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U S AO : C o l l e g e f o r t h e C u r i o u s M i n d

From Australia to Chickasha spected teammates on the 2017 Drover roster.

Sloane grew up playing rugby in and around his home but did not take interest in baseball until his senior year of high school.

“I never actually played baseball when I was younger, I played all sorts of sports until someone told me about this baseball thing that I should try it out. From that point to now I have simply loved it.” Sloane said. “I’ve been playing now for seven years. It’s been awesome.”

loane

Hayden S

USAO baseball player is a leader on and off the field.

By Justin Tinder, USAO Sports Information Director The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma baseball team is enjoying the benefits of learning cultures and traditions from around the world thanks to one unique ball player.

Catcher Hayden Sloane who grew up in Perth, Western Australia, is putting the finishing touches on an accomplished USAO baseball career while growing into one of the most re-

Sloane was a key member on last year’s team that set a USAO school record for most wins in a season (48) and advanced to the NAIA World Series for the first time. Sloane appeared in 26 games and finished with a .286 batting average and 14 RBIs. Many of his hits were as a pinch hitter when he delivered in clutch situations with runners on base in the late innings.

“Hayden is a great kid to have on our team,” USAO Coach Mike Ross said. “His personality and leadership is a great fit for us. I know the coaching staff appreciate the effort he puts out in practice each day and his teammates notice it as well.”

Sloane believes his role on the baseball team is more than just catching behind the plate and providing timely bases hits. He sees himself as a leader and someone that keeps the dugout loose with his comic edge.

“I think I give the boys a little bit of a laugh with my accent. They think it’s kind of funny the words I pronounce differently,” Sloane said. “Everyone asks me about if there is a lot of dangerous animals in Australia or if I have a pet kangaroo. Hopefully, I bring a little bit of laughter every now and then to the boys.”

When Sloane finishes baseball this spring he will work at completing his degree in physical education with the idea of starting the pathway to a physical therapist position.

“I was injured once when I broke my ankle, and the person who helped me recover was simply awesome,” Sloane said. “He got me to where I am healthy. I kind of want to give back to all the athletes who are coming through.”

This year the Drovers are back among the NAIA’s top teams and ranked No. 7 in the national poll. Sloane is doing many of the same things that he did last year – playing a solid defense and coming up with timely hits. Outside of simple statistics, his role however is much greater.

“The first series of the year was kind of rough on un us,” Sloane said. “There are not a lot of seniors on this team compared to last year so it’s up to us to lead as an example. My job is to help push people to their limits so we can get back to the NAIA World Series and maybe make them laugh and enjoy themselves along the way.”

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PRE GAME VYPE Oklahoma - Trinity Media Group, LLC 12330 E. 60th St. STE A. • Tulsa, OK 74146 All rights reserved.

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Oh To Be Young

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Baseball Preview

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Trae Young made is decision in dramatic fashion and will trade the green of Norman North for the Crimson of OU.

We take a closer look at a few area teams as spring is just around the corner and the ballparks are open for business.

Piedmont Soccer The Lady Wildcats are focused and ready to take on the 2017 season. The trip to the semifinals last year has this group motivated for more.

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GO WILDCATS!

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PUBLISHER Austin Chadwick EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Brad Heath THREE RIVERS/SEOK DIRECTOR Bill Huddleston DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Rod Coulter OKLAHOMA SALES DIRECTOR Roscoe Migliore SALES EXECUTIVE Dan Rowlan SALES EXECUTIVE Marylynn Heath SALES EXECUTIVE Joe Wilhite GRAPHIC DESIGN Todd Kazasky VYPEOK.COM EDITOR Mike Metcalf SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Charlotte Blackwell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bill Huddleston, Brad Heath, Kyle Kendrick, Cal Ross, Jordan Edwards, Michael Kinnney CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Brad Heath, Mark Emmons Photography, Vickie Tincher, Brett Rojo, Bill Huddleston, Rip Stell, Josh Clough, Wes Sharp, Defining Moment, Bill Powell, Marea Breedlove, Sara Carter, Brandy Moton, Clyde Lord, David Stacy, Kristi Howard, Kyle Kendrick, Trey Coursey, Dean Majors, Wes Sharp

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VYPE TOP 100 BASEBALL

Mitchell

Stone

VYPE Top 100 Baseball Photos By Brett Rojo You asked for it, you got it. The Baseball Top 50 is now the Baseball Top 100.

Actually, 100-plus if you count them up, but who’s counting? Check out this list of the top baseball players in Oklahoma.

Austin Warfel, Westmoore Gage Williams, Edmond North Andrew White, Moore Kenny Yetter, Deer Creek

TULSA Area Jacob Bailey, Berryhill Ryan Bateman, Union Zach Bess, Collinsville Blake Burd, Collinsville Austin Butler, Victory Christian Hector Carrillo, Union Cade Cavalli, Bixby Colton Croft, Broken Arrow Cale Crutchfield, Collinsville Grady Davenport, Union Brett Erickson, Collinsville Casey Foster, Coweta Ryan Gendron, Bishop Kelley Brody Gibson, Metro Christian Hunter Greathouse, Sand Springs Tanner Griffin, Bixby Austin Hulet, Broken Arrow

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Roman Phansalkar

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OKC Area Brady Ballard, Heritage Hall Aaron Brooks, Blanchard Britt Brown, Westmoore Korde Busby, Moore D.J. Calvert, Edmond Memorial Dylan Caplinger, Edmond Memorial Micher Cobb, Mustang Justin Cooke, Norman Joe Craig, Blanchard Devin Crawford, Heritage Hall John Cupps, Moore Eli Davis, Shawnee Blake Dunlap, Bethany Kaden Polcovich, Deer Creek Cross Factor, Yukon Cale Francis, Westmoore Austin Garrett, Tuttle Triston Graves, Crossings Christian Eric Gutierrez, Westmoore Chris Herb, Moore Matt Hopkins, Norman North Hal Hughes, Norman North Lawson Isaacs, Edmond North Cole Lee, Southmoore Clay Lockett, PC North Landon Lord, Southmoore Eric Mayes, PC North Kaleb McCullough, Edmond North Bryce McDermott, Piedmont Bryce Newsom, Edmond Memorial

Brett Owen, Blanchard Jake Pearson, Harrah Joey Pena, Mustang Alex Peterson, Edmond North Clayton Peterson, Edmond North Roman Phansalker, Heritage Hall Kaden Pocolvich, Deer Creek Luke Poselovic, PC North Dan Pruitt, Putnam City Luke Quick, Westmoore Sam Rainwater, Edmond North Carter Randolph, Edmond North Colton Rexroad, Mustang Dalton Reynolds, Southmoore Jacob Schultz, Westmoore Tanner Sparks, Shawnee Cade Stephens, Blanchard Mitchell Stone, Deer Creek Eric Taylor, Midwest City Jake Taylor, Shawnee Michael Taylor, Moore Parker Tumelson, Edmond North Conner Uselton, Southmoore

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VYPE TOP 100 BASEBALL Dylan Russell, Collinsville Blake Shannon, Metro Christian Kyle Simms, Union Sy Snedeker, Jenks Declan Spurlock, Broken Arrow Brett Standlee, Jenks Ryan Summers, Coweta Nic Swanson, Bixby Jake Terry, Sand Springs Brandon Walker, Edison Conner West, Berryhill

Austin Garrett Landon Hulet, Broken Arrow Jake Enzbrenner, Owasso Athanie Leevirapha, Owasso Brannon Jordan, Collinsville Dylan Kuester, Coweta Hunter Little, Broken Arrow Keaton McDaniel, NOAH Matt Merrill, NOAH Brandon Morgan, Victory Christian Bryce Osmond, Jenks Rustin Postier, Edison Ben Replogle, NOAH Austin Roark, Memorial Foster Roy, Metro Christian

Southeast Oklahoma Noe Alaniz, Rock Creek Zach Dill, Tushka Raygan Dodd, Madill Josh Eiler, Rock Creek Jake Hamilton, Silo Shawn Harper, Calera Cody Muncy, Red Oak Chance Parker, Hartshorne Levi Prater, Byng Davis Rogers, Rock Creek Connor Sutton, Tushka Blake Tubbs, Hartshorne

Northeast Oklahoma AJ Archambo, Bartlesville Braxton Douthit, Wyandotte

Three Rivers Oklahoma Morgan Crenshaw, Red Oak Zach Duncan, Okemah Cade Furer, Beggs R.J. Pearson, Tahlequah Garrett Pendergrass, Beggs Southwest Oklahoma Jace Fixico, Binger-Oney Brock Henderson, Chickasha Ricky Lewis, Ringling Dylan McDonald, Elgin Cody Milligan, Binger-Oney Legend Smith, Binger-Oney North Oklahoma Zack Matthews, Wellston Riley Metzger, Stillwater Ryan Vilade, Stillwater

Northwest Oklahoma Jaestin Nelson, Seiling Matt Hopkins, Kingfisher Kris Bay, Enid Connor Gore, Enid Robert Ernestine, Okarche

W h a t ’s O n V Y P E O K C. c o m

February Athlete of the Month Jordan Williams – Yukon 3,256 votes Bethany Franks – Norman 31 votes Gerren Jackson – PC West 9 votes Graycen Holden – Edmond North 5 votes Deandre Knight – John Marshall 4 votes Mary Kathryn Nutham – Christian Heritage 3 votes Fan’s Choice Jordan Williams – Yukon High School

Varsity basketball player Jordan Williams has been instrumental this season in helping the Millers to a top 10 ranking in Class 6A. The

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Editor’s Choice Callen Haydon – El Reno High School

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6-foot-2 senior guard has shined in big games and the Millers were a tough team to contend with thanks to his efforts and the efforts of him teammates.

