Waurika Rolls to First Round Playoff Win over Cyril

By

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November 16, 2018

It took a little longer than most of Waurika’s victories in the 2018 season, but the Eagles eventually came away with another 48-0 mercy-rule victory over Cyril last Friday night in the first round of the Class B playoffs.

The Eagles will host a second-round playoff game and will face Cherokee tomorrow night (Friday). Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the newly-named Norman West Field at Cy Sloan Stadium.

Waurika Head Coach Joe Allen
He has said in an interview that he is proud of the staff and how well they have worked together as well as the team.
Photo by Adam Brinson

The Eagles totally dominated the game especially on defense giving up only 40 total yards through just over three and half quarters of play before Waurika ended the game by the 45-point rule.

Waurika got the first break of the game when a fourth-down punt attempt went awry when the ball was snapped over the punter’s head.

The Eagles took possession at the Cyril 23 and in just two plays scored the first touchdown. Turner Mora covered the final 21 yards. Zac Brown ran for the two points give Waurika an 8-0 advantage with 9:51 left in the first quarter.

Gatlin Black and Edwin Garcia
Photo by Adam Brinson

The Pirates had snap issues on the next possession and Cyril was forced to punt after two bad snaps and a quarterback sack by Aaron Nitka.

The Eagles set up at their own 42 and marched the 58 yards in just three plays Waurika had its second score of the night.

Mora scooted down the left sideline and was tackled just inside the Cyril one for a 41-yard gain. Colton Bryant took the ball over the goal line on the next play to give Waurika a 14-0 lead with 7:17 showing on the first quarter clock.

After holding Cyril to another three-and-out, the Eagles started another drive at the Waurika 26. In just three plays the Eagles covered the 74 yards for another score. The big play of the drive was a 54-yard pass to Edwin Garcia that put the Eagles deep in Pirate territory.

Two plays later, Mora picked up a bad snap and walked into the end zone from seven yards out. The two-point conversion failed, but Waurika held a 20-0 lead with 4:09 still to play in the first quarter.

Aaron Nitka tackling a Cyril player.
Photo by Adam Brinson

After a series of exchanges in possessions, Cyril finally got something going as the Pirates moved from their own 48 to the Waurika one, but on a fourth down play, Gatlin Black crashed through to drop the Cyril quarterback for a five-yard loss.

On Cyril’s next possession, Hunter Wesberry picked off a Pirate pass, but the Eagles were stymied after being stopped short on a fourth down play.

Hunter Wesberry, Aaron Nitka
Photo by Adam Brinson

The Pirates took over on downs but on first down, Black pounced on a Cyril fumble giving the ball back to the Eagles.

This time the Eagles took advantage of the turnover and in just two plays moved the 33 yards for the score. Kevin Garcia scored from 17 yards out and after the two-point conversion failed, the Eagles held a 26-0 lead with just 11 seconds left in the half.

Waurika’s offense.
Photo by Adam Brinson

The second half opened with a failed Cyril onside kick that Austin Dyer recovered at midfield.

On first down, K. Garcia went the distance for the score. The two-point conversion failed, but Waurika was in front, 32-0, with 11:48 left in the third quarter.

Cyril could not move on its next drive and after Waurika took possession, Cyril’s Jose Rivera intercepted a Mora pass giving the Pirates possession at Cyril seven-yard line.

On first down, the Cyril quarterback scrambled back into the end zone and was met by Mora and Jordan Watkins for a safety that increased the Waurika lead to 34-0 with 7:50 left in the third quarter.

The free kick was returned to the Cyril four and Bryant scored on a four-yard run on first down. Brown got the two-point conversion and Waurika held a commanding 42-0 advantage with 7:40 left in the third quarter.

With the mercy-rule victory now in sight, the Eagles attempted an onside kick which Waurika’s Dyer was able to retrieve giving the Eagles the ball. In six plays the Eagles were able to get the game-ending score as Mora scored from one yard away with 5:45 left in the third quarter.

EAGLE FLIGHTS: The 48-point margin of victory is the third best in school history behind the 55-point margin against Haileyville in 1988 and the 51-point win over Okemah in the 1951 state finals….The 48 points scored by the Eagles is the sixth most in school history during post-season play…The Eagles are 2-3 in the playoffs since moving to eight-man play and both wins have come over Cyril….This was the third time the Eagles have held an opponent to less than 40 yards of total offense during the 2018 season….Cyril still leads the series with the Eagles with four wins in the seven meetings….Waurika is 10-0 for only the second time in school history….This is the second time since beginning eight-man play the Eagles have advanced to the second round and only the third time since the 1996 season.

