saw business pick up. • Colton Mixon: Senior Hurdler – As a junior Mixon placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles and those points were huge in helping Stroud

finish in fifth place as a team at the state meet. This year if Stroud has plans of finishing even higher and possibly even taking home that overall title Mixon will need to be even better. His time of 15.94 last year was impressive and with another season under his belt you have to think that number will improve. Also the top three finishers in the 110 hurdles graduated after last season so that should bode well for this Stroud senior. • Austin Lentz: Sophomore Pole Vault – The Stroud boys’ super sophomore is just that. Last season as a freshman Lentz placed sixth in the pole vault, giving the Tigers two athletes on the medal stand in that event. Lentz’s vault of 1000 and learning from last spring’s third place finisher Skylor Johnson everyday couldn’t have hurt this sophomore’s potential. It’s easy to see when you “look through the Lentz” that the future of Stroud track is very bright.

Four bases, three strikes, two teams, one winner. Faith Ashford, Northern Oklahoma College Tonkawa’s softball pitcher, understands mental attitude and concentration are the keys to pitching a great game. The sophomore graduate from Blackwell High School leads the team with an exceptional attitude and a fierce throw. “My biggest strength on the field is being able to let go of my mistakes and move on to the next pitch. Being a pitcher requires short term memory and lots of mental toughness,” Ashford said. Ashford’s coach, Kadie Berlin, expects her to bring 100 percent to the outfield. “Faith leads the team on the mound. She has worked hard coming back from a shoulder injury and I believe she is stronger than ever,” Berlin said. Ashford is ready to come back strong wherever the coach or team needs her. “I’m always willing to work hard to do what is asked of me by my coaches to help out the team. I’ve had to step up and play positions I have never played before. Being able to change positions has helped me be a better pitcher to know what’s going on at each position,” Ashford said.

“We have the tools necessary to have a winning season; we just have to put those tools to use,” Berlin said. When she is not on the field or in the classroom, Ashford mentors younger girls. “In my spare time I coach pitching lessons for three girls and it makes me happy to see that they love it as much as I do. Softball has taught me to never give up, stay focused, how to be mentally tough and also how to learn from my mistakes. I love that I can teach younger girls and be a person they can look up to,” Ashford said. At bat or on the mound, Ashford knows her teammates have her back this season. “I expect my teammates are going to work hard every play as I will for them at every pitch, play and bat. I hope they expect the same out of me and know that I will work hard for them at all times,” Ashford said.

Choosing to play at Northern was an easy choice for Ashford. “NOC is close to home. I knew if I was closer to home then my family would be able to make most of my games. I’m also close to my younger sisters and brother so being able to make it to most of their games is important to me,” Ashford said. As the season is underway, Berlin expects a successful season.

MARCH 2016

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VYPE Gabriela Langston

Ponca City Spring Athletes to Watch Daniel Langston: Senior Tennis Player – Langston hasn’t lost a match in two years. Yes, that’s right two years. In 2014 he went undefeated and won the Class 6A No. 2 singles title, then last year he went undefeated and won the No. 1 singles title. Langston also qualified for and won several matches at USTA National Clay Court Championships in Boca Raton, Florida in July. He also qualified for and won matches in USTA National Championships in Kalamazoo Michigan in August, won doubles of the 18’s draw in the USTA National Tournament Segment held in September in OKC and received a scholarship to play D-1 tennis for Southern Illinois University and will enroll in the fall in the five-year Masters of Finance and Economics program. This year Langston is back to hunting another title as a Wildcat though as he looks to complete one of the greatest tennis careers in Oklahoma high school history. Gabriela Langston: Junior Tennis Player – Gabriela is the younger sister of Daniel and is a talented player in her own right. Last year Gabriela was a young, underclassmen but this year she will be a seasoned veteran expected to lead the team. Expect big things from this junior this year. Kayla Noear: Sophomore Track Athlete – Last season Noear placed ninth at the Class 6A state meet in the discus and this year should be due for a breakout season in which she competes for a medal. Trent Fry: Junior Track Athlete – A very good athlete, Fry is already having a solid year and placed third at the Enid Indoor meet in the high jump with a mark of 5-04. As he keeps improving throughout the year Fry will most definitely be an 26

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Look for big things from this senior on the pitch. Trevor Howey: Junior Midfielder – Howey led the Wildcats in goals last spring and is a two-year letterman. Now a veteran upperclassman, Howey will be expected to step up even more this spring.

