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Waurika Begins Diamond Season On the Road at Wilson

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Waurika High School begins the 2022 baseball season today by traveling to Wilson to take on the Oil Field Conference foe.

The next action for the Eagles will be one week from today (March 10) when they will travel to Ringling to battle the Blue Devils.

The home opener for Waurika will be March 22 when they entertain Geronimo at the Waurika High School diamond.

Coach Joe Allen’s Eagles will be looking to bounce back from an 8-11 season last year.

The Eagles were 2-2 in 2020 before the season was halted by the pandemic.

This will be Allen’s fourth season at the helm of the Eagle nine and he along with the baseballers will be looking for a season like 2019 when Waurika posted its first winning season in baseball since 2012 with a 16-7 record.

But the Eagles will have some challenges along the way as the 2022 season gets under way.

Two starters must be replaced and the Eagles will probably be without another starter, Treyton Torrez, who is scheduled to undergo further surgery from a football injury suffered last fall.

Another challenge for the Eagles will be the lack of practice time after the completion of the basketball season.

The recent winter weather potentially knocked out practice time and so the workouts this week will be key in the preparation for the Eagles’ season opener.

There are some question marks concerning who will man the mound for the Eagles.

A newcomer to Coach Allen’s squad maybe the answer for the pitching. Aiden Torrez will be counted on to be the top thrower for the Eagles, but he will also have some teammates that can throw strikes and they will take their turns on the mound.

But, the Eagles do return some experience in the field and at the plate.

Carson Williams, Isaac Camarillo, Slade Cathey, Angel Garcia, Malachi Dodson and Houston Scott were some of the main contributors at the plate for the Eagles a year ago and will have to provide the offense in the upcoming season if the Eagles are to be successful.

While those baseballers will be the heart of the offense, they will also be counted on in the field. Experience should be of benefit when it comes to fielding the ball – particularly in the infield.

“We have lots of experience on this squad,” said Allen. “They picked up a lot of experience because they had to step up last year and play a lot as freshmen and sophomores.”

The schedule is challenging as Waurika competes in both the Southern Eight and Oil Field Conferences. The Southern Eight Conference includes a couple of schools that play baseball in the fall and spring and the Oil Field schools usually have plenty of talent and depth on the diamond.

Look for the experience of the Eagles to pay off in the form of a few more wins on the diamond this spring, but Waurika will have to pick things up when it comes to consistency to put together a winning mark in 2022.

Waurika Schedule

MARCH

3: at Wilson; 10: at Ringling; 22: Geronimo; 24-26: at Central High Tournament; 28: Marlow JV; 29: at Empire; 31: Comanche;

APRIL

4: Central High; 7-9: Velma-Alma Tournament; 11: at Springer; 12: at Rush Springs; 14: Velma-Alma; 15: Walters; 21-23: Class A District Tournament.

Ryan, Waurika Roundballers Participate in Southern 8 All-Star Game

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GERONIMO – The annual Southern Eight Conference all-star games were held here Tuesday night at the Geronimo Dome.

 Six of the seven conference schools were represented in the game. Frederick is still participating in the post season so players from other conference schools were selected to play in the place of the Bomber and Lady Bomber all-stars.

In the girls’ game, the West pulled in front in the second quarter and held on the rest of the way for a 53-39 victory over the East.

SOUTHERN EIGHT STARS: Waurika was well-represented at Tuesday’s Southern Eight Conference girls’ all-star game held at Geronimo. Pictured, from left to right, are Liberti Simmons, Tallin Mora, Gracie Walling and Cassidie Berry. The Lady Eagles were coached by Kalee Baxter this season. (Photo by Trey Smart)

Players from Waurika, Temple, Big Pasture and Grandfield made up the West team that was coached by Anna High of Temple.

The East team had players from Ryan, Big Pasture, Geronimo and Grandfield. The East team was coached by Ryan basketball assistant Shelley Villerreal.

The boys’ game was an entertaining one as players tried to display some sharp-shooting and various dunk attempts. The West prevailed in the game, 85-81.

The West had players from Grandfield, Ryan, Temple and Big Pasture and were coached by Ryan’s head basketball coach Lane Weldon. The East team, coached by Geronimo coach Pardner Pascoe, had players from Big Pasture, Geronimo, Waurika and Ryan.

Prior to each game a three-point shootout was held and Tallin Mora of Waurika was the top shooter among the representatives from the various schools.

Waurika swept the three-point contest as Treyton Torrez was the top marksman for the boys.