This season the Millers won six games over top 20 opponents, which included a sweep of rival Mustang. The Millers also grabbed wins over 5A ranked Bishop McGuinness and 4A ranked Blanchard and Ada who were ranked No.3 at that time.

Williams was outstanding in several games and for the season he averaged 8.7 points, 3.0 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals. From the field he shot 38% and his defensive play was key this season.

Williams and fellow seniors Vernon Turner, Eli White, Tallyn Brazil, Donte McGee and VYPE Top 100 player Cameron Martin, depart the program with a winning record of 15-7 under the leadership of head coach Scott Raper.

Jordan Williams

Callen Haydon entered his senior season with one thing on his mind, a trip to the state tournament. Haydon and the Indians have worked hard to achieve that goal having made the tournament facing Del City in the first round.

On the season Haydon has put up tremendous numbers. This season he’s averaged 25.8 points per game with 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assets and 1.7 steals. During this Haydon surpassed the 1,000-point mark and ended the regular season with 1,026 points in his high school career. Over his three years as a starter Haydon has averaged 19 points per game.

From the field Haydon is shooting 52%, 44% from the 3-point line and he’s a 70% free throw shooter.

Under the leadership of head coach Rodney Haydon, the Indians are ranked No.4 in Class 5A and finished the regular season with a record of 23-3. The three loses this season were to top 10 ranked opponents, one of which was Norman North in 6A. Haydon was selected as a VYPE Top 100 player at the state of the season and other honors are sure to come his way at the conclusion of the year.

Callen Ha ydon

Photo by Prep Hoops Oklahoma

O E C U C OAC H O F T H E M O N T H

Oklahoma Educators Credit Union Most Outstanding Wrestling Coach Heath Tejeda – PC West Heath Tejeda – Putnam City West High School

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th Teje lonis-Hea

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Martinez

Heath Tejeda – PC West 15,716 votes Tyrone Lewis – El Reno 14,866 votes Robert Washington – Moore 11,060 votes Joe Schneider – Yukon 6,253 votes Zach Hale – Newcastle 3,218 votes Andrew Schneider – Ed. North 2,512 votes Matt Surber – Tuttle 2,346 votes Eddie Woodburn – Bridge Creek 2,163 votes Mitch Brinlee – PC North 1,258 votes Erik Ford – Piedmont 901 votes Other coaches receiving votes include Floyd Lorne-Heritage Hall, Mike WalkupPutnam City, and Greg George-Southmoore

VYPE Magazine caught up with Putnam City West head coach Heath Tejeda to learn more about his passion for coaching, who mentored him and what it means to be involved with a community like the one in Putnam City.

VYPE: Coach, how long have you coached wrestling?

Tejeda: I’ve coached for three year. All at Putnam City West.

VYPE: Most coaches can recall someone that coached them having a significant impact on their lives, did you have someone like that and if so in what way did they make an impact on you?

Tejeda: Since I’ve been coaching at West, I think that coach Martin our football coach has influenced me on how a program should be run. The way he deals with players and conducts practices and his total involvement in the school, has shown me what I need to strive to be. In high school, it was coach Brock our football coach, he pushed you to give your best at all times and instilled a strong work ethic that I apply today.

VYPE: What brings you the most enjoyment when you’re coaching these athletes?

Tejeda: I enjoy trying to help students be better students first and then athletes second. I enjoy the time spent helping them to achieve their goals in life. Working with my two assistant coaches whose dedication to our team goals and the direction we want this program to go is always fun, and I get to coach a sport I enjoy.

VYPE: What does it say to you to have received over 15,000 votes from this community naming you the Most Outstanding Coach?

Tejeda: I think I have some dedicated students and staff I work with who put a lot of time and effort in to get me that many votes. There were a lot of great coaches on that list who deserve this acknowledgement more than I do. But I think it was more a reflection on the program, wrestlers, and assistant coaches who are buying into what we are trying to build here at West. We have a very supportive administration who believe in what we are trying to achieve.

Again without my two assistants, coach Chase Martinez and coach Conner Andrulonis I would not be able to begin building this program up to the level of those other coaches and programs on that list.

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ALL-VYPE OKC

All-VYPE OKC: Swimming & Wrestling

Evan Wagner

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Girls Hanna Newby, Bishop McGuinness Jen Litchfield, Carl Albert Aubrie LaValley, Carl Albert Sylvia Shaw, Carl Albert Brianna Shaw, Carl Albert Caitlyn Nemecek, Carl Albert Grace Brown, Deer Creek Amberly White, Deer Creek Jizelle Childers, Deer Creek Jordan Farmer, Deer Creek Kellie Fischer, Edmond Memorial Katie Callahan, Edmond Memorial Angelina Rossi, Edmond Memorial Kelsey Kersgieter, Edmond Memorial Riley Bushey, Edmond Memorial Emily Fry, Edmond North Bailey Woolsey, Edmond North Ryann James, Edmond North Brynnan Duncan, Edmond North Julia Wagner, Edmond North Chloe Case, Edmond Santa Fe Riley Powelson, Edmond Santa Fe Milly Bock, Heritage Hall Kayleigh Hughes, Norman Claire Liu, Norman North Tiffany Wu, Norman North Mallory Jones, Norman North Morgan Okroi, Norman North Megan Wortmann, Piedmont Kylie Catton, Shawnee Dottie Lee, Shawnee Peyton Wilson, Shawnee Bridgette Longest, Shawnee Leticia Cervantes, Shawnee Jaden McGee, Shawnee Brenna Grein, Shawnee

Boys Caleb McGuire-Gregory, Bridge Creek Brandon Putman, Carl Albert John Ryan Cook, Carl Albert Brock Lawrence, Carl Albert CJ Clark, Carl Albert Ryan Dillow, Deer Creek Devon Schimbeno, Deer Creek Sam Johnston, Deer Creek Austin White, Deer Creek Solomon Harrison, Edmond Memorial Jonathan Smith, Edmond Memorial Denton David, Edmond Memorial

Ryann James Nate Phillabaum, Edmond Memorial Brendan Healy, Edmond North Chris Silva, Edmond North Matthew Townsend, Edmond North Jacob Caldwell, Edmond North Braden Schmidt, Edmond North Kade Knoch, Edmond Santa Fe Ethan Reed, Edmond Santa Fe Sebastain Carrasco, Edmond Santa Fe Ruger Van Houten, Edmond Santa Fe Braden Nicholson, Edmond Santa Fe Bryan Campbell, Edmond Santa Fe Danny Bays, Norman Caleb Sullivan, Norman Bruno Sasaki, Norman Isaac Trachtenberg, Norman James Dyer, Norman North Alex Stamatin, Norman North Evan Wagner, Norman North Nate McMillen, Norman North Jonathon Tang, Norman North Scott Wilson, Norman North Jack Davis, Norman North Aidan Miller, Norman North Connor Hill, Oklahoma Christian School Justin Rein, Piedmont Tyler St. John, Piedmont Jarrod Rein, Piedmont Cade Radar, Piedmont Hunter Etchieson, Tecumseh Photos By Brett Rojo

All-VYPE Wrestling

1st Team Large School 106 Garrett Steidley, Edmond Memorial 113 Canon Randell, Westmoore 120 Paxton Rosen, Edmond North 126 Tanner Cole, Deer Creek 132 Braden Bright, Edmond North 138 Kruz Simons, Edmond North 145 Zachary Johnson, Westmoore 152 Robert Walker, Midwest City 160 Jaryn Curry, Choctaw 170 Zane Coleman, Choctaw 182 Easton Rendleman, Choctaw 195 Blake Minnick, Edmond North 220 Josh Heindselman, Piedmont 285 Gage Johnson, Norman North 2nd Team 106 Braden Fowler, Yukon 113 Colt Newton, Choctaw

120 Joseph Lupton, Mustang 126 Drew Wilson, Midwest City 132 Trey Edwards, Mustang 138 Mason Moser, Piedmont 145 Jaxen Gilmore, Yukon 152 Fisher Johnson, Piedmont 160 Chase Vincent, Yukon 170 Gage McBride, Mustang 182 Caleb McClaurin, Shawnee 195 Garrett Jones, Putnam City 220 Mason Lancaster, Putnam City 285 TJ Singleton, Carl Albert