Game in Figures

CHS WHS

First Downs 3 6

Yards Rushing 36-5 26-226

Yards Passing 35 54

Passes 1-2 1-6

Passes Int. By 1 1

Fumbles, Lost 4-1 0-0

Punts 3-31 1-40

Penalties 2-20 0-0

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Cyril 0 0 0 x-0

Waurika 20 6 22 x-48

WAURIKA – Turner Mora 21 run (Zac Brown run), 9:57, 1st Quarter

WAURIKA – Colton Bryant 1 run (run failed), 7:17, 1st Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 7 run (run failed), 4:09, 1st Quarter

WAURIKA – Kevin Garcia 17 run (run failed), :11, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 50 run (run failed), 11:48, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Safety, Brent Smith tackled in end zone by Mora and Jordan Watkins, 7:50, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Bryant 4 run (Brown run), 7:40, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 1 run (no try), 5:38, 3rd Quarter

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Waurika: Rushing – K. Garcia 6-107, Mora 9-86, Bryant 9-31, Brown 2-8; Passing: Mora – 1-6-54-1; Receiving: Edwin Garcia 1-54

Cowgirls Get First Win of Season; Cowboys Drop Three of Four

By

Trey Smart

-

December 19, 2020

0

Ryan’s basketball squads played three games in three days last weekend to substitute for games lost in the canceled Black and Gold Invitational at Wilson.

The Cowgirls and Cowboys both dropped two of three contests, but for the Cowgirls the win was the first of the season.

In a quickly scheduled game on Tuesday night on Raymon West Court, the Ryan roundballers fell to Cyril.

Ryan hosted Elmore City-Pernell last Thursday and then hit the road to Wilson and Temple on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The Cowgirls are now 1-6 on the year, while the Cowboys stand at 4-3.

Ryan’s next action will be tomorrow night (Friday) when they will play host to Maysville on Raymon West Court before breaking for the Christmas holiday.

Cyril 60, Cowgirls 42

Despite their best offensive performance of the young season, the Cowgirls could not handle the 10th-ranked Lady Pirates.

Cyril got off to a 17-6 lead after the first quarter and eventually built a lead the Cowgirls could not overcome aided by seven treys in the game.

The Cowgirls had three girls in double figures. Alicen Williams led the Cowgirls in scoring with 14 points, while Jasmine Villarreal and Maci Cooper added 10 points apiece.

Cyril 70, Cowboys 38

The 15th-ranked Pirates surged to a 19-5 lead after the first quarter and never looked back.

The Cowboys could not guard the three-point line as the Pirates had eight treys during the course of the contest.

Caleb Perrin scored 10 points for the Cowboys and was the only Ryan player in double figures.

Temple 35, Cowgirls 26

Temple outscored the Cowgirls, 11-4, in the first quarter, but Ryan managed to use a 10-3 scoring advantage in the second quarter to tie the game

In the second half, however, the Cowgirls could get little going on the offensive end and Temple outscored Ryan, 21-12 over the two quarters to snag the win.

Villarreal led the Cowgirls in scoring with 15 points, but had only six in the second half.

Cowboys 57, Temple 35

The Cowboys broke a two-game skid with their best offensive output of the young season against the Tigers.

Ryan raced to a 17-8 first quarter lead behind the shooting of Racen Williams and Perrin, who scored 15 of the Cowboys’ 17 points in the period.

Ryan maintained the lead at the half, 31-22.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys went on an 11-5 run to extend the lead to 42-27 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys put the game away in the final period with a 15-8 scoring advantage.

Three Cowboys scored in double figures – Perrin finished with 15 points, Williams added 14 and Landen Alexander added 12 points.

Cowgirls 31, Wilson 29

The Cowgirls picked up their first win of the year thanks to some clutch free throw conversions at the end of the game.

The Cowgirls led the Lady Eagles, 6-5, after the first quarter, but trailed at the half, 15-12.

The Cowgirls narrowed the Wilson advantage to 23-22 at the end of the third quarter and outscored the Lady Eagles 9-6 in the final quarter of the hotly contested game to get the victory.

Villarreal hit a pair of free throws and Cooper converted on another charity toss in the final seconds to secure the win for the Cowgirls.

Villarreal led the Cowgirls in scoring with 15 points.

Wilson 48, Cowboys 42

The Cowboys took an 18-7 lead in the first quarter, but the Eagles came alive and outscored the Cowboys, 40-24 the rest of the way to get the win.

Ryan clung to a 27-21 advantage at the half and led the game, 33-30, at the end of the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, however, the Cowboys committed some key turnovers and ran into some foul problems that aided the Wilson rally.

The Eagles converted 11 of 15 free throws in the quarter, while Ryan went to the line only five times and hit only two free throws.

Wilson outscored the Cowboys, 19-9, to pick up the come-from-behind victory.

Williams led the Cowboys in scoring with 13 points, while Alexander added 11 points.

EC-P 39, Cowgirls 20

In the home opener on Friday the Cowgirls hung with the Lady Badgers for the first part of the first quarter, but the inability to generate any offense turned out to be the demise of the Cowgirls.

Elmore City never trailed in the game, but after the Lady Badgers had opened a 7-2 lead, the Cowgirls had a brief spurt. Williams hit a three-point bucket to cut the margin to 7-5 before ECP added a free throw to extend the lead to 8-5.

Ryan’s Carter Combs connected on one of two free throws with 4:14 remaining leaving the Cowgirls trailing only 8-6.

But, the Lady Badgers finished out the quarter with an 11-2 run and Cowgirls never threatened the rest of the contest.

The Lady Badgers held a huge lead on the boards, 45-24, with many of those coming on the offensive end.