Daniel Langston athlete fans want to keep track of. Israel Washington: Senior Track Athlete – Israel is a veteran performer and somebody Ponca fans have gotten to know well in the past years but this year could be the spring he breaks out and turns heads around the state. He already placed fourth in the shot put at the Enid Indoor meet with a mark of 47-09 and should improve those numbers as the year goes along. Ethan Fields: Senior Goalkeeper – A two-year starter, Fields has already signed with NOC-Tonkawa. Has posted seven shutouts in the last two years.

Mitchell Wilson: Junior Defender – Wilson is a two-year letterman and was voted as a team captain. Wilson will help to anchor the Wildcats’ defense this spring. Wesley O’Neill: Senior OF/3B/P – Last year O’Neill was crucial in Ponca’s run to the state tournament batting .301 with 24 RBI. O’Neill has already signed his letter of intent with NOC-Enid but will be one to watch this year as he

completes his career as a Wildcat. If you want a player that can hit for average and power look no further because O’Neill is your man. Brian Wicker: Senior C/P – Wicker has been getting playing time since his freshman season and is someone most Ponca City fans are already very familiar with but the senior is still someone fans want to keep an eye on. Last year Wicker hit .342 along with recording 38 RBI and four home runs. Gage Barrick: Senior P/UTL – Barrick is a player that has waited his turn and contributed in anyway he has been asked to throughout his career. Now in his senior season he is expected to be one of the Wildcats’ top pitchers and also contribute as a major part of the lineup as someone capable of playing multiple positions. Look for Barrick to have a breakout season this spring and turn plenty of heads in the process.

Wesley O’Neill

“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 Farm Bureau agent Darren Dyer has been sponsoring the Ponca City Athlete of the Month in VYPE Magazine for a long time. Prior to this month however Darren chose to rename the award the Blake Shepard Award in honor of former Ponca City baseball standout Blake Shepard who passed away in a tragic car crash in September. With Shepard’s memory in mind the first athletes to be honored with the renamed award are two of Blake’s former teammates, Wesley O’Neill and Caleb Eyster. Last year O’Neill hit .301 with 24 runs batted in. A utility player that can play outfield, infield or pitch O’Neill has already signed to play at NOC-Enid next year but before that he will be setting his sights on helping the Wildcats get to the state tournament for the second year in a row. Eyster meanwhile is a team captain and a major leader for the Wildcats. Another versatile player, Eyster can play just about anywhere on the field. He may also be used as a designated hitter this year along with spending some time on the mound. In honor of Blake Shepard and for their amazing play on the diamond Wesley O’Neill and Caleb Eyster are the first winners of the Blake Shepard award.

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Phillips 66 is a proud sponsor of the Ponca City Area Character Counts Award. VYPE Magazine’s Character Counts Awards recognize an athlete who not only excels in athletics, but also excels in the classroom and as a leader in the community. When thinking about that criteria one athlete jumped out to be the first person to be featured, Newkirk senior Sarah Lusk. Lusk is a cheerleader for the Tigers and helped her team finish second in the small co-ed division at the state cheer competition in the fall. Lusk will also play golf for the Lady Tigers in the spring. In the classroom Lusk also puts in the work. She carries a 4.3 grade point average and has also taken multiple concurrent enrollment classes at The University of Oklahoma throughout her high school years. This semester Lusk is taking General Anthropology as her concurrent enrollment class and by the time she graduates from Newkirk she will have over 30 hours of college credit. Lusk is also already a pillar in her community. She is involved in StuCo, is the president of the National Honors Society and involved in a community service organization called Jed’s Chord. After high school Lusk says she plans to attend The University of Oklahoma and earn her bachelor’s degree. Once she completes her undergrad work Lusk plans to attend medical school and eventually become a Pediatric Surgeon. For her amazing effort in everything she does Sarah Lusk is the Ponca City Area Character Counts Athlete of the Month.

She Said It

Sarah Lusk Newkirk

“The best advice I could give to incoming freshmen would be to find a group of friends that enjoys watching movies together or has game nights instead of going out and partying every weekend.” “The best thing about being a Newkirk Tiger is how close everybody is.”