Honorable Mention 106 Gabe Johnson, Choctaw 113 Cameron Picklo, Mustang 120 Andy Schlaepfer, Choctaw 126 Connor Holman, Choctaw 132 Marquez Edwards, Midwest City 138 Cain Britton, Putnam City North 145 Seth Graves, Edmond Memorial 152 Colby Graves, Guthrie 160 Wyatt Lewis, Piedmont 170 Sam Hensley, Edmond Memorial 182 Will Heindselman, Piedmont 195 Dylan Meador, Piedmont 220 Caulin Poole, Choctaw 285 Zach Austin, Choctaw

1st Team Small School 106 Cale Johnson, Tuttle 113 Luke Surber, Tuttle 120 Rhett Golowenski, Tuttle 126 Ryder Ramsey, Tuttle 132 Brady DeArmond, Tuttle 138 Kaden Gfeller, Heritage Hall / Tanner Litterell, Tuttle 145 Brik Flippo, Tuttle 152 Dustin Plott, Tuttle 160 Colton Denney, Heritage Hall / Carson Berryhill, Tuttle 170 Tanner Johnson, Tuttle 182 Kaleb Crilly, Newcastle 195 Javier Morales, Douglass 220 Gunner Meyer, Tuttle 285 Ryan Brachen, Blanchard 2nd Team 106 Cruz Aguilar, Heritage Hall 113 Val Park, Heritage Hall 120 Kolton Smith, Bridge Creek 126 Alec McDoulett, Little Axe 132 Jaydon Knott, Bridge Creek 145 Rodrick Mosely, Heritage Hall 152 Carson West, Heritage Hall 170 Terry Winstead, Harrah 182 Ryan Stone, Harrah 220 Colton Kinnamon, McLoud 285 Gunner Cash, Tecumseh Honorable Mention 106 Braeden Williams, Blanchard 113 Carter Patterson, Ada 120 Sammy Cooper, Heritage Hall 126 Kyler Damron, Harrah 132 Hunter Palacios, Newcastle 138 Jaxon Stratton, Blanchard 160 Wyatt Johnson, Little Axe 170 Jared Gilbertson, Newcastle 285 Trey Mason, Tuttle

TUTTLE WRESTLING

Tuttle Crowns Seven Champions at State

By Brad Heath Dominating wrestling programs have made incredible runs throughout the history of wrestling in Oklahoma and Tuttle is right there with the best of them.

It was Tulsa Central in the 1930’s. Midwest City in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Perry

Blanchard. Johnson picked up the 3-0 decision for his second state title. Johnson finished his season, 39-10. Freshman Luke Surber followed that up with his first state title at 113-pounds. Surber wrestled to a 8-1 decision over senior Christian Moon of Chickasha and finished his first year of varsity wrestling, 44-6.

unbeatable this year at 145-pounds going 45-0. In the state finals he pinned Wes Ahrberg of Cushing, who coming into the state meet was 41-3. In the last two season Flippo has amassed a record of, 89-4.

In the 160-pound weight class Carson Berryhill left no doubt who was champi-

The Tuttle Tigers have won the wrestling state title nine years in a row from 2009 to the latest title coming in February of this year.

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Other Tigers finding their way to the podium included Ryder Ramsey (Fr.) at 126-pounds-3rd, Brady DeArmond (Fr.) at 132-pounds-2nd, Dustin Plott (Fr.) at 152-pounds-2nd, and Gunner Meyer (Sr.) at 220-pounds-4th.

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Another Tiger going for his second in a row was Brik Flippo. The senior was

Tanner Johnson ended his high school wrestling career on a high note by beating a familiar opponent in Dalton Abney of Cascia Hall, 2-1. In a hard-fought match, Johnson came away with the victory and his second state title after being runner-up in 2016. Johnson was on a mission this season and he was not going to be denied again. Johnson won 45 matches to only four defeats as a senior.

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Senior Cale Johnson set the tone for the day when he won the 106-pound weight class over Braeden Williams of

Speaking of four titles, Tanner Litterell showcased his talents at 138-pounds this year and as usual he did not disappoint. He pinned all three of his opponents in the tournament. Litterall got the fall in the finals at 1:04 over Andrew DeArmand of Catoosa. Litterell finished the season a perfect 49-0 and a fourtime state champion.

on. Berryhill, only a sophomore, finished the year 44-11 after picking up the win in the finals, 9-7 over senior Jake Hall of Cascia Hall. Maybe Carson learned a thing or two from Blake?

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The Tuttle Tigers have won the wrestling state title nine years in a row from 2009 to the latest title coming in February of this year. During that stretch Tuttle has claimed the gold in 42 finals, many of which were repeaters as champions. What year crowned the most champions in one season? It was this season with seven. Three previous seasons the Tigers finished the year with six champions (’13, ’14 & ’16). To say this run by Tuttle is anything less than dominant would be an understatement.

Rhett Golowenski already had two state titles to his credit, one at 106-pounds in 2015 and the second at 113-pounds in 2016. Going for his third title, Golowenski won a close match with Taywone McNack from Tulsa McLain, 1-0. The two seniors put on a nail-bitter for the crowd. Golowenski will go for his fourth title in 2018.

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for as long as anyone can remember. El Reno in the late ‘90’s and early ‘00’s.

Even Broken Arrow and Ponca City have gotten in on the action. And more recently it’s been Collinsville and Tuttle.

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B L A N C H A R D P OW E R L I F T I N G

Powerlifting Lions Setting Mark Story By Kervy Robles Blanchard High School possesses one of the most successful powerlifting programs in Oklahoma.

The Lions have recently earned the Class 4A Regional Championship under the direction of coaches Tracy Scott, Kirk Kirchner and Chuck Blackburn. “This makes six straight years of winning our division,” head coach Scott said.

“We also were the Regional Champions over all classes for the second year in a row.”

Thanks to the outstanding performance at Regionals, the Lions captured a great number of lifters to the state meet. “We qualified 12 lifters to compete in the state tournament,” Scott said. “We may possibly have a couple more that could it at large.”

Some of the remarkable executions came in hands of Jack Newsome (first place at the 157 lbs. class), Isaiah Garza (second in 157 lbs. class), Casey sharp (second at 181 lbs. and named outstanding heavy weight bencher), Jackson Greenwood (second at 242 lbs. class) and Howard Shephard (second in the heavy weight class).

During the competition, the Blanchard powerlifting team had to face schools belonged to 3A through 6A class division.

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With a competitive tournament such as Re-

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gionals, the Lions take their preparation very seriously.

“It is not easy to go in on Monday every week and squat heavy, then link a whole week together of that same intensity in the weight room for a team in off season, but we do it every week,” senior Newsome said. “We take tournaments very seriously, ever since my sophomore year, as a team we are expected to go to state [tournament], we have formed a little dynasty.”

Newsome also emphasized the importance of teamwork inside the team. “We are always cheering each other on,” Newsome said. “If I have a teammate I am competing with, I am going to pull for them. Nobody here is selfish.”

The Lions recognize coaches Scott, Kirchner and Blackburn as a major part of the success of the powerlifting platform. “Our coaches have been extremely helpful,” junior Greenwood said. “The intense workout they put us through is the reason why we have such a

successful powerlifting program.”

Even some of the Lions have reached exceptional numbers over the years. “I got second place last year in the same weight class as a sophomore,” Greenwood said. “In addition, my totals have gone up tremendously, I finished with a 1,035 total which is a personal record.”

Finally, the Lions of Blanchard hold big expectations toward upcoming competitions.

“Every year, we want to be state champions in our division,” Scott said. “We also want to finish as high as we can in the final standing competing all divisions.”

A MID-TERM LIKE THIS TAKES DRIVE.

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T R A E YO U N G Q & A

Young Graduates Green for Crimson

By Michael Kinney Photos By Defining Moment As the final seconds on the game clock ticked down, Trae Young stopped dribbling near midcourt. As soon as the clock hit 0:0, the Norman North point guard slammed the ball to the ground and walked off as the fans stormed out of the bleachers Feb. 17.

Young has just scored 39 points to lead his fifth-ranked Timberwolves to a 79-70 victory over crosstown rival Norman High at NNH.

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“A lot of emotions came out,” Young said.

“I’ve never lost to Norman High in my four years. So just a lot of my emotions came out at the end of the game. That was an awesome feeling. That was how I wanted to end it. With me throwing it and putting a stamp on it and letting everybody know I’ve never lost to Norman High.”

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The victory was the culmination of an amazing nine day span for Young. One that included him hanging out with LeBron James and Kevin Durant, receiving his McDonald’s All-American jersey and setting a new state scoring record with 62 point performance against Edmond Memorial.