Williams led the Cowgirls in scoring with 14 points.

EC-P 71, Ryan 46

In the nightcap, the Badgers used a full-court press in the first quarter to help create 12 Ryan turnovers in the quarter and get out to a 12-0 lead with 2:54 left in the initial frame.

The Cowboys responded, however, and went on an 8-0 run to cut the gap to 12-8 with 1:35 left in the first quarter.

Westin Jennings hit a pair of free throws with 26 seconds remaining to draw the Cowboys back to within two at 14-12, but the Badgers connected on a three-pointer with 10 seconds left to hold a 17-12 at end of the quarter.

The Cowboys would never be closer as the Badgers opened the second quarter on a 12-3 run to hold a 29-15 lead with 3:48 left in the half.

In the final minute, the Cowboys got a layup from Williams and a pair of free throws from Alexander to cut the margin to 29-21 with 10 seconds showing.

The Badgers got a free throw with just three ticks left on the clock and went to the locker room with a 30-21 lead.

The third quarter was a disaster for the Cowboys. Ryan did not score until Jennings hit a long three-pointer with 58 seconds left in the period.

The Badgers used their size advantage to the fullest in the quarter outrebounding the Cowboys 16-7 and most of them were on the offensive end. This helped the Badgers go on a 29-5 scoring barrage to put the game away.

Elmore City finished with a 52-28 advantage in rebounding and had 12 players hit the scoring column.

Julian Rodriguez led the Cowboys in scoring with 12 points, while Williams added 11.

Cyril 60, Ryan 42

(Girls)

Cyril 17 14 17 12–60

Ryan 6 9 10 17–42

CYRIL: K. McLemore 4-4-13, Miller 4-0-10, Snider 3-1-10, L. McLemore 2-4-9, Row 1-5-7, S. Thompson 3-0-6, Williamson 1-2-4, Wilson 0-1-1. PF: 19. Three-pointers: Snider 3, Miller 2, K. McLemore, L. McLemore.

RYAN: Alicen Williams 3-6-14, Jasmine Villarreal 4-1-10, Maci Cooper 3-1-10, Carter Combs 1-2-4, Raylee White 1-0-2, Libby Carter 1-0-2. PF: 17. Three-pointers: Cooper 3, Williams 2, Villerreal.

Cyril 70, Ryan 38

(Boys)

Cyril 19 18 17 16–70

Ryan 5 13 5 15–38

CYRIL: Hart 6-2-17, McClure 7-16, Carlson 5-2-12, Thompson 4-0-8, Chalepah 2-0-4, Day 1-1-4, Ash 1-0-3, Cochran 1-0-3 Eary 1-1-3. PF: 20. Three-pointers: Hart 3, McClure 2, Day, Ash, Cochran.

RYAN: Caleb Perrin 4-2-10, Landen Alexander 3-1-7, Racen Williams 1-5-7, Westin Jennings 2-0-5, Ethan Burden 1-0-3, Mason Adsit 0-3-3, Julian Rodriguez 0-2-2, Adan Lopez 0-1-1. PF: 10. Three-pointers: Burden, Jennings.

Temple 35, Ryan 26

(Girls)

Ryan 4 10 5 7—26

Temple 11 3 11 10—35

RYAN: Jasmine Villarreal 7-0-15, Libby Carter 2-0-4, Alicen Williams 1-2-4, Maci Cooper 1-0-3. PF: 19. Three-pointers: Villerreal, Cooper.

TEMPLE: Ashlynn Spurlock 6-5-18, Madyson Jones 3-0-6, Phoenix Jones 1-3-5, Ailey Laguna 1-2-4, Gabriela Toquothty 1-0-2. PF: 17. Three-pointers: Spurlock.

Ryan 57, Temple 35

(Boys)

Ryan 17 14 11 15—57

Temple 8 14 5 8–35

RYAN: Caleb Perrin 7-1-15, Racen Williams 5-1-14, Landen Alexander 5-1-12, Westin Jennings 2-2-7, Julian Rodrigue 2-1-6, Alex Uribe 1-0-3. PF: 18. Three-pointers: Williams 3, Rodriguez, Alexander, Uribe.

TEMPLE: Trey Crane, 6-2-18, Jake Smart 2-3-7, Jaramiah Chumley 2-3-7, Jamarcus Tisdale 1-0-2, Collin West 0-1-1. PF: 14. Three-pointers: Crane 4.

Ryan 31, Wilson 29

(Girls)

Ryan 6 6 10 9—31

Wilson 5 10 8 6—29

RYAN: Jasmine Villerreal 4-5-15, Alicen Williams 2-1-5, Carter Combs 1-2-4, Libby Carter 2-0-4, Raylee White 1-0-2, Maci Cooper 0-1-1. PF: 13. Three-pointers: Villerreal 2.

WILSON: Gunter 5-1-14, Brooks 3-2-8, Forsythe 1-1-3, Gray 0-2-2, Sloan 0-2-2. PF: 16. Three-pointers: Gunter.

