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Waurika
Friday, March 29, 2024
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Waurika to Face Laverne for Rematch

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Waurika will continue its playoff march tomorrow night when they travel to Laverne for a third-round Class B post-season clash.

The Eagles advanced last week with a 58-36 victory over Southwest Covenant, while the Tigers had its game with Seiling canceled when Seiling could not field enough players for the game because of Covid-19.

 The two teams met in the second game of the regular season at Waurika and the Tigers handed the Eagles a 42-18 defeat.

In that contest the Eagles scored first, but Laverne rattled off 42 straight points before Waurika got a couple of late scores to set the final margin.

The two teams have two common opponents. Both teams had big wins over Canton. Waurika dropped a 56-14 decision to Shattuck, but Laverne downed the Indians, 50-14, in the final game of the regular season.

Laverne has a host of talented juniors that make up the roster and they have turned in some impressive performances on the season with a powerful offensive and a stifling defense.

The Tigers have won seven straight games. Last week’s playoff game is considered a no contest and does not count in the win/loss records.

Waurika continues to experience an up-and-down season and last weekend’s big win over Southwest Covenant was an example of what the season has been like.

 The Eagles got off to a 16-0 lead, but allowed the Patriots to cut it to 16-8. A big second quarter gave Waurika another big lead, but the Patriots scored 20 straight points to narrow the game to two scores early in the fourth quarter.

The 2020 season for the Eagles was disrupted twice with cancelations plus Waurika scheduled Laverne and Shattuck – both traditional eight-man powerhouses – for non-district games.

The Eagles struggled in one district game – the 28-22 overtime loss to district champion Empire.

Waurika came back with a big district win over Snyder and after a week off with a first-round bye picked up the playoff win over Southwest Covenant.

The winner of Friday’s contest with Laverne will advance to the Class B quarterfinals and face the winner of Summit Christian and Davenport.

Waurika and Tipton are the only remaining teams from District B-3 in the third round of the playoffs. Empire was eliminated by Alex and Snyder fell in an overtime thriller to Velma-Alma.

Laverne’s most famous alumni is not an outstanding athlete. Jane Jayroe was a Laverne graduate and was the 1967 Miss America. She worked in television news for two Oklahoma City stations and continues to be an ambassador for the state of Oklahoma.

Here’s a brief look at this week’s playoff game:

Laverne at Waurika

Time and Place: Friday at 7 p.m. at Laverne High School Stadium

How to Get There: Take US 81 North to El Reno; Take I-40 West to the US 281 Spur toward Geary and Watonga; at Geary take US 270 to Watonga, Seiling and Woodward; Continue on 270 and turn north on US 283 to Laverne. Allow about four and half hours driving time.

Records: Laverne is 7-1, while Waurika is 6-3.

Coaches: Tanner Woods is in his second season as the coach of the Tigers. He has compiled an 17-4 mark and has led the team to the playoffs in both seasons. Joe Allen is in his third season at the helm of the Eagles. Under Allen the Eagles have  a 27-6 mark.

Series History: Laverne won the only meeting between the two schools earlier this season.

Playoff History: Laverne is making is 43rd appearance in the playoffs and a 15th straight appearance. The Tigers have made the playoffs every year of eight-man play which began in 2006. Laverne has won three state titles and finished as the state runner up three other times – all in eight-man play. Laverne made three semifinal appearances between 1945 and 1958. The Tigers own a 48-39 mark in all playoff games and are 33-11 in eight-man playoff games.

Waurika is making its 30th appearance in the playoffs and the sixth since joining the eight-man ranks. Waurika is 30-26-2 in all playoff games. The 1951 Eagles won the state title and Waurika has five other semifinal appearances – all in 11-man play. Since entering eight-man play in 2012 the Eagles are 5-5 in all playoff games. Waurika is making its sixth straight appearance in the playoffs.

Team Capsules: Laverne is putting together another impressive season. The Tigers lost the season opener to Cherokee but have reeled off seven straight victories including an impressive 50-12 victory over Shattuck that ended the Indians’ long winning streak. The Eagles will have to figure out a way to stop Houston Bockelman, who ran for 230 yards on just 13 carries against the Eagles in the regular season meeting. He had touchdown runs of 32, 55, 33 and 40 yards against Waurika in the earlier meeting. The Eagles will also try to figure out the Laverne defense which has given up no more than two touchdowns to an opponent since the early-season meeting with Waurika and the opener against Cherokee

The Eagles played admirably last week without Torrez, but went through stretches of the game against Southwest Covenant where the team seemed to be disengaged. Kevin Garcia responded to the challenge of filling in at quarterback for the Eagles and rushed for 178 yards and was effective through the air by completing five of eight passes for 99 yards. Waurika continues to rely on a strong running game that is helped along by a consistent offensive line of Angel Garcia, Bowden Forsyth and Bobby Aldape. Slade Cathey adds to the offensive line from the tight end position. The defense continues to improve, despite giving up 36 points to a talented Southwest Covenant team in the first round of the playoffs.

Outlook: The Eagles will have to play an error-free game and be able to corral the Tiger offense that is averaging over 47 points a game. If the Eagles can accomplish this against Laverne, they should have the opportunity to move into the quarterfinals. However, this will prove to be the toughest challenge of the season for the Eagles as they face an improved Laverne squad from the one they faced early in the regular season.

2020 Laverne Season Results

Cherokee 28, Laverne 20

Laverne 42, Waurika 18

Laverne 50, Pioneer 14

Laverne 58, Balko12

Laverne 46, Seiling 0

Laverne 52, Canton 6

Laverne 56, Turpin 0

Laverne 50, Shattuck 16

Waurika Hoops Look To Build on 2020 Successes

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Waurika High School is scheduled to begin the 2020-2021 basketball season Friday night when they travel to Geronimo for a doubleheader.

The girls’ game is set to begin at 6:30 p.m., while the boys will tip at the conclusion of the girls’ game.

Both girls’ coach Kalee Baxter and boys’ mentor Garret Bachand are optimistic about the upcoming seasons after seeing success during 2020.