But all of that was just the appetizer to Feb. 16 when Young ended the all speculation and announced where he would be playing college basketball.

The nations No. 2 point guard told a large and excited crowd of students, fans, media and family members that he would be staying home and attending the University of Oklahoma.

“It means everything. It means that I’m officially going to be starting my next chapter in my life,” Young said of choosing Oklahoma. “Can’t wait.”

With the likes of Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Washington on his final list, it was up in the air on who he would

choose. But being part of the OU rebuilding process was a challenge he wanted to take on.

When Young announced it would be the Sooners, the room erupted. It was the perfect ending to a long recruiting process.

“I wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted it to be fun,” Young said. “I wanted it to be a moment that a lot of people wouldn’t forget. It was tough calling some of the coaches of my final schools. Especially coach (Bill) Self and coach (Brad) Underwood. It was tough, but after that I was enjoying the rest of the day.”

Young could have went to almost any school in the nation he wanted. But the Norman native wanted to stay home for a variety of reasons.

“Just the factor of me knowing what to expect what I’m going to get when I come here,” Young said. “And it’s home. I feel I can do anything here that I would at one of those big schools, the blue bloods. So why not do it at home.”

Young made sure to enjoy the entire recruiting process and didn’t let it overwhelm him or his game. He averaged 45 points a night with the Timber-

wolves and led them to the postseason.

“I think the biggest difference with Trae is his confidence,” said Young’s father, Ray. “He just feels as if I’m going to be considered this dude, this guy, then I have to be able to play well and do the things people expect. I know you’re not always supposed to worry about pleasing everybody, but he does. He carries a chip on his shoulder and he wants to be that guy.”

But for four years, he has dealt with coaches and recruiters and media members. While some may be glad to get it out of the way, Young was not.

“It’s been long process. Got to meet the best coaches to ever coach the game,” Young said. “Coach K, Roy Williams, Bill Self.

The list can go on and on.

Having a great coach in your own back yard recruiting me since I was in eighth grade in coach Kruger, it has been a great process. My family has really enjoyed t. It as been a lot of hard work and I’m glad it’s paying off. I’m enjoying it and it’s coming to an end soon. Which is sad, but I’m also excited for the next chapter.”

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Edmond Memorial, North & Yukon Edmond Memorial Bulldogs

HC – James Garrison 2016 Record: 24-17 The defending state champions in Class 6A may be the early favorites in the race for first. Head coach James Garrison returns a plethora of players from last year’s squad and their confidence is off the charts.

“We will return a key nucleus from last year’s 24-17 state championship season. We will be strong up the middle with shortstop DJ Calvert (Sr.), second baseman Brock Hummel 9Sr.) and centerfielder Bryce Newsom,” said Garrison.

Catcher Dylan Caplinger and first baseman Casey High will be the main offensive threats. Caplinger averaged .395 at the plate with 24 RBI’s and an OBP of .478. High hit .321 with two doubles and 14 RBI’s. Pitching is key for every team and the Bulldogs have some throwers in the lineup.

“On the mound the Bulldogs will be led by senior right-hander Newsom, who is coming off a 6-3 record in his junior season with a win in the state semi-finals over Jenks. Other players expected to contribute a lot on the mound are Dawson Hicks, Coit Morton, Villalon and Ashton Francis.

Senior Seth Graves will play in left, with Francis seeing time in right. Chris Kauble will play in the outfield and

back up at catcher. Senior Coleman Chavez will join the outfield squad and bring his left-handed hitting the batting order. Overall the Bulldogs are loaded with seniors. This amount of talent and experience will be tough for opponents to deal with this season.

Photos By Dean Humphrey Edmond North Huskies

HC – Grant Ledbetter 2016 Record: 17-17 With a tremendous amount of returning players this season, head coach Grant Ledbetter is looking for more than a .500 record at the end of the season.

“This should be an exciting year for our program. We have a lot of players returning with significant experience. We are led by a solid group of 10 seniors, 8 of which have signed to play at the next level,” said Ledbetter.

Outfielders Alex and Clayton Peterson shore up the Huskies defensively. The identical twins are clutch players that coach Ledbetter wants in the box when the game is on the line. Sam Rainwater will look to pitch or play third base.

Rainwater signed with Oral Roberts University.

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Sophomore Payton Miller gets the start at catcher. The Oklahoma commit is one of the top defensive catchers in the state and his hitting continues to improve. Pitcher/infielder Brayden Alberson (Sr.) pitched 24 innings with an ERA of 2.55 and ended the year 4-1. Fellow senior and pitcher Caleb Olson will see plenty of action this season as well.

The lefty pitched 13 innings last season, but those numbers could climb. Other players to look for include Nollan Koon (So.), Dakota Ward (So.) and Braylen Wimmer (So.).

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DJ Calvert

Senior Cross Factor is the ultimate in utility men for the Millers. Factor can play in the infield, pitch and play in the outfield. The left-handed hitter carried a .376 batting average last season with 13 doubles and four triples. He recorded 34 RBI’s and scored 29 runs. Factor has signed his letter on intent to play at Cowley CC next year.

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Yukon Millers

HC – Kevin James 2016 Record: 24-14

“We graduated seven starters from a state tournament team and have two returnees with a couple of pitchers. Our success will depend on how well we gel as a team. Lots of inexperience and youth,” said coach James.

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The Huskies may sneak up on a few teams this season, but that will not last long. Word has spread that this team may be a contender this season.

Under the leadership of head coach Kevin James, the Millers have enjoyed a lot of success. Last season they finished the year, 24-14 and went to the state tournament. Seven of those players are lost to graduation.

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Infielders Colton James and Parker Tumelson give the Huskies legit threats at the plate. Catcher Gage Williams is a defensive minded player with good pop on his bat.

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Other pitchers on the roster include Carter Randolph, Lawson Isaacs, and Kaleb McCullough. First baseman Brandon Buser could see time on the mound as well.

Brock Humm

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Y U KO N AC A D E M I C AT H L E T E

Ashlyn Williams - Yukon Soccer

By Victoria Dodge @Victoria_Dodge Ashlyn Williams is feared on the soccer field and praised in the classroom.

The Yukon High School junior has a 4.0 GPA and recently committed to Oral Roberts University. She said she plans on pursuing a degree in the medical field, though she hasn’t narrowed it down to a specialty.

Williams, who typically plays midfielder, said many components went into her early commitment at ORU,

though most are based on soccer. She liked how close the university is to home so friends and family can watch her play Division I soccer, a lifelong goal of hers. The ease between Williams and the coaching staff made her feel like ORU was the right choice and the school size made her feel important.

Steve Scott, Williams’ coach, said she is even more important to the Yukon Millers offense. Since she joined the team, Scott said Williams has become a force to be reckoned with and her confidence has shot through the roof. She is now a leader for the team, assertive on the field and takes more chances against her opponents.

“She has a drive and passion for the game and that needed to excel everyday,” Scott said. “That passion and drive also extends to the classroom as she's an excellent student.”

She is currently a member of Health Occupations Students of America, along with National Honors Society and a member of her church youth group. But most recently she got a part time job and said handling all of these groups in a balancing act.

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“I feel the key for finding time do to all of those things is planning ahead,” Williams

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said.

“I definitely feel that juggling all these responsibilities right now will help be better prepared for the demands college.”

Williams said her team is there for her on and off the field as well, calling them a second family. But she said she couldn’t do it without her actual family, who encourage and push her every day.

“My family always supports me with everything I do, from academics to athletics,” Williams said. Not only are they my biggest supporters, they're my biggest critics.

They'll tell me when I've had a great game or did great in my classes but they also let me know when I need to pick it up because they know what I'm capable of.”

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Mustang Character Counts - Caleb Gray

By Jordan Edwards Caleb Gray, a senior midfielder for Mustang High School boy’s soccer team has had a rough start to his final high school season due to an injury, but it is because of this setback that Gray has come back stronger than ever.

Soccer has been a part of Gray’s life for as long as he can remember. He started playing at age 6 and has not stopped since. Gray grew up in a team setting and was taught at an early age how to be a team player.

This character trait has followed him all the way to up to his high school team.

Gray states his favorite part about his current team is their bond and how close they all are to each other.

Gray hit a bump in the road this past summer when he tore his ACL playing soccer. He worked hard to

rehab so he would have to ability to come back stronger and better than before.

“I learned no not take anything for granted and to take care of my body,” Gray said.

This was a valuable lesson that impacted Gray in a large way.

Gray said that his parents have had a large influence not only with his injury but his life in general. They remained positive throughout his injury telling him to keep going and reminding him that everything would fall into place. They helped him reach his goal of getting to play soccer again, coming back a better athlete than before.

Gray will be finishing up his senior year at Mustang in May of this year.

He has committed to play soccer at

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Southern Nazarene University and plans to earn a degree in Business Management.