Wilson 48, Ryan 42

(Boys)

Ryan 18 9 6 9—42

Wilson 7 14 9 19—48

RYAN: Racen Williams 3-5-13, Landen Alexander 4-3-11, Caleb Perrin 3-1-7, Westin Jennings 2-1-6, Julian Rodriguez 2-1-5. PF: 19. Three-pointers: Williams 2, Jennings.

WILSON: Fulton 6-4-16, Forsythe 5-5-15, Cain 1-6-8, Hunziker 1-3-7, Wharton 1-0-2. PF: 17. Three-pointers: None

ECP 39, Ryan 20

(Girls)

ECP 19 8 4 8—39

Ryan 8 5 3 4—20

ECP: Taylor 5-6-16, Riddle 2-1-6, Sherwood 2-0-4, Sawyer 2-0-4, Lahman 1-0-3, Lewis 1-0-2, Niblett 1-0-2, Patterson 1-0-2. PF: 18. Three-pointers: Riddle, Lahman.

RYAN: Alicen Williams 5-2-14, Maci Cooper 0-3-3, Carter Combs 0-2-2, Libby Carter 0-1-1. PF: 15. Three-pointers: Williams 2.

ECP 71, Ryan 46

(Boys)

ECP 17 13 29 12—71

Ryan 12 9 5 20—46

ECP: Sawyer 4-3-12, Dellin 4-3-10, Amparano 4-1-9, D. Frazier 4-1-9, Martin 4-0-9, Foster 1-2-5, N. Frazier 2-0-5, Rhodes 2-0-4, Knight 0-2-2, Ferris 1-0-2, Christie 1-0-2, Cornforth 0-2-2. PF: 22. Three-pointers: Dellin 2, Sawyer, Foster, Martin, N. Frazier.

RYAN: Julian Rodriguez 3-4-12, Racen Williams 4-2-11, Westin Jennins 2-3-9, Caleb Perrin 2-1-5, Landen Alexander 0-4-4, Adam Lopez 1-0-3, Trey Bryant 1-0-2. PF: 15. Three-pointers: Rodriguez 2, Jennings 2, Williams, Lopez.

Cowgirls Set to Enter District Tourney After Fletcher Tournament

By

Trey Smart

-

April 19, 2018

0

The Ryan Cowgirl slow-pitch softball squad will take a 4-6 mark into today’s Class 2A District Tournament at Central High.

The Cowgirls will compete in the district tourney with the host school, Snyder and Geronimo. Central High is the top seed in the tournament, but the Lady Bronchos have lost three of six games in the past few days.

The Lady Bronchos still have a 23-4 record – including games played through Monday – heading into the district tournament. That is 17 more games than Ryan has played.

Geronimo and Snyder sport similar records to the Cowgirls, but have also played nearly double the number of contests as Ryan.

Action was to have gotten underway today at 11 a.m. with the Cowgirls taking on Central High followed by the Geronimo-Snyder contest.

The tournament is double-elimination, but is slated to be completed today. The winner of the tournament will advance to the regional tourney.

The regular season was difficult for the Cowgirls in more than just wins and losses.

Three of the scheduled games with opponents were cancelled because they could not field a team.

Two other scheduled games were postponed because of weather issues.

Last week the Cowgirls competed with 13 other teams in the Fletcher Invitational Tournament and played nearly as many games as they had in the entire regular season.

In the tournament’s opening contest with Verden, the Cowgirls fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and could never get the big hit needed to spark a rally. The Cowgirls left 11 runners stranded.

Justyce Keith scored the only Cowgirl run in the bottom of the fourth inning in the 3-1 loss.

In the next round, the Cowgirl bats came alive early against Lawton Christian School. The Cowgirls scored three in the bottom of the first inning after LCS had put two runs on the board in the top of the inning.

The Cowgirls got on top in the second inning with a four-run uprising to hold a 7-2 lead.

The Lady Crusaders tried to rally in the fourth and fifth innings by scoring one run in each inning, but were retired in order in the top of the sixth to give the Cowgirls a 7-4 victory.

The win set up another match with Verden.

Verden took the lead in the top of the second with a run, but the Cowgirls answered in the bottom of the inning with runs by Abbie Bolin and Brooke Charmasson.

The Cowgirls gave up two runs in the top of the fourth to the Lady Tigers giving Verden a 3-2 advantage.

Ryan mounted a rally in the bottom of the fourth scoring four runs and leaving two Cowgirls stranded on the bases to secure a 6-3 lead.

Verden added a run in the top of the fifth after two were out, but the Cowgirls retired the final batter before the rally could continue and picked up a 6-4 victory.

The Cowgirls were eliminated by Chickasha last Friday, 9-3, as the Lady Chicks picked up their first victory of the season.

Chickasha scored all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning with four tallies. The Cowgirls escaped further damage by getting the third out with the bases loaded.

In the bottom of the second, the Lady Chicks added to the lead with four more runs to give the Cowgirls an 8-0 deficit.

The Cowgirls struck for two runs in the top of the third inning with Kenzie Lewis and Samantha Good getting base hits and eventually scoring to cut the margin to 8-2.

Chickasha added another run in the bottom of the fourth and the Cowgirls tried to rally in the top of the fifth, but could come up with only a single run.