The Lady Eagles finished with a mark of 15-11 in 2020 and the season ended in the regional tournament.

The Eagles had a 13-11 mark in 2020 and it was the most wins since the 2012 season.

Every game on the Waurika schedule will have meaning as they are playing only Southern Eight and Oil Field Conference foes during the regular season.

Both teams will also compete in three invitational tournaments at Chattanooga, Marlow and Rush Springs.

Bachand conducted his first practices of the season this week and the starting lineup will feature four returning starters and a bit of depth that will have to transition quickly from the gridiron to the hardwood.

Three of the returnees are seniors giving the Eagles an experienced squad for the first time in a few years.

Kevin Garcia and Cache Dunn – both seniors – figure to play a big role.

Dunn was an honorable mention selection on the Southern Eight Conference all-conference squad last year and led the Eagles in rebounding.

Garcia will be counted on to provide leadership to the team – much like he did throughout the recently completed grid season for the Eagles.

Another senior and starter a year ago, Bowden Forsyth, will give the Eagles a big presence on the inside and will be counted on to have an impact on both ends of the court.

Treyton Torrez, who was a starter as a freshman, led the team in scoring and will be counted on for point production throughout the season. Torrez was an all-conference selection by the Southern Eight Conference and the Oil Field Conference in 2020.

Torrez averaged almost 18 points a game for the Eagles a year ago.

“I don’t want to leave Cache and Kevin off the scoring list,” said Bachand. “I think either one is due for some explosive scoring nights – especially with their talent and experience.”

The other starting spot may be up for grabs according to Bachand, who will be in his second season as the head coach of the Eagles.

The other starting spot may be up for grabs according to Bachand, who will be in his second season as the head coach of the Eagles.

Matt Arriolla, Tre Horne, Dylan Brown and Mason Houston will likely battle for the remaining spot.

Arriolla will likely challenge Dunn for top honors on the boards and will be a force inside.

Houston gave the Eagles a boost on offense during summer league play and he will also provide a strong presence on the board and on defense.

“We plan on using our speed to open things up for transition and our outside scoring,” said Bachand when identifying some of the projected strengths of this year’s squad. “We will need to see our rebounding and low post defense improve for us to be successful.”

Bachand hopes the Eagles can produce another winning season and if they do it will be the first back-to-back winning seasons in basketball since the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

“We have an experienced group that can compete every night and I think they will give our team a chance to win both conferences,” added Bachand.

The Eagles should battle Big Pasture for the Southern Eight Conference title and will face stiff competition from fourth-ranked Velma-Alma in the Oil Field Conference race.

Expectations for the Lady Eagles may be even higher than the male counterparts.

The Lady Eagles appeared in their fourth regional tourney in five seasons after making only three regional tourney appearances in the previous 15 years.

The Lady Eagles have managed to compile a winning record in six of the previous seven seasons and the outlook for 2021 is bright as all five starters return from last year’s team.

Leading the way will be the Southern Eight Conference’s defensive player of the year Asia Smith. Smith was also an Oil Field Conference selection.

Lexie Streeter returns and will provide some offensive punch for the Lady Eagles. She was a Southern Eight Conference all-conference pick last season.

“Streeter and Smith are going to be key aspects in our program,” said Baxter of the two top scorers for the Lady Eagles a year ago.

Tallin Mora, Gracie Walling and Faith Roberson are the other three returning starters for the Lady Eagles.

Roberson will be manning the point for the Lady Eagles.

“Faith has been doing an excellent job heading our offense,” added Baxter.

Mora, Liberti Simmons and Aubree Showalter will provide the Lady Eagles with offense from the outside, which will help open up the inside for Walling, Cassidy Berry and Alana Lewis.

Depth will be one of the strengths for the Lady Eagles.

 “Backing those girls will be a bench of players ready and able to help as well,” Baxter noted.

“We have so much talent and potential building off of the last few years of success,” Baxter said. “We are just excited to go compete hard every chance we get.”

The Lady Eagles should be the favorite in the Southern Eight Conference, but will have to contend with Class A’s 10th-ranked Velma-Alma Lady Comets for the Oil Field Conference title.

The Lady Eagles hope to contend for a district title – something that has eluded Waurika’s girls’ squads since 2017.

Waurika Basketball Schedule

December

8: at Geronimo; 10-12: at Chattanooga Tournament; 15: at Velma-Alma; 17: Grandfield; 18: at Big Pasture.

January

5: Wilson; 7-9: Black Diamond Tournament at Rush Springs; 12: at Ringling; 15: Empire; 18-23: Stephens County Tournament at Marlow; 26: Healdton; 29: Walters.

February

2: at Central High; 9: Elmore City-Pernell; 12-13: District Tournament.

Waurika Boys Capture Geronimo Title; Lady Eagles Earn Second

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It was a banner day last Saturday for the Waurika cross country teams as they competed in the first Geronimo Invitational cross country meet.

The meet was a relatively small one, but the Eagles and Lady Eagles left their mark on the rest of the field.

Waurika won the boys’ title with a total of 35 points – just in front of runner up Geronimo that had 41 points. Munday, Texas finished third with 53 points.

The Lady Eagles were runner up to Munday in the high school girls division. The Lady Moguls had 26 points, while Waurika finished with 36 points. Ryan was third with 71 points.

The Eagles had eight competitors in the meet and seven of them won medals.

Leading the way for the Eagles was Cache Dunn who earned top honors in the race with a tie of 19:26.3.

Kevin Garcia finished 11th with a time of 21:36.8 in the five kilometer race.

Gustavio Gomez earned 13th place with a time of 21:46.2 and he was followed closely by the Eagles’ Alex Gomez, who recorded a time of 21:47.0. Right behind was Octavio Gomez who was 15th with a time of 22:54.0.

Rounding out the medal winners were Trent Arellano and Isaac Camarillo. Arellano finished 17th with a tiem of 23:19.3, while Camarillo was 18th with a mark of 23:32.4.

Malachi Dodson also competed at Geronimo and was 27th with a time of 29:37.3.

Eight of the 11 runners for the Lady Eagles came home with hardware.