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OKC AREA BASEBALL

Heritage Hall Baseball Head Coach – Breck Draper 2016 Record: 32-8

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The two-time defending state champions (3A-2015, 4A-2016) are back and looking like one of the favorites heading into the season. Head coach Breck Draper is excited to have a lineup full of offensive potential and a deep bench.

“We’re very excited about our group this year. We should be about as deep as we have been on the mound this season.

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Our lineup has a lot of team speed and some guys that can really handle the bat and drive in runs,” said coach Draper.

One of those mashers at the plate is the University of Arizona signee Roman Phansalkar. Last season Phansalkar carried a .433 batting average, hit 34 RBI’s, scored 41 runs and hit two homers. On the mound his ERA was 1.41 and finished the season 5-3 with 69 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched. The right-hander is an all-around dependable player and clutch when it counts.

Cowley County signee Brady Ballard is a right-handed pitcher, but bats lefty. A transfer from Tuttle High School, Ballard has the tools to be an every day player in the outfield.

Junior pitcher/infielder Blake Adams has enjoyed success on the mound and figures into the rotation. Last year Adams went 4-1 with one save and recorded 26 strikeouts in 30 innings pitched.

Adams had an ERA of 2.80, but his efforts at the plate and on the bases really gets peoples attention. He logged 14 stolen bases and scored 21 runs.

Several schools are looking at Adams in both baseball and football.

Carson Orton (Jr.) was stel-

Roman P

hansalka

r

lar at the plate last year hitting .390 with 30 RBI’s and four homeruns. He scored 22 runs and hit 12 doubles and two triples. Like Adams, Orton is getting looks from several Division I schools.

Right-handed pitcher and utility man Chandler Shapard was 2-1 on the bump last season with 28 strikeouts recorded in 16.2 innings pitched. At the plate he carried a .400 batting average and stole 19 bases. Shapard and Adams have excellent speed on the bases, which is something coach Draper will certainly call on this season.

Pitcher/Outfielder Preston Taylor showed some speed of his own stealing seven bases. Taylor had a batting average of .412 with 15 RBI’s and one homerun.

Senior Devin Crawford will pitch and play the infield. In 33.1 innings pitched Crawford notched 28 strikeouts, had an ERA of 0.63 and finished 5-0 on the season. Crawford has signed to play ball at the next level with Eastern Oklahoma State.

The coaching staff includes Jordan Semore, Jon Dobbs and Casey Brown.

Photos By Wes Sharp

PIEDMONT SOCCER

Semifinals Not Enough for Piedmont The Lady Wildcats of Piedmont enjoyed a memorable season last year after their run to the state semi-finals, but that only fueled their appetite for more.

Head coach Brad Brucker is excited to get this season underway. This year’s Piedmont girl’s team returns key players from a year ago and has a chance to be special.

“Like most coaches this time of year, I am really excited about our group. We return 12 of 14 players that played in our state semi-finals last year against eventual champion Claremore.

We only have two experienced seniors, so we are still a very young group, but we gained a lot of valuable experience last year and have improved at almost every position in the offseason,” said coach Brucker. “We will play a very tough preseason and non-district schedule but if healthy, I expect us to make a deep run into

the playoffs.”

Returning All-District players include Maci Attalla (GK), Madi Lybarger (CB), Hannah Thomas (WF/WB), Brianna Meshberger (CB), Aspen Cope (MF) and Kilie Swanson (F). Lybarger and Thomas is a pair of senior’s coach Brucker will lean on in the early portion of the season. Not just for their play on the field, but for their leadership. Both seniors are four-year starters for Piedmont. Meshberger was voted team captain as a junior and coach Brucker describes her as a “rare combination of character, integrity, work ethic and passion for the game and her teammates.”

Cope is a player to watch on the defensive end.

Coach Brucker said of Cope, “she has great defensive instincts and playmaking ability.” Swanson, a junior forward, scored nine goals with 10 assists in her first year with the team. Swanson

Junior Caren Hildalgo will start at wing forward where she accounted for six goals and one assist last season. Midfielder Ashlynn McMahan (So.) added two goals of her own with three assists in 2016.

Other players to look for this season include Bella Quan (OB), Ashlen Hamon (WF), and Lydia Wade (OB). Quan is ranked No. 4 in her class of 245 and is an honor student. Hamon is a leader in and out of the locker room, while Wade is a dual sport athlete playing soccer and volleyball in the fall. She also made it to the state track meet as a sophomore.

It may seem impossible to predict how a season will eventually end, but for the girl’s of Piedmont the hunger for more is driving them and that could mean something magical come May.

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P I E D M O N T AC A D E M I C A T H L E T E

Bella Quan - Piedmont Soccer Story & Photo By Blake Colston-Piedmont Gazette Piedmont head girls soccer coach Brad Brucker sets a minimum academic requirement for all of his players that's well above the general standard for prep athletes.

Junior defender Bella Quan sets her own standard, because when the Ivy League is in your plans, you have to.

"I've always been really motivated to do well in school. It starts at home with my parents and brothers," she said. "I have that competitive side to me that makes me always want to do better. School is something that's always allowed me to do that."

This season, Quan carries a 4.3 GPA with her and says her favorite subjects are math and science.

"I really push myself to get to the places I want to go," she said. "School is No. 1 for me right now, then comes soccer next."

Quan isn't sure what she wants to major in at college, but said it'll probably be in the legal or medical field or possibly engineering. For now, she hopes to attend an Ivy League school, but said if that doesn't work out that the University of Oklahoma will be

a good place to start.

On the field, Quan is, as could be expected, a cerebral player for Piedmont. This is her third season on the team and she's grown each year.

"She picks things up easily, she understands the game, she's a really hard worker and she's got good technique," Brucker said. "She's also a very physical player and uses her lower body really well. It's hard to push her off the ball."

Quan didn't play sports growing up, but chose soccer before her freshman season to be more well-rounded and to stay in shape. The experience has turned into more than just a cardio workout, though.

"I knew soccer would help me have fun and let loose from my school work and I wanted to be part of a team," Quan said.

"I've really liked it and met some great people. I've made some great connections with the coach and the other players, which is why I've stuck with it. I'm slowly getting better at it, too."

Brucker said it's been to watch Quan transform from a completely raw to a more refined player, all within the confines of Pied-

mont's soccer program.

Quan doesn't play club soccer like most of the other Lady Wildcats.

"She's really the kind of kid you want to have in your program," Brucker said.

PIEDMONT LADY WILDCATS

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PIEDMONT TEAM OF THE MONTH

Piedmont Wildcats Soccer Story & Photo By Blake Colston-Piedmont Gazette Led by four-year starters Dax Hampton and Dakota Cope, Piedmont head boys soccer coach Zac Selph says this year's team, which he anticipates will be be defensive-minded, has the pieces to compete for a top four spot in a challenging District 5A-1 which includes perennial powers like Heritage Hall and Woodward.

"The boys have that goal. We aren't going to sell ourselves short. We're not going to say we're the fifth best team in the district," Selph said. "With the commitment I've seen in the offseason

from the guys I absolutely think it's a realistic possibility."

Cope and Hampton are a big reason for Selph's confidence. In three years, Hampton has 17 goals and 14 assists for PHS, while Cope, Piedmont's best defensive player, has three goals and three assists. Cope's usefulness isn't necessarily shown on the stat sheet, said Selph.

"It's hard to quantify stat wise what Dakota does for us, but he leads the defense," Selph said.

With Cope playing the lead role and all but one starter back on defense, Selph anticipates this year's team be-

Dax Hampton ing strongest on that side of the field, especially early in the season as the Wildcats try to replace leading goal scorer Kanton Logan who graduated last year.

"If I go based on what's happening right now, I think defense will be the strength of our team," he said, "but I thought that last year and offense ended up being our strength."

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"As far as the x's and o's go, we have a good grasp of where we are as a team.

Before we can tell how good we are, though, we need outside competition," he said. "I think we have a team that should be competitive in every game and it should be an extremely successful year. I'm very happy with where we are and the makeup of the team."

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That scrimmage slate should give Selph an early indication of where his team is at heading into the regular season, he said.

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Shoulder/Knee Injury

Selph said Alec Pierce and John Marshall move-in Luis Carapia appear to be Piedmont's best goal-scoring threats outside of Hampton, who'll be the Wildcats' top offensive weapon.

Carapia missed most of the offseason with a shoulder injury, but is healthy heading into Piedmont's preseason scrimmage slate.

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OKC AREA BASEBALL

Koy Priddy-Bryce McDermott

Piedmont, Bethany and Western Heights

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Piedmont Wildcats HC – Kory Williams 2016 Record: 28-13

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Offensive power may be the way to describe the Wildcats this season. Throughout the batting order head coach Kory Williams has the players to produce at the plate.

“We feel good about our offensive lineup.

We return our 3, 4 and 5 hole hitters from last year and have other guys at the top and bottom of the lineup that we have confidence in,” said coach Williams.