PROVIDING ENERGY. IMPROVING LIVES. We’re committed to improving lives in the communities where we live and work. That’s why Phillips 66 is proud to highlight the great student athletes who uphold the fabric of character on and off the field and court.

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MARCH 2016

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Lady Mustangs Return to Big Stage THE FRONTIER GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM MADE IT BACK TO THE STATE TOURNAMENT AFTER IMPRESSIVE SEASON Frontier is one of the most decorated and tradition-rich girls basketball programs in the state. In 2012 the Lady Mustangs won the Class A title, in each of the next two years they found their way back to the state tournament. Then 2015 happened and the Lady Mustangs were left out of the state tournament, something that hadn’t happened since 2009 when Frontier lost in the area tournament consolation finals to Beaver. Eager to get back to the state tournament the Lady Mustangs rallied behind new head coach Eric Smith, who had led the Alva girls to back-toback titles in the previous two seasons.

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MARCH 2016

Smith brought a winning formula to Frontier and the Lady Mustangs quickly started the year by winning 17 of their first 18 games of the year. After the hot start, Frontier encountered some major adversity and dropped five contests in a row, bringing its record to 17-6 on the year. The Lady Mustangs wouldn’t lose again in the regular season however and then won four straight postseason games to enter the state tournament at 23-6. At state the Lady Mustangs simply ran into a buzz saw. That saw came in the form of the Pond Creek-Hunter Lady Panthers. In their first round matchup on Thursday Pond Creek jumped out to a big lead and never looked back

Marilyn Goodman ending Frontier’s season with a 56-40 loss. The Lady Panthers would then go on to advance to the state tournament finals where they lost to Seiling. Junior Kristin Molina and freshman Morgan Romero were the team’s offensive leaders this year with Molina averaging 13.8 points per game and Romero averaging 11.9. Freshman Marilyn Goodman chipped in 8.9 points per game with seniors Michaelanne Nelson and Thristian Young averaging 4.9 and 7.3 points per game respectively.

Ryan Lusk: Newkirk Tigers SS/P – A senior leader for the Tigers, Lusk will be a crucial piece of the Newkirk baseball team for both his play on the field and his veteran guidance in the clubhouse. Last year Lusk hit .373 with a .494 on base percentage and was 1-1 on the mound with two saves and a 2.13 ERA. Kori Watters: Newkirk Lady Tigers Striker – Watters is only a sophomore but in her freshman season she scored 30 goals, proving she doesn’t need to take a backseat to anybody on the pitch. As Newkirk sets their sights on a state title this year expect Watters to step up her game again. (Photo By Newkirk Herald-Journal) Emily Elliott: Newkirk Lady Tigers Center MF – Elliott controls the midfield like few players in the state according to Newkirk head coach Gary Watters. Part of a lethal trio of sophomores for Newkirk Elliott is a player you don’t want to miss. Bryan Hook: Tonkawa Bucs P/ INF – Carrying on a family tradition of quality baseball players Bryan is a player that can do it all. Last year he posted a batting average of .500 and an on base percentage of .606 to go with his 18 RBI. He also flashed a good amount of leather in the Tonkawa infield and had a .993

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Blackwell/ Tonkawa/ Newkirk Spring Athletes to Watch

Kori Watters fielding percentage. Austin Hamilton: Tonkawa Bucs P/ INF – A solid player that won’t crack under pressure, Hamilton hit .398 last season with 15 RBI, 26 runs scored and 10 stolen bases. On the mound Hamilton was 7-3 a year ago with a 1.30 ERA and 60 strikeouts. Tucker Alexander: Tonkawa Bucs P/IF – Alexander is an all-around athlete and one not afraid to do the dirty work either. Last season he hit for a .411 average, drove in 15 runs and scored 25. He also logged 58 innings on the mound and posted a 2.74 ERA with a 4-3 record, two saves and 60 strikeouts.

110-meter hurdles Worley earned a point for his team and at the same time let people know he was the real deal. Worley also qualified for state in the long jump last year, showing off his athletic versatility. Look for more big things from Worley this spring. Emma Dice: Blackwell Lady Maroons Track – Dice is getting some great experience already this year competing at the Enid Indoor meet in the 400-meter dash. Only a sophomore look for Dice to keep improving and getting better throughout this year.

Nathanial Worley: Blackwell Maroons Hurdler – As a sophomore last year Worley not only qualified for the state meet but left with some hardware. Placing sixth in the MARCH 2016

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