The top competitor at Geronimo for the Lady Eagles was Tallin Mora. Mora finished fifth with a time of 14:17.7.

Asia Smith also had a top 10 finish with a time of 14:32.8. Her time was good for seventh place.

Lexie Streeter finished 12th with a time of 15:08.4 over the 3,200-meter course.

Aubree Showalter was right behind with a time of 15:09.5, which gave her 13th place.

Jaci Gholson, who participated in her first meet of the season, was 18th with a time of 16:01.0.

Skylar Garrett earned a medal with a 19th-place finish. Her time for the day was 16:01.0.

Rounding out the medalists for the Lady Eagles was Brooklyn Barnes and Faith Roberson.

Barnes was 24th with a time of 17:18.4, while Roberson was right behind in 25th place with a time of 17:30.9.

Also competing for the Lady Eagles were Kaci Reynolds (30th, 20:29.7), Hope Cummings (32nd, 21:14.3) and Savana Ritter (33rd, 21:14.4).

Waurika’s junior high and elementary cross country squads did not compete at Geronimo.

The Eagles and Lady Eagles will be in action again tomorrow (Friday) when they will run at the Big Green soccer complex in the Cameron University Invitational in Lawton.

Cowgirl Harriers Finish Seventh In First Meet of the Season

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A pair of outstanding individual performances highlighted the first meet of the season for the Ryan cross country teams.

The Cowgirls posted a seventh-place finish in the Class 4A-2A division with two runners earning medals and another battling a nagging injury during competition at the Duncan Invitational last Saturday.

Photo by Shelley Villarreal

The Cowboys took only one runner – Mason Adsit. The sophomore runner, however, recorded his second best time of his career which was good for 78th place in the crowded field of competitors.

His time over the five-kilometer course was 23:19.83.

Alicen Williams and Jasmine Villerreal led the Cowgirls to the seventh place team finish and both runners earned medals in the highly competitive meet.

Photo by Shelley Villarreal

Williams recorded a personal best time over the two-mile course. Her time of 13:54.22 was good for 18th place overall.

Villarreal, running in her first meet at the high school level, finished in 24th place with a time of 14:29.55.

Lilybet Harmon, the Cowgirls’ top returning runner from last year’s regional title team, has been battling an injury, but she still managed to finish 34th in the meet with a time of 15:16.21.

Rounding out the performances for the Cowgirls were Katelynn Dabbs who finished 58th with a time of 18:05.22.

Libby Carter was 69th in the race with a time of 24:42.01. Carter is a recent addition to the Cowgirl squad and has had limited time conditioning for a cross country race.

Blanchard won the high school girls division meet with 46 points, while Merritt was second with 56 tallies. Ryan’s point total of 151 was seventh among the eight teams in the meet. A total of 70 high school girls competed in the meet.

Ryan will return to competition on Saturday when they travel to Geronimo for the first meet ever hosted by the school.

Duncan Invitational Junior High Results

Boys

9. Andrew Scott, 13:18.24; 12. Koble Lewis, 13;38.58

Girls

Merritt 47, Hollis 72, Comanche 90, Altus 108, Rush Springs 121, Blanchard 121, Duncan 184, Waurika 190, Ryan 226

41. Lilah Regehr, 13:55.68; 65. Harleigh Loftis, 15:54.40; 71. Lynnlee Tomberlin, 16:29.08; 80. Alyssa Harrison, 17:58.46; 82. Heather Poage,18:03.02; 89. Kayleigh Hodges, 20:29.52

Lady Eagle Softballers Extend Winning Streak to Three Games

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The Lady Eagles softball squad is putting together one of the best seasons in recent memory.

Waurika picked up a couple of victories last Thursday when Temple hosted the Lady Eagles and Geroimo.

Games that were scheduled for Monday against Frederick and Tuesday at Ryan were postponed because of rain.

The Lady Eagles and Frederick were in the second inning when rain and lightning halted the contest and after a delay another storm came through forcing the postponement.

Tuesday the Lady Eagles were set to take on Ryan, but additional rains overnight on Monday and Tuesday morning forced the game to be postponed.

In the first game last Thursday at Temple, Waurika held off Geronimo, 7-6. In the second contest, the Lady Eagles pounded Temple, 13-9.

The Lady Eagles are back on the diamond today with a contest at Grandfield.

The Lady Eagles will be on the road again Tuesday when they travel to Central High.

Next weekend the Lady Eagles will return to Temple for the Temple Invitational on Thursday and Saturday.

Waurika is 8-5 on the season heading into today’s game and just need one more win to equal the number of wins from the three previous seasons.

Waurika 13, Temple 9

The Lady Eagles used a 10-run third inning to build a big lead and held on for the win.

Temple scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on three hits, an error and a pair of stolen bases including a steal of home. This gave the Lady Tigers a 3-0 advantge.

The Lady Eagles came back in the top of the second with a pair of tallies.

A lead-off single and a stolen base by Gracie Walling helped get the uprising started.

Alana Lewis followed with an RBI-double and she scored on Riley Howell’s run-scoring single. This trimmed the Temple lead to 3-2.

In the top of the third the Lady Eagles sent 16 players to the plate.

Aubree Showalter and Faith Roberson led off the inning with infield singles and scored on Walling’s double.

Lewis had another infield single and she scored on a single by Hope Cummings. Howell walked and Grace Hill produced a two-run single.

Faith Hill walked and eventually stole home to increase the lead to 10-3.

After two were out Roberson and Landry Forsyth came up with infield hits. Walling walked to load the bases and the back-to-back walks by Lewis and Cummings produced the final two runs of the inning that put the Lady Eagles in front, 12-3.

Temple answered with a four-run rally of their own in the bottom of third that narrowed the gap to 12-7.

The Lady Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to close the gap to 12-9.

The Lady Eagles added a run in the top of the fifth inning as Lewis drove in Roberson with a two-base hit.

The Tigers put the lead off runner on in the bottom of the fifth, but the next three batters were retired to end the game.

Eight Waurika batters had at least one hit in the game.

Walling and Lewis led the way with 3-for-3 performances.

Lewis had three runs batted in and Walling and G. Hill each had a pair of runs batted in.