Koy Priddy (Sr.) hit .393 with 12 doubles and 27 RBI’s last year. Priddy also carried an ERA of 2.28 and held a record of 3-0.

Noah Ellis (Sr.) gets the start at third base and will see time on the mound. Ellis carried a batting average of .362 and drove in 42 RBI’s. In 43 innings pitched, Ellis finished with a record of 3-1 and an ERA of 2.93.

Senior Bryce McDermott will start at catcher, while Casey Cooper (So.) will play short. McDermott is a Wichita State commit and one of the top catchers in the state regardless of class. Juniors Easton McClure and Bryson Nichols will split time at second base and both should see time on the mound. Caleb Kreklau (Sr.) will play the outfield where his speed will come into play. Joining Kreklau is junior Trace Larson.

The Wildcats appear to have a solid group of defensive players, which is something coach Williams is excited to have, but the pitching is key for this team.

“Our defense should be pretty solid and we have four pitchers returning that saw significant innings last year. If we can pitch it

well consistently, we have a chance to be a contender in May,” said coach Williams.

Photo By Blake Colston/Piedmont Gazette Bethany Bronchos HC – Jim Drummond 2016 Record: 29-10

The pitching rotation for head coach Jim Drummond was hit hard by graduation, but he’s confident they have some young talent that can turn into key starters this season.

“Last year’s team finished 29-10. From that team we graduated a number of key pitchers. This year’s team will have a number of talented replacements, but they will have to play exceptionally well in order to equal the previous season’s success,” said coach Drummond.

Shortstop Blake Dunlap signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan, but before he heads off the college, the senior will look to lead this team. Dunlap carried a .326 batting average with 14 RBI’s. Dunlap may also see time on the mound. Chase Wetwiska (Jr.) will play first and pitch. Curran Cochran (Sr.) returns with his 14 RBI’s and four doubles from last season. Outfielder Jake Adams is another threat at the plate and on the bases. Adams batting average last season was .253 and he scored 18 runs. Tyler Broyles (Jr.) may be the biggest threat at the plate scoring 29 RBI’s with an average of .309.

Some of the top newcomers include Dylan Scalice (Jr.) at 2B/P, Diego Ramirez (So.) at 3B/P, Ben Lawson (Fr.) at 2B/P, Sam Brandt (Fr.) at Util/P, Dakota Bredy (Sr.) at LHP, and Bailey Shire (Sr.) at LF.

Western Heights Jets HC – Jason Webster 2016 Record: 6-24

The hard work the Jets are putting in is starting to pay dividends and head coach Jason Webster has an unselfish team that wants to win.

“We have a bunch of hard working players.

We are in a really difficult district but my players will not quit and will fight to the end. We return five starters from last year and also have several players that have not played varsity at all until this year,” said coach Webster.

Pitcher Barrett Alverson will lead the way from the mound. Coach Webster is looking to build off what he gets from Alverson who went pitch-for-pitch last year against Ardmore in the district tournament. Corey Smith returns after suffering several injuries from football and baseball.

“Smith has had several serious injuries during his high school career, but always comes back to continue to play sports,” said Webster.

Smith will start a 3B, while Andrew Mahan gets the nod at catcher. Senior Jordan Carver will be somewhat of a utility player moving from the mound to first and left field.

The same goes for junior Quinton Leeder.

Leeder will see time at 2B, outfield and the mound. Tyrus Parson (So.) will pitch and play short, while Zackary Suniga (Sr.) will pitch and play the outfield. Also look for senior Tommy Suggs playing pitcher and second base. Adam Suniga (Jr.) is another outfielder on the roster with sophomore Dylan Johnson listed as an infielder.

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Westmoore, Norman, Norman North Westmoore Jaguars HC – Joe Patterson

2016 Record: 27-11

The Jags return several starters from last season including the quarterback and infielder Braxton Bohrofen. Bohrofen hit for a .358 average last year with 16 doubles and three homeruns. Joining Bohrofen in the infield is pitcher/ infielder Eric Gutierrez (Sr.). Gutierrez finished 2016 with a record of 1-1, with one save, 16 strikeouts and ERA of 3.25.

Senior Jacob Schultz will see time on the mound as he looks to improve on his 3.66 ERA from a year ago. In 20 innings of work Schultz recorded 20 strikeouts and a 3-3 record. Tanner Brooks and Logan Scott add depth to the roster at the pitcher position. Both players have ERA’s under 3.0 and combine have accounted for 23 strikeouts in just over 22 innings of work. Austin Warfel can pitch or play the infield, while Luke Quick gets the start in the outfield. Quick hit for .322 with 38 hits and eight doubles.

Cale Francis may start at catcher or play the infield. This defensive specialist can get it done at the plate as well hitting for .312 last season. Assistant coaches include Joe Moore and Brian Hunnicutt.

Norman Tigers HC – Jeff Brewer

2016 Record: 14-25

For head coach Jeff Brewer and the Norman Tigers, the 2017 season offers some promise for a successful campaign. This is coach Brewer’s first season as skipper of the Tigers and he may have the best player in the state in the lineup.

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Assistant coaches for the Timberwolves include Brad Dolejsi, Sam Powers, Jake Fisher, Steven Thomas, Connor Baumann and William Redman.

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Braxton Bohrofen

“We are very excited about the 2017 season. There is a lot of momentum that was built last year with the 18 game winning streak, winning our 5th region-

MARCH 2017

Like their rivals, Norman North has plenty to be excited about this season.

Head coach Brian Aylor has an excellent staff and a roster full of playmakers.

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2016 Record: 25-12

Four-year stater Hal Hughes, who signed with LSU, is a key defensive player at shortstop. Hughes also hit for a .412 average with 19 RBI’s. Behind the plate is sophomore Dalton Smith and covering first base is senior Landen McClellan. Sophomore Dom Hughes will start in centerfield with Jalen Smith in left and Tyler Cullison in right. The pitching staff includes Brooks Smith (So.), Holden Hopkins (Jr.), Jackson McCormick (Jr.) and Tyler Cullison (Sr.).

Cullison finished last season 4-1 with one save and 36 strikeouts to his credit in over 49 innings pitched. Hopkins, a lefty, finished the year with 15 strikeouts.

OKC AREA

HC – Brian Aylor

al and getting back to the state tournament. This year we have worked harder than ever before, there is great leadership with the group as well as great chemistry. They seem determined to achieve their goals. The expectations are no different that they have ever been. We expect to play at a high level, and continue our quest to be state champions,” said Aylor.

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Norman North Timberwolves

Cale Francis

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Justin Cooke, a 6-foot2, 195-pound senior will start at catcher.

The Oklahoma commit is a switch-hitter who batted .385 with three homeruns and 40 RBI’s in 2016. A skilled player behind the plate, Cooke was named the Ferguson Jenkins Award Winner giving him the title of top baseball player in Oklahoma.

He’s joined by All-District standout Connor Yates. Yates will pitch and play centerfield. Coach Brewer said of Yates, “Yates can throw somewhere between 83-85 mph.” At the plate Yates hit .362 with 30 RBI’s and added 10 stolen bases last year. Another versatile player is Jared Hazeldine (5-9, 160). Hazeldine can play just about any position on the field. Incoming freshman Cade Horton (6-0, 160) is receiving a lot of attention. The young shortstop already has interest from Arkansas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Also look for junior pitcher Bryson Armstrong this season.

Assistant coaches include Lance Yates, Rob Tasin and Keaton Hernandez.

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OU-ROTC

How does the ARMY ROTC program work at OU? Army ROTC is a three credit hour lower division elective that teaches a leadership curriculum in a military environment. The course is open to all students, admitted to OU, who are interested in participating in ROTC. Many of those students are considering joining the Army and can join ROTC first to get a firsthand glimpse at what daily life is like in the Army, without a service obligation.

How long has Army ROTC been at OU?

Army ROTC program. For example, a non-scholarship out-of-state resident student that enrolls in OU Army ROTC can earn the opportunity to receive in-state residency status as a fully participating cadet. A student can apply for a scholarship while in high school or can enroll in the course and earn a scholarship. Scholarships’ benefits include a $300-$500 monthly stipend, a $1,200 annual book stipend, and come with the option to have their scholarship

Army ROTC is a three credit hour lower division elective that teaches a leadership curriculum in a military environment. The course is open to all students, admitted to OU, who are interested in participating in ROTC.

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There are many reasons to consider

taught in a military environment.

There is no commitment or obligation to serve in the military if one is a participating student. Many students audit the course and this helps them understand the Army and sometimes the student will make a commitment to serve after exposure to the military environment.

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Army ROTC at OU. Many join out of a sense of patriotism or to pursue a military career and follow in a family member’s footsteps. Other join for the opportunity to pursue a professional career along with a military career.

At OU Army ROTC a student can simultaneously pursue both. A student can enroll in our freshman course that is a leadership curriculum

100 years! This April 2017, we begin our Centennial Celebration of Army ROTC at the University of Oklahoma.