Ryan Cross Country Squads Low in Number for 2021

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

August 27, 2021

0

Only a handful of student athletes at Ryan have chosen to compete in cross country for the 2021 season.

Ryan will launch its 2021 campaign on Saturday when they travel to Duncan to compete in the Duncan Cross Country meet.

However, the Cowboys and Cowgirls are not without some individual talent despite the fact they will not have enough competitors to be a factor in the team competition at the meets on the schedule.

“We will be low in numbers,” said second-year cross country coach Shelley Villerreal.

“But, rest assured they will each be competing very hard for individual titles,” added Villerreal.

Back for her senior campaign for the Cowgirls is four-year cross country participant Alicen Williams.

Williams had a solid junior campaign and was part of the regional champion Cowgirl squad in her sophomore season.

In the past two regional cross country meets, Williams has finished 18th among all competitors and was the fourth best individual competitor in 2020 and that qualified her for a spot in the Class 2A State Cross Country competition.

In Williams’ junior campaign, she had four top-eight finishes during the regular season.

“Alicen has been putting the miles in and I look to see her have a lot of success this season,” said Villerreal. “She has her eyes set on another appearance at state.”

Two other girls will be part of the cross country contingent for the Cowgirls.

Katelynn Dabbs, a senior, and Jasmine Villerreal, a sophomore, will also compete in cross country.

Dabbs has been part of the Cowgirl harriers since her freshman season – including the team that finished third in the regional in 2018 and was the regional champion squad in 2019.

J. Villerreal was a steady competitor for the Cowgirls during her freshman campaign.

Villerreal had two top six finishes in meets at Frederick and Sulphur.

Look for the talented athlete to also be a factor for medal honors at some of the meets this fall.

The Cowboys have three runners on the cross country team for this fall.

Mason Adsit, who has steadily improved over the years, is the veteran of this year’s Cowboy harrier team. The Cowboy junior has been a two-year letterman for the Cowboys.

Andrew Scott, who was a freshman last year and ran several meets in the junior high division, competed for the high school in the later part of the season.

Scott had three top-10 finishes – at Sulphur, Frederick and Healdton.

The distance in the Sulphur meet is 3.3 miles and Scott set the school record for the best time at that distance last season.

Scott finished 11th at the regional meet which was just short of qualifying for the state meet.

Alex Uribe is the other member of the Cowboy squad and this is his first year to compete in cross country on the varsity level.

Ryan Cross Country Schedule

AUGUST

28: at Duncan Invitational.

SEPTEMBER

3: at Comanche Nation Invitational at Geronimo; 14: at Walters Invitational.

OCTOBER

1: at Cameron University Invitational at Lawton; 4: at Sulphur Invitational; 5: at Frederick Bomber Cross Country Invitational; 9: at Waurika Invitational; 12: at Healdton Cross Country Meet; 23: Class 2A Regional at Waurika; 30: Class 2A State at Edmond Santa Fe High School.

Waurika Squads Split Doubleheader with Geronimo in Opener

By

Trey Smart

-

November 30, 2018

0

Waurika opened the 2019 season on the road Tuesday night as the Eagles and Lady Eagles traveled to Geronimo.

The Lady Eagles won a thriller, 44-43, while the Waurika boys fell to Geronimo, 45-35.

Both teams will be in action tomorrow night when Waurika will play host to Elmore City-Pernell. Tipoff is 6:30 for the girls’ game at the Waurika gym.

The Lady Eagles trailed Geronimo much of the first quarter until Madison Roberson completed a traditional three-point play to knot the score at 10 with 2:56 remaining in the initial period.

Waurika ended the quarter with five straight points and held a 17-12 lead.

The Lady Eagles dominated the second quarter. Waurika outscored Geronimo 8-1 in the first six minutes of the second quarter and went to the locker room with a commanding 28-16 lead after Asia Smith’s three-pointer with six seconds showing on the clock.

Geronimo rallied in the third quarter and a 6-0 spurt to end the period cut Waurika’s lead to 35-33.

Waurika extended the lead to 38-33 on Gracie Walling’s layup with 6:46 left in the game, but Geronimo scored the next six points to grab the lead at 39-38 with 2:47 left in the contest.

A free throw by Geronimo’s Lottie Deere gave Geronimo a 40-38 advantage with 2:24 left and Smith tied the game with a short jumper with just over two minutes left.

The teams traded turnovers and with 58 seconds to play Jade Bessemer nailed a three-pointer to put Geronimo back in front, 43-40.

The Lady Eagles got within one when Roberson got an offensive rebound and put the ball in the basket leaving Waurika trailing, 43-42, with 33.5 seconds left.

The final 30 seconds had both teams scurrying. Waurika had not committed enough fouls to send Geronimo to the free throw line.

Madison Dees made two big plays to end the game. Dees got a steal with 15 seconds left and was fouled with 11.3 showing on the clock. She missed both free throws, but Roberson grabbed the rebound and missed.

Dees was right there to get the miss and put the ball in the basket with 5.3 seconds showing.

The Lady Blue Jays turned the ball over to help preserve the Waurika win.

Roberson was outstanding for the Lady Eagles and dominated the inside. She finished with 22 points and Gracie Walling chipped in 11 points.