Waurika 7, Geronimo 6

Waurika had a seven-run rally in the third inning and made it stand up in picking up the win against the conference tournament champion Lady Bluejays.

Geronimo got out on top with a three-run surge in the bottom of the first inning.

Two walks, a pair of fielder’s choices and an error led to the three runs.

In the top of the third inning Faith Hill led off with a single. Aubree Showalter singles and Faith Roberson reached on an error to load the bases.

Landry Forsyth picked up an RBI-single and Gracie Walling cleared the bases with a three-run triple.

Alana Lewis followed with a run-scoring double and she scored on an error that led Hope Cummings to reach base.

Grace Hill came up with a big two-run single to center field to close out the scoring and giving the Lady Eagles a 7-3 advantage.

Geronimo picked up a run in the bottom of the third after an error and an RBI-single to trim the LadyEagles’ lead to 7-4.

There was no more scoring until the bottom of the fifth inning. Geronimo led off with a single and the runner scored on a ground out to put the score at 7-5.

A two-bagger produced another run, but the Lady Bluejays could do no more damage.

Forsyth was the big hitter for the Lady Eagles as she went 3-for-3 at the plate and had an RBI. Lewis was 2-for-3 with a run batted in. Walling finished with three runs batted in.

Big Plays Enable Waurika to Earn First Grid Win of the Season

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 Waurika rebounded from its season opening loss to Laverne in convincing fashion with a 54-6 victory over Wilson last Friday night at Wilson.

The Eagles hit the road again tomorrow night (Friday) when they face Class B’s top-ranked Shattuck Indians. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Indians, 3-0, have defeated Tipton, Destiny Christian and fourth-ranked Cherokee.

 Waurika really had little resistance for the Eagles from Carter County as Waurika was able to score on big play after big play in the contest that ended with nine minutes left in the third quarter.

Waurika opened the scoring when Treyton Torrez found Octavio Gomez for a 12-yard completion. Kevin Garcia ran for the two points and with 9:08 left in the initial quarter, Waurika led, 8-0.

Wilson answered with its only score of the night. Michael Whatley caught a 24-yard scoring pass from Michel Cain. Waurika stopped the two-point conversion and with 3:19 showing on the first quarter clock, Waurika held a 16-6 advantage.

On the next possession, Torrez got his first touchdown of the night on a 57-yard run. The Waurika quarterback also ran for the two points and with 3:19 left in the quarter, Waurika led, 24-6.

Waurika added a pair of scores in the second quarter.

Garcia scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 19-yard run and he added the two-point conversion to put Waurika in front, 32-6, with 9:44 left before intermission.

Torrez scored again – this time on a one-yard plunge. Trent Arellano added the two point conversion and Waurika was in front, 40-6, with 6:02 before halftime.

Angel Garcia started the second half with a 40-yard kickoff return that gave Waurika tremendous field position.

K. Garcia picked up the touchdown on first down from 27 yards out and after Torrez ran for the two points, Waurika was in command with a 48-6 advantage.

Matt Arriola closed out the scoring for Waurika with a 19-yard jaunt at the nine minute mark that ended the game because of the 45-point mercy rule.

Torrez led the Eagles in rushing with 170 yards on just 13 carries. K. Garcia was also over 100 yards for the night with 108 paces on just six carries.

EAGLE FLIGHTS: This was the 77th meeting between Waurika and Wilson and Waurika leads the series, 54-20-3….It is possible they two schools meet in the two years where a complete schedule is unavailable…Waurika has now won five games in a row against Wilson. The third longest winning streak in the series that dates back to the first meeting in 1921….The 54 points score by Waurika is the fourth highest total in the series with last year’s total of 62 being the top scoring mark against Wilson….The upcoming contest with Shattuck will be the second meeting in school history with the Indians taking a 25-8 victory in a 1988 playoff game.

 Game In Figures

                                    WAU          WIL

First Downs               7                7

Yards Rushing         29-351     21-31

Yards Passing          66              56

Passes                       7-12          9-14

Passes Int. by          2                0

Fumbles Lost           0                2

Punts                          0-0            0-0

Penalties                   9-70          7-35

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Waurika   24              16              14              x—54

Wilson      6                0                0                x—6

                  First Quarter

WAURIKA – Octavio Gomez 12 pass from Treyton Torrez (Kevin Garcia run), 9:08

WAURIKA – Garcia 54 run (Torrez run), 5:49

WILSON – Michael Whatley 21 pass from Michel Cain (run failed),3:36

WAURIKA – Torrez 57 run (Torrez run), 3:19

                  Second Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 19 run (Garcia run), 9:44

WAURIKA – Torrez 1 run (Trent Arellano run), 6:02

                  Third Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 27 run (Torrez run), 11:41

WAURIKA – Matt Arriola 19 run (no try), 9:00

                  INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

WAURIKA: Rushing – Treyton Torrez 13-170, Kevin Garcia 6-108, Gabe Jenkins 5-27, Matt Arriola 2-26, Trent Arellano 3-20; Passing – Torrez 7-1-66-0; Receiving – Garcia 7-66, Octavio Gomez 1-12, Jenkins 1-0.

Waurika Gridders Are Gunning For Third Straight District Title in 2020

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Coming off back-to-back double-digit win seasons the 2020 edition of the Waurika Eagle football squad will be facing somewhat of a rebuilding task and a more daunting schedule.

Waurika has three games on the schedule that feature teams that have won state titles within the past five years – a couple of them have more than one gold ball in that time.

And, the Eagles will be competing in District B-3 with three new district foes – all of which were playoff teams a year ago.

Waurika will open the 2020 football season Friday night as they host old rival Grandfield on Norman West Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

While the Eagles lost a number of contributors to the success of the team the past two years, the squad is not devoid of plenty of talent that it will take to put together another successful season.

For the first time in a number of years there will be someone not named Mora at the quarterback position.

Sophomore Treyton Torrez will be directing the Eagle offense in 2020.

“Treyton is explosive out of the backfield and has been impressive so far,” said head coach Joe Allen, who begins his third season at the helm of the Eagles.