It will be a year full of family fun events, beginning with the annual Sooner Strong 5K here on campus on March 25th 2017.

How much can you earn for college, minimum and maximum?

There are many options through the

pay for tuition and fees or to receive a $10,000 annual stipend to help pay for room and board.

Who is eligible?

There are general requirements that are needed in order to be eligible for scholarships through Army ROTC and earn a commission. All cadets must be U.S. citizens and cannot be over 30 years old on Dec 31 on the

OU-ROTC year they graduate and commission. Each cadet must pursue at a minimum a Bachelor Degree, meet the Army’s height/weight standards and be medically qualified by the Department of Defense. I recommend contacting the OU Army ROTC office for the complete list of eligibility requirements.

What are the requirements out of high school? ....in college?

There are no additional requirements for admission into OU Army ROTC if the student has been accepted into the University, it is an elective course the Fall semester. If pursuing a scholarship out of high school, a student must obtain a minimum of a 2.5 GPA and a 19 ACT score in order to be eligible for consideration. All applicants must have characteristics of a Scholar Athlete Leader (SAL).

There are additional requirements at www.soonerstrong.com.

Is an ARMY ROTC student required to join the Army after completing the program?

What are the privileges of being an Army ROTC student at OU?

We have many luxuries that make college life a little more comfortable.

All cadets have access to the Historic Armory located at the heart of campus. Inside the Armory the cadets have areas to “settle” down before and after classes. They have the cadet lounges that offer a familiar zone for the cadets to take a break from academics; either by playing a round of pool, fuse ball, or by watching TV and hanging with their battle buddies. We also have multiple rooms for a student to do their homework or to relieve some homework stress by doing a quick workout in our gym.

All ROTC students have the privilege of being considered for Merit Based Scholarships in addition to other benefits. These scholarships are provided mainly by OU Army

ROTC Alumni and Friends.

What are the privileges of graduating the Army ROTC program?

The leadership curriculum at OU Army ROTC can help develop students in a professional manner. Many of our alumni have had successful military and civilian careers; from war heroes, leaders and commanders to Heisman trophy winners, CEOs, and Congressmen. The OU Army ROTC Alumni network is a professional network of individuals that have served or serve in the Army. The prestige of this program is becoming one of envy across the nation.

How and when do you apply for the OU ROTC program?

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Planning for college can be as early as the family decides. Most ROTC scholarship students begin the conversation their junior year of high school. Applications for high school scholarships are open mid-June after their junior year in high school and due NLT than the 1st week in January of their graduating year. One can also apply as a college student on campus. As long as you are pursuing a degree at OU, you can enroll in our courses. Visit www.soonerstrong. com for full details or contact OU Army ROTC at (405) 325-0306 or jcharqueno@ou.edu.

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Yes. A student can complete lower level elective ROTC courses and not have a military obligation but those students who want to complete the upper division courses and commission through ROTC have a military commitment. After completion of the required four semesters of upper division ROTC courses and bachelor’s de-

gree, the student will commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army and can serve in either the US Army, Army Reserves of Army National Guard.

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DeClaudio

Irvin

Midwest City Bombers Baseball HC – Adam Skokowski 2016 Record: 28-9

The Bombers of Midwest City may have a small learning curve to overcome early in the season, but once they get on the same page, this team will once again be a contender. Head coach Adam Skokowski points out the team has an interesting mix of veteran players with some young talent.

Senior centerfielder/pitcher Landon Harvey was 3-0 on the mound last season with an ERA of 2.19. He recorded 20 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.

At the

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“We are a mixture of veterans and youth. We are returning five starters, but at the same time we will have two freshmen contributing with several sophomores as well.

The quicker the young guys adjust to the speed of the varsity 6A game, the better we will be,” said Skokowski.

“I think our season will come down to pitching. We have two of our top four from last year plus one of our top relievers coming back, so that helps.

After that though, we have a lot of inexperience. We will need the inexperienced guys to step in and find a role on the staff.”

Junior shortstop DeClaudio Irvin carried a .387 batting average hitting nine doubles, two triples and 24 RBI’s. He scored 45 runs and stole 16 bases.

Irvin is a terror at the plate, as is first baseman Eric Taylor Jr. Taylor drove in 40 runs and hit four homeruns a year ago and finished with a batting average of .383. Irvin was named 1st Team AllConference last year and is committed to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, while Taylor has signed with Northern Oklahoma College in Enid.

The pair can certainly drive in runs and wreak havoc on pitchers.

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Cameron Hodges (Sr.) will start in RF with Oshea Whiteside playing LF. The catcher looks to be sophomore Brenden Grigsby and freshman Kaleb Bedford will play the corner. Devan Johnson (Jr.) will pitch and DH.

The coaching staff features assistants Zach Stephens, Greg Bruno, Justin Freer and Sam Madewell.

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plate Harvey hit .220 with an OBP of .361. Gaven Revene saw action on the mound as a freshman last year. Revene pitched 10-plus innings going 2-0 with 11 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.03.

Revene will play 2B when he’s not on the bump.

r.

Eric Taylor J

P O T OW A T O M I S P O T L I G H T

Katelyn Logsdon - Tecumseh

By Kervy Robles Senior Katelyn Logsdon from Tecumseh High School is the Potawatomi Student of the Month.

Among dozen of talented students, Logsdon has been chosen due to her extensive list of outstanding academic abilities.

“First of all, I am the President of FFA (Future Farmers of America),” Logsdon said. “I am also the President of Beta Club, the Student Council Secretary and National Honor Society Secretary.”

Early this season, Logsdon had to make critical decisions in order to become a leader in Tecumseh High School.

“I cheered from third grade to 11th, but I decided to stop this year after being elected Chapter FFA President,” Logsdon said. “I thought it would be in best interest to focus on my obligations as president.”

Logsdon recognizes his family and professors to play a significant role throughout her young career.

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Finally, Tecumseh High School will always be the place where Logsdon learned important

“All roads that lead to success travel through hard work boulevard,” Logsdon said.

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“Without the leadership and guidance from my parents and teachers, there is no way I would be as successful as I have been,” Logsdon said. “They have always pushed me to be the best I can be and never let me settle for anything but my best.”

life lessons.

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Logsdon, who enjoys of her last days in high school, seems to have a determined objective towards a new chapter of her life.

“From an earlier age, I have always had a passion for teaching,” Logsdon said. “Through growing up in the FFA, I have found a passion for public speaking and agriculture.”

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“My goal is to get new people involved with giving speeches, showing livestock and many other competitions that are available,” Logsdon said. “ These activities not only better the chapter, but they better the people involved with it.”

In comparison to many of her classmates, Logsdon has discovered her vocation and passions at an early age.

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Senior Logsdon takes her role as a president of FFA with tremendous responsibility.

“After graduation, I plan on attending Oklahoma State University,” Logsdon said. “I want to study Elementary Education along with a minor in Agricultural Communications.”

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The Big House: It's Who We Are. What's The Future?

By JOHN E. HOOVER Featured Columnist Ask someone from Cement or Dover or Hammon or Vanoss or Buffalo to meet you at Jim Norick Arena and they might ask you to text them the address.

But ask any resident of Oklahoma’s littlest hoops hamlets to meet you at The Big House, and they’ll ask you a different question: What time’s tipoff?

Oklahoma City’s State Fairgrounds Arena has become every bit as much embedded into our red dirt culture as Will Rogers, the Dust Bowl, OU-Texas, Indian Territory or the oil patch.

The Big House — er, sorry, it’s officially Jim Norick Arena, named after the late Oklahoma City mayor, in case you didn’t know — is part of our history. For anyone who grew up in smalltown Oklahoma, it’s part of our DNA.

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The 8,500-seat arena is part of who we are.

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That’s why, after 51 years of hosting Oklahoma’s best basketball — all due respect to the large-school titans in OKC and Tulsa and our fine college programs throughout the state and the Oklahoma City Thunder — it came as something of a shock to hear The Big House soon would be shuttered.

“It is a fact that they are going to build a new arena,” said David Jackson, executive director of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association. “I think that’s a pretty well established fact now in our conversations with the people out here (at State Fair Park). They think that in about six years, we will have another place to play.”

Let’s face it. The old round barn just ain’t what she used to be. Regular repairs, renovations and refurbishments have simply made it more cost effective to build a new arena to host not just high school basketball championships, but rodeos, livestock shows, car shows, ice shows, expos, conventions and more.

And while that new arena will have updated concessions, modern restrooms, bigger seats, brighter lights and hey, maybe even wifi, that won’t make it any easier to tear down The Big

House.

She is, after all, a part of Oklahoma’s history.

“Well, it means a lot to our students, especially, and their fans,” Jackson said. “The passion that those people have for playing in The Big House, we absolutely want to keep giving them that experience, and even make it better all the time.”

That’s the main reason why the OSSAA expanded The Big House’s semifinals schedule a few years back, so more Oklahomans could say they “made it to The Big House.”