The conference also honored one boy and one girl athlete with a scholarship award. The winner of the scholarship for the girls was Waurika’s Mora. Each athlete that applied for the scholarship had to write an essay.

TOP COWGIRLS: Alicen Williams, left, and Jasmine Villerreal, right, are pictured following Tuesday’s Southern Eight girls’ all-star contest hosted by Geronimo High School. The Cowgirls were coached by Lane Weldon. (Photo by Trey Smart)

Mora opened the scoring in the girl’s contest with a three-pointer giving the West a 3-0 lead, but Ryan’s Alicen Williams tied the game with a trey of her own.

Mora put the West back on top with another long three-pointer that gave the West a 6-3 lead.

Before the end of the quarter, Ryan’s Jasmine Villerreal knocked down a three pointer, but the West answered with another trey and the quarter ended with the West in front, 12-11.

In the second quarter, the West went on a 16-5 scoring run behind four points by Mora, a trio of points by Waurika’s Cassidie Berry and a rebound and putback by Waurika’s Gracie Walling.

The West led at the half, 28-16, and held a comfortable lead throughout the rest of the game.

Mora finished with 15 points for the West team. She also had a rebound and steal.

Berry ended the game with an impressive 11 rebounds, two blocks and five points.

Liberti Simmons snared five rebounds and had three points.

Walling also got into double figures in the rebound column with 10 rebounds. She also had one steal and two points.

EAGLE REPRESENTATIVES: This trio of Waurika Eagle roundballers participated in Tuesday’s Southern Eight Conference all-star game at the Geronimo Dome on the campus of Geronimo High School after the boys’ contest. Pictured, left to right, are Slade Cathey, Treyton Torrez and Isaac Camarillo. This trio were the top three top scorers for the Eagles were coached by Garret Bachand. (Photo by Trey Smart)

Williams finished with six points, three steals and four rebounds for the East team and Villerreal scored in double figures with 11 points, two rebounds and an assist.

In the boys contest, the game became lively late in the first quarter as players from both teams decided to put on a three-point shooting display.

Ryan’s Racen Williams connected on three straight three-pointers in a span of 39 seconds – the last one coming from mid-court.

The game was tight after the first quarter as the West held a narrow 21-19 lead.

Like the girls’ game, the West boys extended a lead with a 28-15 scoring advantage that put the West in front, 49-34, at the break.

The antics of the boys continued in the second quarter. R. Williams had a dunk that was aided by the back of Ryan’s Landen Alexander. R. Williams launched himself off Alexander’s back for the stuff.

The final points of the half were scored by Alexander who had a dunk with 20 seconds left in the half.

The third quarter was dead even as both teams scored 21 points in the quarter. Ryan’s Westin Jennings had a near dunk at the 4:13 mark that put the West in front, 62-44, but Waurika’s Treyton Torrez had a layup to answer moments later.

The quarter closed with another trey by R. Williams with 51.5 seconds left that put the West in front, 70-55.

COWBOY ALL-STARS: Four Ryan basketball players participated in the annual Southern Eight Conference all-star game at Geronimo Tuesday night. Pictured, left to right, are Julian Rodriguez, Racen Williams, Landen Alexander and Westin Jennings. Alexander and Jennings made their final appearance on the hardwood as both are scheduled to graduate in May. The Cowboys were coached by Lane Weldon. (Photo by Trey Smart).

The final frame was filled with more long-distance shots and dunk attempts by players from both teams.

The East actually rallied behind Ryan’s Julian Rodriguez and Waurika’s Slade Cathey that cut the margin to 75-64 with a 5-0 surge.

At the 2:01 mark, the East drew within five at 78-73, but that would be closest they would get until Aiden McCullough of Big Pasture nailed a three-pointer with 18 seconds left that set the final score.

R. Williams led the West in scoring with 17 points and he also contributed four rebounds.

Jennings finished with eight points, five rebounds and a steal.

Alexander contributed seven rebounds and four points.

Rodriguez finished with eight points, three rebounds and a steal playing for the East.

Torrez had seven points and a steal in the contest, while Cathey finished with six points and eight rebounds.

Waurika’s Isaac Camarillo finished with a pair of rebounds on the night.

Waurika’s Lady Eagles were presented with the conference championship plaque and Frederick boys were honored as the conference champion.

Lady Eagles Fall to Calumet in Regional Consolation Championship

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…Outstanding Season Ends As Bid To Advance to Area Tourney Comes Up Short

GERONIMO – The Waurika Lady Eagles ran into a matchup problem in the Class A Regional Tournament consolation finals here last Saturday afternoon.