“He (Treyton) is always wanting to figure things out and asking questions,” Allen added about the sophomore quarterback. “He is a natural leader for us at quarterback.”

The top offensive returning starter for the Eagles is running back Kevin Garcia.

Garcia has been a mainstay in the Eagle backfield the past couple of years and in 2019 rushed for 1,187 yards a year ago.

Garcia was also impressive as a receiver from his jet sweep spot in the offense.  He also returned two kickoffs for scores a year ago.

“I really like to get him (Garcia) out in space and that is where he is more effective,” Allen noted about the 2019 all-district back.

Waurika will have plenty of talent at the receiver positions. Octavio Gomez will get the start at tight end for a few games after Houston Scott suffered an injury.

Mason Houston will be the wide receiver for the Eagles and Trent Arellano will back up Garcia.

Gabe Jenkins and Matt Arriola will see action at the tailback position for the Eagles.

“We have more skill position kids this year than the previous two years at Waurika,” Allen said. “We are two deep and there is not much of a drop off at those positions.”

The defense for the Eagles is loaded with talent and experience.

Slade Cathey and Arriola will join newcomer Cory Sampson along the defensive line that will be tough to penetrate for most Eagle opponents this season.

Arellano and Jenkins will be the linebackers and Torrez, Garcia and Houston will roam the secondary for the Eagles.

Jenkins collected 68 tackles as a sophomore last season

Gomez will see action at both cornerback and linebacker to give some relief for the starts.

The Eagles have 23 players on the roster and will have the luxury of having depth to face the challenging schedule ahead.

“We scheduled these teams to give our kids a sense of where we need to be,” Allen said. “We will find out early what it takes to be in the spot of a true contender.”

Waurika’s district for the next two seasons will be a bit tougher than the past couple of years. Tipton moved up from Class C where they have been a dominant team the past few years. Snyder joined the district and they have made a playoff appearance the past two seasons.

Waurika is tabbed as the runner up behind district favorite Snyder which would mean a home playoff berth in the first round of the playoffs.

The Eagles’ final tune up scrimmage slated for last Friday against Thackerville was cancelled because of the COVID-19 virus outbreak in Love County schools including Thackerville.

If the Eagles can stay healthy throughout the season, they could be equipped to make a deeper run in the playoffs than the past two seasons – even if the win-loss ledger is not as good.

Here’s a preview of the Waurika opponents for 2020:

Grandfield

Coach: Darren Lamar, 3rd year (4-15)

Preseason Ranking: Not ranked; 7th or 5th in District C-2

Last Year’s Record: 3-7

Last Playoff Appearance: 2017, lost to Tyrone, 76-30 in first round of Class C playoffs.

Last Meeting: Waurika 64, Grandfield 0, in 2019

First Meeting: Grandfield 9, Waurika 3, in 1922

Series Record: Series is tied at 19-19-3

BEARCAT BEAT: The Bearcats are like a lot of Class C eight-man schools in that they are fighting a numbers game. The Bearcat offense will be led by junior quarterback Ethan Hammer. At running back, Blake Houston returns to provide a threat any time he touches the ball. Grandfield returns four starters on the defensive side of the ball. The 2020 squad overall will be young and inexperienced and it looks like the string of losing seasons may continue for the Bearcats that currently have 12 players on their roster.

Laverne

Coach: Tanner Woods, 2nd year (9-3)

Last Year’s Record: 9-3

Preseason Ranking: Class B: VYPE (4th); The Tulsa World (2nd); The Daily Oklahoman (8th); 2nd in District B-1.

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Alex, 44-30 in second round of Class B playoffs.

Series Record: These two schools have never met in football

Zero Week Result: lost to Cherokee, 28-20

TIGER TARGETS: Laverne will make the long drive from northwest Oklahoma to south central Oklahoma after posting back-to-back 9-3 seasons. The Tigers have been a contender in Class B for a number of years and won a state title in 2016 with a 15-0 record. Laverne also won state championships in 2012 and 2013 and over the past seven seasons has won 81 games while losing only 11 contests. The Tigers return seven starters on offensive side of the ball. Peyton Freeman returns to direct the offense at the quarterback position and the junior compiled 886 yards rushing a year ago and passed for 843 yards on just 47 completions. Overall the Tigers are loaded with talented returnees – most of whom are juniors – and will present a tremendous challenge for the Eagles in the second game of the season.

at Wilson

Coach: Kenny Ridley, 3rd year (14-6)

Last Year’s Record: 8-2

Preseason Ranking: Competing as an independent this year

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Snyder, 64-18, in the first round of the Class B playoffs.

Last Meeting: Waurika 62, Wilson 34 in 2019

First Meeting: Wilson 14, Waurika 0, in 1921

Series Record: Waurika leads, 52-20-3, in known results

Zero Week Result: defeated Cyril, 56-32

EAGLE FLIGHTS: Wilson will try to repeat the success of last season, but they have chosen to go to independent status for the next two years which means they will not compete for post-season play. For Wilson to have success in 2020 they will depend on some younger players that played behind the experienced players from the past two seasons. The top returnee is Tre Richardson a senior lineman that will anchor both the offensive and defensive lines. Two sophomores – Caylen Fulton and John Gunter – will be counted on to provide an offensive threat. The Eagles are entering the season with great enthusiasm and attitude, but will have to overcome the inexperience that will dot the lineup for the squad.

at Shattuck

Coach: Craig Hixon, 2nd year (14-0)

Last Year’s Record: 14-0, Class B State Champions

Preseason Ranking: Class B: VYPE (2nd); The Tulsa World (1st); The Daily Oklahoma (1st); 1st in District B-1.

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, defeated Regent Prep, 25-19, in Class B state finals.