The OSSAA’s current contract with State Fair Park runs through 2019 and is renewed every five years. By the end of the next contract, Jackson supposes, the new arena should be in place.

Jackson said the association is happy in its relationship with State Fair Park, which hasn’t given the OSSAA any reason to “look anywhere else” to stage its A/B and 2A/3A/4A state tournaments.

At the same time, it’s never wise to take anything for granted.

“That’s exactly right,” Jackson said. “And in doing so, when it gets close to time to re-up, I think they know that there are a lot of people that would love to start a new tradition that The Big House enjoys right now. I think they understand that. Or at least we help them understand that.

I get a sense that they don’t take it for granted, us being here and them needing to continue to try to make it a good event for us.”

Likewise, the OSSAA’s threeyear agreement to stage 5A/6A at the Mabee Center in Tulsa is strong — “ORU has established themselves as The Big House of 5A/6A, and

I think it’s gonna take a facility a ways to go to outbid them for that,” Jackson said — but, when the contract is up, there will be a bid.

“And if someone in the Oklahoma City area wins the bid,” he said, “we’ll bring it back.”

Jackson said he constantly hears stories from players’ parents or grandparents who played at The Big House generations past.

“They’ll come in groups from 30 or 40 years ago that won a state championship, and they’ll tell us they’re gonna bring their team here or something and we’ll do our best to recognize them, and they absolutely love it,” he said.

“We get those kinds of things all the time.”

Time marches on, but we’ll all miss The Big House.

SEMINOLE BASKETBALL

Seminole Basketball Raises Expectations

By Michael Kinney Led by Shemmario Stephens, Phalan Wolf and Kasen Clark, the Chieftains raised the bar winning 22 games and nearly making the playoffs. First year head coach Josh Edenborough reflects on the season and how they came so close to making the state tournament.

In his first season as the head boy’s basketball coach at Seminole, Josh Edenborough didn’t know what to expect. He was inheriting a squad that won only six games the year before and had only three seniors.

Despite that, Edenborough approached the season with the same fire and vigor as he has done throughout his career.

“I think overall I just brought energy. I just brought life,” Edenborough said. “I was able to relate well with our players. They bought into hard work and bought into expectations. And bought into believing we could do whatever we wanted as long as we set our mind to it.”

The Chieftains went from 6-18 to 22-7 and were on the doorsteps of making the playoffs.

“Overall the season was very successful,” Edenborough said. “We gave ourselves a chance to get to the state tournament and that’s all a coach can ask. I expected us to get better each game.”

Seminole lost to Tulsa Webster, 72-70 to close out their season. The fact they were even at

a point where they could see a postseason birth exceeded anything the team could have had early on.

“I thought we would be good. I didn’t know how good we could be,” Edenborough said. “But we turned into a cohesive unit and got better and better each game. The more we played the harder we fought and the better we figured it out. But my expectations were high. I didn’t know how high to set the bar since it was my first year.”

Edenborough said the turning point came around the start of 2017 when they went on the road for a tournament.

“I think we started to believe it was at the Stroud tournament,” Edenborough said. “We battled through some injuries in the first part of the year. Three of my key players missed multiple games with injuries to start off the year. We go to the Stroud Tournament and see a really good OCS squad. And just found a way to win. After that, we just kind of got it and figured it out.”

The Chieftains relied most of the season on players such as Shemmario Stephens, Phalan Wolf and Kasen Clark.

Stephens led the team in scoring and rebounding. He leads a strong contingent of players back next year that will want to do even more than this year.

“I am returning 90 percent of my offense. I return most of my key guys,” Edenborough said.

“I think we set an expectations. We raised the bar. It’s Seminole basketball expectations to play big games late in the season. It’s our standard now. We’re going to play big games.

That playoff run really opened some eyes in my younger players. It made them hungrier.

They want it. They want to be talked about and they want to be good.”

Expand Your Mind.

Change Your World.

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Seminole, OK 405-382-9950 www.sscok.edu

-Quality Education cto rs -Outstanding Instru on -Convenient Locati n -Affo rdable Tuit io

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S H A W N E E AC A D E M I C A T H L E T E

Josh Gentry - Shawnee Golf Introduced to golf at a young age by his father Josh Gentry grew up watching PGA tournaments on Sunday’s and his interest in the sport continued to grow.

Golf has a way of teaching you life lessons on the course. For Gentry it was something his coach said that stuck.

“As my coach Joe Tompkins told me, "The game owes you nothing.” You have to grind hard and focus on the correct material; and I think that can be applied to life,” said Gentry.

That approach to life has Gentry pushed for greatness not just on the course, but in the classroom. He currently carries a 3.8 grade point average and is involved in National Honor Society. History is his favorite subject at Shawnee High School and after graduation Gentry will have the opportunity to continue his studies at the next level.

“My main goal since I started the game was to play golf at the college level and I can't wait to get on campus at Rogers

State University in the fall,” said Gentry.

“Furthering my education is really important to me and I'm glad I have the opportunity. I have not yet decided what my field of study will be yet.”

As in most sports, the sport of golf can humble a person. For Gentry keeping the integrity of the game is of upmost importance.

“Integrity on the golf course is important because there's not always someone watching. Golf is an emotional game and you have to be able to control yourself.

Especially if you want to play at the college level,” said Gentry.

One of his favorite places to play is in Ardmore because it challenges a player and Gentry loves to be challenged.

“Dornick Hills in Ardmore is definitely my favorite course. The layout is challenging and will make you think.

It can really test a players shot making skills and creative abilities; I enjoy that kind of stuff,” said Gentry.

For his commitment to Shawnee High School, his education and to his team, Josh Gentry is the Shawnee Academic Athlete of the Month.

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"Congratulations on an amazing season!

We are proud of you!"

basketball

baseball

softball

OKLAHOMA NATIVE

basketball

baseball

softball

ALL-STATE Congratulations Wolves and Lady Wolves an AWESOME 2017 season!

Josh Nichols, Bacone College – (918) 360-8619 • Patrick Moore, Riverside Indian School – (405) 933-1710

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June 16-17, 2017 Bacone College Muskogee, OK

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MARCH 2017 VYPEOK.COM

June 16-17, 2017 Bacone College Muskogee, OK

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oknativeallstate@gmail.com

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ALL-STATE

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OKC AREA BASEBALL

Shawnee Wolves Baseball HC – Todd Boyer

2016 Record: 30-7

Pitching may be the strength for the Wolves this season as head coach Todd Boyer is looking for someone to step up and take the reigns of a couple of key position in the infield and outfield.

Senior outfielder and pitcher Eli Davis will lead the way this season. The lefthanded thrower recorded an amazing 112 strikeouts in 75 innings pitched and finished with an ERA

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“We’re excited about the upcoming season with seven full time starters returning. We must fill two vital slots at shortstop and centerfield. We return our top two pitchers as well. We will have to show up ready to compete at a high level everyday to meet the challenges that we will encounter during our district play,” said coach Boyer.

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Jake Taylor

of .65. Davis was 10-1 last year making him one of, if not the top pitcher in the state. He also hit for .392 with 26 RBI’s.

Davis has signed with Kansas. Fellow senior AJ Barron was 6-2 from the bump with 41 strikeouts to his credit.

The infielder/pitcher is a versatile player with a lively bat. Barron carried a .302 batting average with 32 hits, scoring 38 runs. Barron is headed to Seminole State next season.

If it’s offense you love then look no further than catcher Jake Taylor. The Oklahoma State signee hit for .449 with 38 RBI’s on 53 hits and scored 33 runs. Taylor will play catcher, but has the range to play 3B or pitch. Kade Self (Jr.) is another catcher in the lineup for coach Boyer. Self, like Taylor, can play 3B or bounce to 1B. Self, another strong player at the plate, hit for an average of .425 with 51 hits and 36 RBI’s. Self also blasted three homeruns.

The hits keep coming with Tanner Sparks. Sparks, an infielder/ pitcher, hit for .418 with 51 hits with 18 doubles. As a pitcher Sparks carried an ERA of .98 and went 11-3 on the season with 87 strikeouts in 71.2 innings pitched. Sparks signed with Oklahoma State University.

The outfield shakes out with two seniors and a sophomore.

Tanner Sp a

rks

Talon Phillips and Saul Villegas are joined by sophomore Jacob Hill in the outfield.

Both Hill and Phillips could also see time on the mound.

A pair of seniors will see time at 1B. Cole Payne had a bating average of .307 last season with 31 hits and 27 RBI’s.

Payne and lefty Josh Kasterke give coach Boyer two solid first basemen.

The two-time defending state champions are looking for that elusive threepeat. Carl Albert did it from 2012-2014, but before that a three-peat had never been achieved in Class 5A. Assistant coaches include Aaron Williams, Drew Sawyer and Brayle Brown.

Photos Courtesy of Twitter @shawneewolvesbb

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