Geronimo stayed in the game by taking advantage of 23 Waurika turnovers. The Lady Eagles held the edge in rebounds, 34-23.

In the boys’ contest, it appeared Waurika would record a sweep as the Eagles led after one, 13-10 and held onto the lead at halftime, 20-17.

Geronimo got two free throws to open the third quarter, but Waurika reeled off six straight points for a 26-19 advantage with 5:13 left in the quarter when Turner Mora put back a missed shot.

That would be the largest lead of the game for Waurika.

Kevin Garcia got a layup off an inbounds play with 1:46 left to give Waurika a 31-25 lead, but Geronimo closed the third quarter on a 7-0 run and took a 32-31 lead when Jadyn Taylor hit a 14-footer at the buzzer.

The Eagles never recovered. Taylor opened the fourth quarter with a bucket before Cache Arellano tied the game at 34-34 with a trey at the 6:09 mark.

Arellano moved the Eagles in front for the final time by converting one of two free throws putting Waurika on top, 35-34, with 5:50 left. That would be the final point scored by the Eagles.

Geronimo finished the game on an 11-0 run which was fueled by excellent free throw shooting by the Blue Jays. Geronimo hit seven of nine free throws to seal the victory.

The game was somewhat sloppy with Waurika committing 25 turnovers and Geronimo recording 23 turnovers. Waurika dominated the boards with a 42-28 advantage.

The Eagles showed the effects of just a couple of practices after having ended the football season last Friday.

Waurika will hit the road again Tuesday when they travel to Temple and then one week from today the basketball squads will begin play in the Comet Classic at Velma-Alma.

WAURIKA 44, GERONIMO 43 (G)

Waurika 17 11 7 9-44

Geronimo 12 4 17 10-43

WAURIKA – Asia Smith 3-0-7, Faith Roberson 0-1-1, Tallin Mora 1-0-2, Hope Cummings 1-0-2, Madison Dees 1-0-2, Gracie Walling 4-3-11, Madison Roberson 8-5-22. TOTALS: 18-9-45. Three-pointers: Smith.

GERONIMO – Elizabeth McCarthy 6-1-15, Hailey Werger 1-0-2, Jade Bessemer 2-1-7, Precious Reeder 3-6-12, Lottie Deere 3-1-7. TOTALS: 15-9-43. Three-pointers: McCarthy 2, Bessemer 2.

GERONIMO 45, WAURIKA 35 (B)

Waurika 13 7 11 4-35

Geronimo 10 7 15 13–45

WAURIKA – Turner Mora 1-0-2, Aaron Nitka 3-4-10, Payton Fletcher 1-0-2, Kevin Garcia 2-0-4, Cache Arellano 6-2-17. TOTALS: 13-6-35. Three-pointers: Arellano 3.

GERONIMO – Jadyn Taylor 3-1-7, Collin Barvientos 1-0-2, Wyatt Johnson 1-2-4, Christian Ussery 7-5-22, Billy Allen 1-0-3, Spencer Jones 1-3-5, David Leveille 1-0-2. TOTALS: 15-11-45. Three-pointers: Ussery 4, Allen.

Lady Eagles Compete In John Jacobs Invitational at OU

By

Trey Smart

-

April 27, 2018

0

In a field that mostly consisted of Class 6A and Class 5A schools, the Waurika Lady Eagles competed in the John Jacobs Invitational at the University of Oklahoma last Friday.

The Lady Eagles and the Waurika boys’ thinclads were slated to run at Velma-Alma on Tuesday, but results were not available by press time.

The squads were to have competed in their invitational meet last Saturday, but the meet was cancelled by inclement weather.

On Saturday, the Waurika track squads will compete at Alex in the Class A Regional Track Meet.

Field events begin at 9:30 a.m., while the running events are slated to begin with the 400-meter relay preliminaries at 9:45 a.m.

The participants at the regional meet will be competing for the opportunity to represent their school at the Class A State Track Meet at Western Heights High School in Oklahoma City on May 4-5.

In the meet at OU, Madison Roberson was the only Lady Eagle to place.

Roberson was fifth in the shot put with a throw of 35-4.75.

That gave Waurika two points and put them in 26th place among the 27 teams competing. Waurika was the only Class A team in the meet.

Two freshmen, Asia Smith and Lexie Streeter, competed in the 3,200 meters for the Lady Eagles. Smith was 16th with a time of 13:09.14, while Streeter was 18th with a time of 13:21.09. Both marks were the best of the season.

Smith and Streeter also competed in the 1,600 meters. Smith was 25th with a time of 6:09.41, while Streeter was right behind with a time of 6:11.21 to finish 26th. Those times were also personal best for the two Lady Eagles in 2018.

Reasons for High School Sports Participation Varies

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

May 31, 2018

0

Traditionally in small towns across Oklahoma and most of the nation, high school sports are a point of pride.

For instance, in most small towns in Texas, you will find a sign along the main highway through town that directs you to the high school football stadium.

In large metropolitan areas, high school sports are not as important to the population at large, but still participation in both large and small cities in high school sports is at an all-time high.

The reasons for high school students choosing to play sports will vary.