Last Meeting: Waurika 25, Shattuck 8 in 1988 Class B quarterfinals (11-man)

First Meeting: Waurika 25, Shattuck 8 in 1988

Series Record: Waurika leads 1-0

Zero Week Result: defeated Tipton, 46-0

INDIAN NOTES: The fourth week of the season will provide another stern test for the Eagles as they travel to northwest Oklahoma to face the three-time state champion Indians. The program has dominated eight-man football in the 21st century winning six straight titles from 2003 to 2008 and have won 11 titles overall since 2003. The first state championship won by Shattuck came in 1991 when the Indians downed Ringling, 18-0, for the Class A crown. The Indians will put a strong and experienced offensive and defensive line on the field, but will also future a great deal of talent in the skilled positions on offense. Jayden Frazier is a 6-1, 185-pound senior running back that will benefit from the bulky offensive line. Coaches believe Frazier could play at the next level. As the Eagles draw near to district play this game will provide a gauge on how much progress the team has made.

Canton

Coach: Caleb Howell, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 4-6

Preseason Ranking: Unranked; 6th in District B-1

Last Playoff Appearance: 2009, lost to Garber, 50-2, in Class B state finals

Series Record: These two teams have never met in football

Zero Week Results: defeated Okeene, 20-0

TIGER TALES: Canton has fallen on hard times over the past few seasons, but last year’s record was the best the Tigers have done since posting a 4-6 mark in 2012. Canton does return seven starters from the 2019 squad and four of those players are seniors giving the Tigers a boat load of experience. Seth Bromlow is a four-year starter that will play tailback, fullback and tight end and he will also be a ringleader on defense from the linebacker position. This game could give the Eagles some confidence as they head into the district season.

Cyril

Coach: John Williamson, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 5-6

Preseason Ranking: Unranked; 5th or 4th in District B-3

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Waurika, 54-6, in the first round of the Class B playoffs

Last Meeting: Waurika 54, Cyril 6, in 2019

First Meeting: Cyril 56, Waurika 28 in 2012

Series Record: Series is tied at 4-4

Zero Week Result: lost to Wilson, 56-32

PIRATE PREVIEW: Cyril made its fourth straight playoff appearance last season and for the last several years the Pirates have been competitive. The Pirates return four offensive starters including sophomore quarterback Kole Carlson who threw for 1,267 yards a year ago. Up front the Pirates will feature a mixture of youth an experience s they will start one senior, one junior and two sophomores. This will be the first district test of the 2020 season for the Eagles and after a blowout loss to Waurika in the 2019 playoffs, the Pirates will be looking for some measure of revenge.

at Central High

Coach: Gerald White, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 4-6

Preseason Ranking: Not Ranked; 6th in District B-3

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Burns Flat-Dill City, 54-6, in first round of Class B playoffs.

Last Meeting: Waurika 60, Central High 0, in 2019

First Meeting: Central High 50, Waurika 22 in 2012

Series Record: Series is tied at 3-3

Zero Week Result: defeated Paoli, 48-12

BRONCHO BITES: The last few seasons have been a struggle for the Bronchos as they have bounced between 11-man and eight-man football, but optimism is high in the Central High camp after they hired Tipton assistant Gerald White to man the sidelines at Central High for 2020. Ryan Minden returns from last year’s playoff team for the Bronchos and he will see action at tailback and receiver. Dylan Hargrove, a four-year starter for Central High, will be anchoring the offensive line and he will be counted on to provide leadership to some of the younger members of the 2020 team. Sean Klein, a 6-0, 280-pound senior, is another lineman that will give the Bronchos experience along the line on both sides of the ball. The Eagles cannot afford to look past Central High as they enter the closing stretch of the district schedule that features the three playoff contenders.

at Empire

Coach: Brant Hayes, 2nd Year (4-7)

Last Year’s Record: 4-7

Preseason Ranking: Unranked; 4th or 5th in District B-3

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Alex, 52-6, in first round of Class B playoffs.

Last Meeting: Waurika 56, Empire 22, in 2019

First Meeting: Waurika 48, Empire 0, in 1974

Series Record: Waurika leads, 22-11

Zero Week Result: defeated Wellston, 66-20

BULLDOG BARKING: Empire returns seven starters on offense and the plan is to use an up tempo offense for the 2020 season. Mitchel Monteith returns to guide the Bulldog offense at quarterback. Monteith passed for over 1,500 yards a year ago. Kaden Pekah will be the key cog along the defensive line for the Bulldogs after recording 48 tackles a year ago. Santos Benitez also returns along the defensive line and he was the leading tackler for Empire a year ago.

vs. Tipton

Coach: Travis White, 7th year (69-10)

Last Year’s Record: 9-3

Preseason Ranking: Class B: VYPE (unranked); The Tulsa World (8th); The Daily Oklahoman (12th); 3rd in District B-3

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Waynoka, 72-48, in Class C semifinals

Last Meeting: Waurika 29, Tipton 0 in 1989

First Meeting: Waurika 50, Tipton 0 in 1935

Series Record: Waurika leads, 7-2

Zero Week Result: lost to Shattuck, 46-0

TIGER TALK: Tipton will be looking to make its 14th straight playoff appearance but will have to do so in Class B instead of Class C were Tipton has been competing for the majority of those years. The Tigers have seven state titles in school history and five of those championships have come in the past eight years. For 2020, the Tigers will depend on a big and experienced offensive line and the experience of senior signal-caller Tayler Waugh who threw for 512 yards and 10 touchdowns last year. Defensively, the Tigers will be led by senior defensive end Trey Mains who had 48 tackles and three sacks last season. The move to Class B may present some challenges for the Tigers early in the season but by the time they head to Cy Sloan Stadium, Tipton will provide a stiff challenge for the Eagles.

Snyder

Coach: Joe Garrison, 4th year (27-9)

Last Year’s Record: 8-4

Preseason Ranking: Class B: VYPE (8th); The Daily Oklahoman (10th)

Last Playoff Appearance: 2019, lost to Cherokee, 52-6, in the second round of the Class B playoffs

Last Meeting: Snyder 22, Waurika 20, in 2019

First Meeting: Waurika 23, Snyder 8, in 1982

Series Record: Snyder leads, 6-3.

Zero Week Result: defeated Corn Bible Academy, 52-6

CYCLONE COMMENTARY: The Cyclones nipped the Eagles a year ago in a contest that saw Waurika commit eight turnovers in a two-point loss. A couple of the offensive performers that hurt the Eagles a year ago are back for the 2020 campaign for the Cyclones including veteran quarterback Ryan Kelley who rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns a year ago against the Eagles and threw for another 123 yards. Jervon Galvan returns at tailback for the Cyclones and he scored a touchdown and added a two-point conversion last year against Waurika. The Cyclones have size and experience up front on both sides of the ball as well and that is why they are tabbed as the district favorite for the upcoming season. The district title could come down to this final game as the Eagles will be after their third straight district crown.

District Basketball Tournaments Have Long History in Oklahoma

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 The district basketball tournament for high school girls’ and boys’ teams is the first step in the long process of competing for a state basketball championship in Oklahoma.

The Class A and B schools were able to complete that process this past March with the crowning of state champions, but the upper classes were not able to complete their state tourneys in Oklahoma City and Tulsa because the pandemic forced the cancellation of those events.

In today’s prep basketball world the district tournament is the first of three steps to earning a spot in the state tournament each year for classes B through 4A. The district tourney sends the champion and runner up to the regional tournament. From there teams compete to advance to the area tournament and ultimately the state tournament.

Today’s district tournaments are much smaller than the district frays held 40 to 60 years ago when district tournaments featured six to eight teams. Of course, there were more high schools in Oklahoma prior to 1970 than exist today.

District tournaments in Oklahoma were started in 1919 and the winners of those district tournaments were the qualifiers for the state tournament. There was one class for boys and one class for girls and only eight district tournaments.

A few years later the regional tournament was added and for a number of years a team had to win just two regional tournament games to qualify for state.

At some point regional tournaments had eight teams and a squad had to win three games to earn the state tourney berth.

The Jefferson County schools did not compete in a district tournament until 1922 when the Waurika boys sent a team to the district tourney.

Hastings, Terral and Addington sent teams over the next three seasons to compete in the district tournament.

The Terral, Ryan and Hastings girls were the first female squads to compete in a district tournament in 1929.

The first year for Ryan’s boys to compete in a district tournament was in 1929.

Irving boys, Hastings girls and Sugden’s boys and girls teams also entered district tournament play in 1929.

Claypool, Ringling and Union Valley’s boys’ teams first competed in a district tournament in 1931.

While most schools had a girls’ team compete in a district tournament at some point, nearly all Jefferson County schools went several years without a girls team entered in a district tournament.

Around 1948 all the Jefferson County schools did have girls teams competing in the district tournament.

 Ryan and Waurika have snared more district titles than any of the other schools, but they continue to compete in basketball today along with Ringling.

All the other high schools that existed around Jefferson County closed by about 1960.

The introduction of more than one class of basketball for boys and girls also had an impact on the success of the county teams.

All schools in Oklahoma competed in the same class until 1931 when two classes of boys basketball began. In 1980 there were six classes of boys’ basketball and since 1996 there have been seven classes that crown state champions.

Girls’ basketball in Oklahoma has undergone the biggest changes through the decades. Girls played six-on-six for many years.

There was only one class for girls up until 1950 when schools were divided into two classes. In 1964, three classes of play began.

In the 1980’s the larger schools in Oklahoma began to play five-on-five and in 1988 the first five-on-five champion was crowned.

The last six-on-six champions in Oklahoma were crowned in 1995 and Oklahoma was the last state to switch to five-on-five for all schools. From that point on, there have been seven classes in girls’ basketball.

Ryan, Waurika and Ringling were many times classified in a different class from the rest of the schools in the county.

There was a period of time that Waurika and Ringling were in a class above Ryan, but in the last few years all three schools have been in Class A.

Most often the county teams gathered for the district tournament at Waurika or Walters – especially in years prior to 1960. Ringling was the exception as they competed in a district tourney that was most often held at Healdton.

Once consolidation hit and several county schools closed the district tournament began to be held at schools that required more travel.

Since district tournaments are now over 100 years old this would be a good time to examine the history of the county high schools and their achievements in the basketball playoffs that began with a district tournament,

NEXT WEEK: The high school basketball playoff history of Waurika.

Waurika Sports Accomplishments in 2019-2020 Noted

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The story of high school sports at Waurika High School for the 2019-2020 school year will be forever incomplete.

The nationwide pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus forced schools across Oklahoma to close thus ending the spring sports at Waurika.

Despite the disappointing ending to the sports slate for the Eagles and Lady Eagles, the year produced some memorable moments and the accomplishments of the teams for the school year should be noted.

 The Lady Eagles’ fast-pitch softball team under the direction of first-year coach Everette Hodges was the first team to complete its season.

The Lady Eagles finished a disappointing 5-16 season and while the wins were few the team won more games than the previous two seasons combined.

The Lady Eagles softball squad did not have a senior on the team and the future looks bright.

Hope Cummings, Liberti Simmons and Landry Forsyth were Southern Eight Conference honorees.

The cross country season was a successful one for Waurika.

The Eagle squad finished ninth in the regional cross country meet and had two other top-five finishes in meets earlier in the year including the team title at the Healdton Invitational.

Kevin Garcia was the top runner for the Eagle harriers that were coached by Joe Masoner.

The Lady Eagle runners turned in an outstanding season. The squad finished fifth in the Class 2A State Cross Country Meet and were third in the regional meet hosted by Waurika.

The Lady Eagles had six other top-five finishes in meets at Duncan, Cameron University, Walters, Velma-Alma, Oklahoma Baptist University and Healdton.

Lexie Streeter and Tallin Mora were the top competitors for Coach Masoner’s squad and Asia Smith joined the squad late in the year and was the top Waurika runner at the regional and state meets.

Waurika’s football squad enjoyed a second straight outstanding season last fall.

Second-year coach Joe Allen led the Eagles to a 10-2 record and a second straight district title and fifth straight playoff appearance – the second longest streak in school history.

The Eagles ended the season with a tough 38-14 loss to Pioneer-Pleasant Vale in the second round of the Class B playoffs.

Waurika had advanced to the second round with a resounding 54-6 victory over Cyril in a contest that ended at halftime.

Only seven teams in school history have posted a better record than the 2019 squad.