Some students love the cheer of the crowds, the talk in the locker room, the shared experiences of teammates, the ability to meet new people (usually in larger schools) and being able to represent their school or community.

On the negative side, some students are participating in sports because of pressure from parents or from their friends.

Others are simply trying to earn a college scholarship, although the reality of that happening is relatively slim if you look at statistics.

Many high school students have been playing their respective sports since grade school.

Some sports such as wrestling, gymnastics, swimming, baseball and basketball can start competitively as young as five or six years old.

Other sports such as softball, football, track and field, lacrosse (primarily a sport in the upper Midwest and northeast) and cross country come along a little later.

But, one trend that seems to be happening in schools both large in small is the specialization of sports. In other words more athletes are choosing to compete in only one sport and maybe two.

Most of the time the choice to focus on one sport is fueled that hope of furthering the athletic career beyond high school.

That is a somewhat unrealistic dream as only about two percent of high school athletes make it to the next level according to a study in 2012.

In 2017, the percentage increased slightly, but it is still not very high. The percentage of participants going on to compete in any level of college sports from the sports offered at Ryan and Waurika, for instance, would be approximately five percent. The percentage is the same for both boys and girls.

Whether the choice of playing only one sport is driven by the individual coaches or a parent, it is having impact at all sizes of schools.

Typically in smaller schools like Ryan and Waurika, the participation of every student athlete in most sports is necessary for the school to be competitive in the sports offered.

There are simply not an abundance of bodies in the local schools for that trend not to impact sports at Ryan and Waurika and schools like them across the state and nation.

But, it has a great impact on larger schools as well. It is just different.

A student-athlete that chooses to focus on one sport is potentially an outstanding athlete in other sports as well. So, at the larger schools, the impact of this is felt in the quality of the product placed on the field, court or diamond by the school.

Whatever drives student-athletes to compete in high school sports will hopefully motivate them to compete in multiple sports so that schools like Ryan and Waurika can remain competitive in all sports.

Next Week: Reasons for Lack of Participation in Sports

Cowgirls Claim Second Team Meet Title of the Season

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

October 8, 2017

0

The Ryan Cowgirl cross country team came away with the team title of the Healdton Invitational last Saturday in a dominating performance – their second team title of the season.

Ryan also won the team title at the Waurika meet a few weeks ago.

The Cowgirls finished with 30 points at Healdton and the host school was a distance second at 43 and Davis was third with 52 points.

Next up for the Cowgirls will be the Class 2A Regional Cross Country meet at Velma-Alma on Saturday.

Every member of the Cowgirl squad medaled at the Healdton meet held at Healdton Lake in either the varsity or junior varsity division.

The Cowgirls snared the team title buoyed by a second, third and fourth place finish.

Holland Carter led the way for the Cowgirls by finishing the course in 12:50.

Juliet Spangler was right behind in third place with a time of 13:01 and Lilybet Harmon was fourth with a 13:40time.

Rounding out the team finishes for the Cowgirls were Lily York and Samantha Good. York was 11th with a time of 14:17 and Good nabbed 20th place with a 16:15 mark.

In the junior varsity division, Emily Lowry was fifth and Savannah Lashley was seventh. Both earned medals, also.

Ryan, which was ranked 13th in Class 2A heading into the Healdton meet, finished ahead of 35th-ranked Healdton and Class 3A’s 26th-ranked Davis.

A week ago Tuesday the Cowgirls turned in an impressive performance at the Velma-Alma Invitational at the Wildhorse Golf Course.

The Cowgirls finished sixth in the team race, but all the schools ahead of them were ranked in the top 20 in Class 4A or Class 3A.

Class 4A’s top-ranked squad, Ardmore Plainview, won the title with 19 points, while Class 4A’s fifth-ranked Pauls Valley squad was a distant second with 101 points. Ryan totaled 208 points in the crowded meet.

The Cowgirls had three runners earn medals.

Carter and Spangler finished 23rd and 24th, respectively, and ran less than a second of each other with a time of 14:23.

Harmon also earned a medal with a 25th-place finish in a time of 14:27 over the 3,200-meter course.

York finished 39th with a time of 15:22 and Good rounded out the team finishers by finishing 90th.

Also competing for the Cowgirls were Lashley who finished 127th and Lowry who was 130th.

The meet drew a crowded field because Velma-Alma will serve as the host of the regional for Class 2A, 3A and 4A on Saturday.

The Class 2A field which will feature Ryan and Waurika will be a tough one.

Cordell is the top-ranked Class 2A squad and will be competing at Velma-Alma.

Hobart and Velma-Alma will also send strong squads to the meet which will qualify runners for the state meet the next weekend.

The top seven teams in the meet will qualify for the state meet as well as the top seven individuals not on a qualifying team.

Various Factors Hamper The Start of Spring Sports for Cowboys, Eagles

By

Trey Smart

-

March 8, 2018

0

Scouting the Jefferson County sports scene while wondering if March Madness is really about tracking spring sports or about NCAA basketball!

Between weather, playing conditions and a bevy of extra-curricular activities that keep students busy in the spring, some spring sports have had trouble getting under way.

Such is the case for slow-pitch softball and baseball at Ryan High School.

The Cowboy nine was scheduled to take the field for the season-opener last Thursday, but playing conditions on Larry Ninman Field were not up to par after recent rains and the game with Temple was postponed.

The Cowboys were scheduled to begin the season at Turner today with the first pitch scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Now the home opener is slated for Monday as the Cowboys will play host to Comanche and will wrap up the pre-spring break part of the schedule next Tuesday by traveling to Grandfield.

For the Cowgirl slow-pitch softball team, the season was scheduled to begin last Monday against Lawton Christian, but because a number of the players were attending the State Beta Club convention in Oklahoma City, the game was canceled.

The Cowgirls were to open the season last Tuesday by hosting Grandfield in a Southern Eight conference clash and those results will appear in next week’s paper.

The first road game for the Cowgirls will be next Tuesday when they will travel to Temple. The softballers will wrap up the pre-spring break part of their schedule on March 15 when they will host Big Pasture.

Waurika was able to get its baseball season started but had its first two contests rained out.

The Eagles opened the season with a 16-8 loss to Frederick on the Bombers’ home diamond and then had another game postponed before dropping a twinbill at Central High, 16-4 and 7-6.

Waurika faced Empire Monday in its home opener for the 2018 season, but dropped a 5-1 decision to the Bulldogs.

The Eagle nine was to have begun play today in the Southwest Donkey Invitational at Bray-Doyle. Waurika was to have met Wynnewood in the first round.

The tournament forced a postponement of Friday’s scheduled contest between Ryan and Waurika that was on tap to be played at Ryan.

The Eagles will return to the diamond on Monday at Dickson and then return home to face Grandfield one week from today before taking time off for spring break.

As always check social media or with your local school to stay up with any last-minute changes in the schedule for baseball, slow-pitch softball, track and golf at the two Jefferson County schools.

Waurika, Ryan Thinclads Find Going Tough at V-A Meet

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

May 3, 2018

0

In the final regular season meet of the year for Waurika and Ryan track squads, the competition proved to be one of the tougher outings of the season.

The Waurika boys and girls and the Ryan girls competed a week ago Tuesday in the Velma-Alma Invitational that featured schools from Class 3A to Class A.

The Lady Eagles had the best team performance in the meet with a 10th place finish and a total of 21 points. Velma-Alma won the girls’ title with 84 points. Ryan finished tied for 34th as the Cowgirls could manage only one team point.

The Waurika boys only had one placer resulting in two team points which put the Eagles 26th among the 29 teams.

Turner Mora was fifth in the long jump with a leap of 19-2.5, which was his third best performance of the season.

The Lady Eagles’ best performance came from Madison Roberson who earned a silver medal in the shot put with a toss of 36-4.

Asia Smith and Lexie Streeter continued their season-long improvement in the 3,200 meters in the meet with season-best times recorded.

Smith was third in the 3,200 meters with a time of 13:11.45, while Streeter was fifth with a time of 13:23.28. Both girls are freshmen.

Streeter also placed in the high jump. Her leap of 4-4 was good enough for a tie for fifth place.

Sara Ballard rounded out the placers for the Lady Eagles with a fourth-place finish in the long jump. Her mark of 14-8.5 was her top performance in the event for the 2018 season.

The Cowgirl track squad continued its assault on the school records in the 1,600 and 3,200 meter relays.

While neither team placed in those two events, the squad still managed to set school records.

In the 3,200 meters, the Cowgirls set a new school mark for the fourth time this season. The team of Lilybet Harmon, Lily York, Holland Carter and Juliet Spangler recorded a time of 11:27.30.

The same four girls combined for a school record in the 1,600 meter relay with a time of 4:53.76 marking the first time a Cowgirl relay squad has finished the event in under five minutes. The Cowgirls have set a school record in this event four times during 2018.

Spangler was the only Cowgirl to place in the meet finishing sixth in the 3,200 meters with a time of 13:40.89, which is her third best career time and the second best mark this season.

The Cowgirl sophomore also ran well in the 1,600 meters, but did not place. Her time of 6:17.47 is the best mark of the season in that event and her second best time in the event for her two-year high school career at Ryan.

Sports

Cowgirls Fall to Grandfield in Season Opener

Ryan Girls, Waurika Boys Take Title at Waurika Meet

Cowboys Nine Pick Up First Win of Season

Cowboys Pull Out 30-14 Homecoming Victory over Maysville

Waurika Takes Advantage of Carnegie Turnovers for Win

Waurika Rolls to First Round Playoff Win over Cyril

Cowgirls Get First Win of Season; Cowboys Drop Three of Four

Cowgirls Set to Enter District Tourney After Fletcher Tournament

Ryan Cross Country Squads Low in Number for 2021

Waurika Squads Split Doubleheader with Geronimo in Opener

Lady Eagles Compete In John Jacobs Invitational at OU

Reasons for High School Sports Participation Varies

Cowgirls Claim Second Team Meet Title of the Season

Various Factors Hamper The Start of Spring Sports for Cowboys, Eagles

Waurika, Ryan Thinclads Find Going Tough at V-A Meet

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