Turner Mora was named the District B-4 player of the year and Jordan Watkins earned the defensive lineman of the year honors. Gabe Jenkins was named the district’s newcomer of the year.

Kevin Garcia, Brandon Forsyth, Payton Fletcher and Hunter Wesberry were also honored by being named to the all-district team.

Basketball took the limelight for the winter months with both the Lady Eagles and Eagles finishing the year with winning seasons.

For the Eagles the 13-11 mark was the first winning season since 2020 in coach Garret Bachand’s first year at the helm of the Eagle roundballers.

The Eagles were eliminated in the first round of the district tournament at Alex.

Treyton Torrez, a freshman, was the top scorer for the Eagles on the hardwood and he was named all-conference for both the Southern Eight and Oil Field conferences.

Coach Kalee Baxter led the Lady Eagles to a 15-11 mark in her third season directing Waurika girls’ basketball program.

The Lady Eagles fell in the district finals to Alex, but advanced in the consolation bracket to the regional tournament where they defeated Ringling, but fell to Binger-Oney in the consolation semifinals at Alex.

Asia Smith was named the defensive player of the year for the Southern Eight Conference and she led the Lady Eagles in scoring.

The Lady Eagles had no seniors on the squad and with a lot of experience and talent returning next year the expectations will be high.

The spring sports of baseball, boys and girls track and golf were unable to finish the season.

Coach Joe Allen was in his second year at the helm of the Eagle baseball squad and the team had managed a 2-2 mark in the early part of the scheduled.

The Eagles had games with Geronimo and a doubleheader with Frederick postponed before the season was abruptly halted.

The Eagles had won the first two games of the year and dropped the final two games played and almost half the squad was made up of seniors.

It was believed the Eagles will be in the running for the district title in 2020, but district pairings were still a month away from being announced when the season ended.

The track season had featured only one meet – the Velma-Alma Invitational.

The Eagles of coach Roger Jessie finished eighth in the meet with 34 points, while Coach Joe Masoner’s Lady Eagles also finished eighth with 26 points.

Tallin Mora won the long jump at the V-A meet.

The golf squad of coach Kalee Baxter had not begun competition before the interruption of the season.

Buffalo Storms Past Cowboys To End Ryan’s Grid Season

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It was a quick end to what has been a difficult season for the Ryan Cowboys last Friday night in northwest Oklahoma.

In the first-round playoff game at Buffalo, the Bison rolled to a 46-0 victory over the Cowboys in a contest that ended at the half.

The Cowboys were simply outmanned and the athleticism and quickness of the Bison was too much for Ryan to handle in a playoff game that was only made possible by the state athletic association allowing all schools to participate in the football playoffs because of numerous games not played this past season.

Photo by Sheree Hanson

Buffalo came into the game ranked in the top five in Class C in every poll and the Cowboys left town with a complete understanding of why they are worthy of those rankings with what is now a 9-1 mark heading into tomorrow’s contest with Boise City in the second round of the playoffs.

The Cowboys could not get anything going offensively as the Bison were part of the Ryan backfield throughout the contest.

And, the Cowboy defense was simply no match for the Bison’s explosive offense.

The Bison ran only 12 offensive plays over two quarters. They scored on six of those plays.

The Cowboys ran 30 plays on offense and produced only 29 total yards. Six of those offensive plays were punts.

After forcing a Ryan punt on the first possession of the game, the Bison took over at their own 26-yard line. Buffalo drove 74 yards in five plays and overcame two penalties for the first score of the game.

Photo by Sheree Hanson

Dalton Cosby finished off the drive from three yards out and Blaise Rogers ran for the two-point conversion giving Buffalo an 8-0 lead with 8:03 left in the first quarter.

The Cowboys were forced to punt again and after a short punt was returned 20 yards, Buffalo was beginning its second drive at the Ryan 20.

On the first play, Colton Eskew found Eli Alley for a 20-yard touchdown pass and catch. Kade Harlan ran for the two points and with 7:08 left in the first quarter Buffalo was in front, 16-0.

Ryan tried to respond and had one of its longest drives of the night following the kickoff. After picking up one first down the drive stalled and the Cowboys were forced to punt again.

Photo by Sheree Hanson

After a penalty on the punt return, the Bison drove 42 yards in just two plays with Harlan finishing the short drive on a 42-yard scamper. Blaise Rogers ran for the two points and Buffalo was in command, 24-0, with 1:08 showing in the first quarter.

Buffalo dominated the second quarter and at some point in the period a running clock was instituted. Buffalo scored on plays of 57, 23 and 80 yards to put the game out of reach during the second quarter.

The longest play from scrimmage for the Cowboys came on the next-to-last possession of the game as Racen Williams found Mason Adsit over the middle for a 30-yard completion that moved the Cowboys into Bison territory for the only time in the game.

After the final touchdown by the Bison – an 80-yard run by Harlan, the Cowboys’ Trey Bryant wrapped up the runner on the two-point conversion leaving the score at 46-0 with 3:02 left in the game.

The Bison ran only nine running plays over the two quarters and rolled up 242 yards rushing.

Two Ryan seniors played their final game of their high school career – Bryant and Clayton Applin. Grayson Tomberlin, another senior on the squad, missed the majority of the season with a knee injury.

COWBOY CORRAL: The Cowboys finished the season with a 1-10 mark and that is only the second time in 101 years of football Ryan has recorded 10 losses in a season….This was the eighth time in school history the Cowboys have finished a football season with only one win…The Cowboys are now 1-2 against the Bison and all three meetings have been in the playoffs….The minus-nine yards rushing ties a school record set earlier this year against Thackerville….This was the fifth time the Cowboys have lost a playoff game by the mercy rule….It was also the third shutout loss for the Cowboys in the playoffs in school history – the other two were losses to Balko and Central High….Ryan is now 24-28 in playoff games in school history and 23-27 since beginning eight-man play in 1978…In playoff games played on the road, the Cowboys are now 3-14 in school history….Buffalo’s last scoring play of 80 yards tied for the second longest scoring play by an opponent in the 2020 season….The Cowboys had previously given up two scoring plays of 90 yards against Thackerville and Geary.

Photo by Sheree Hanson

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