For one of the rare times this season, the opponent – this time Calumet – provided a presence inside that thwarted Waurika’s efforts to work the ball inside the paint.

And, the Lady Chieftains built an early lead on some hot shooting from the field and Waurika never led in the game before falling, 50-36, at the Geronimo Dome.

The Lady Eagles finished the 2022 campaign with a 20-7 record.

The Lady Eagles fell into the consolation bracket on Thursday with a 39-27 loss to Cyril, but advanced into the consolation bracket finals with a 44-40 victory over Binger-Oney on Friday.

Calumet opened Saturday’s game with a 7-0 run and Waurika never pulled closer than three points the rest of the game.

The Lady Chieftains took a 10-3 lead on two treys and two two-point buckets at the 2:41 mark of the first quarter.

But, the Lady Eagles fought back and scored the final four points of the quarter as Simmons hit a pair of buckets – the last one with 25 seconds left in the first quarter to narrow the Calumet lead to, 10-7.

The Lady Chieftains opened the second quarter on a 9-3 run to increase the lead to 19-10.

Cassidie Berry hit a pair of free throws with 4:03 left in the second quarter to narrow the gap to 19-12, but Calumet answered with a three-pointer from the top of the key by Allie Harris that increased the lead to 22-12 with 3:50 left in the half.

Harris hit another three with 3:05 left in the second frame that gave the Lady Chieftains a 25-12 advantage.

Gracie Walling connected on a short jumper with 2:26 left in the second quarter to narrow the gap to 25-14, but neither team scored the rest of the half.

A 5-0 run to open the third quarter increased the lead to 29-14 with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

Aubree Showalter connected on a three-pointer with 2:49 to play to cut the margin to 29-17.

When Liberti Simmons hit a layup at the buzzer to end the third quarter the Lady Eagles trailed, 32-21.

Calumet increased the lead to 34-21 with a layup, but the Lady Eagles answered with Walling’s three-pointer from the corner that cut the margin to 34-24 with 6:50 left in the game.

The Lady Eagles would get no closer.

Calumet went on a 11-1 run that was capped by a pair of layups by Karysa Meade to put the Lady Chieftains in front, 45-25, with 3:07 left that put the game out of reach.

Waurika finished the contest with an 11-5 scoring run, but it was simply not enough on this afternoon.

Simmons led the Lady Eagles in scoring with 14 points, but no other Lady Eagle was able to get to double figures.

The Lady Eagles advanced to the consolation finals with a tense victory over the Lady Bobcats here Friday.

In the opening moments of the game it looked like Waurika’s season was in jeopardy as Binger-Oney opened the game with two three-pointers – the second one coming at the 4:32 mark of the first quarter that gave the Lady Bobcats a 6-0 lead.

Jasmine Henry’s layup with 3:20 left in the first quarter gave Waurika its first points, but after the Lady Bobcats hit another trey, Waurika trailed, 9-2, with 2:32 showing in the initial frame.

The Lady Eagles finished the quarter on a 6-0 run – all on buckets by Simmons.

Simmons had a short runner, an offensive rebound and put back and a short jumper – the last coming with 4.1 seconds left to pull Waurika to within one point, 9-8, at the end of the first quarter.

Waurika opened the second quarter much like they had finished the first period as the Lady Eagles went on an 8-0 run that was started by a layup by Berry giving Waurika its first lead, 10-9, with 7:33 left in the half.

The run was capped by Tallin Mora’s short jumper that gave Waurika a 16-9 lead with 3:07 to play in the second quarter.

The Lady Bobcats went on a modest 6-2 scoring run to close out the half and Waurika’s lead was 18-15 at the break.

In the early part of the third quarter the game was extremely tight as Waurika never led by more than four points.

At the 4:31 mark, the Lady Bobcats got a layup that tied the game at 25-25.

That would be the final time Binger-Oney would score in the third quarter.

Waurika finished the quarter on a 10-0 blitz. Henry connected on a layup with 4:18 to play and that was followed by Berry’s layup at the 3:35 mark.

With 1:07 left in the quarter, Berry got another layup and the scoring blitz was capped on a layup and an eight-foot running jumper by Simmons that put Waurika in front, 35-25, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Bobcats opened the fourth quarter with a trey that cut the lead to 35-28 and Binger-Oney continued to draw closer to the Lady Eagles.

With 1:29 left in the game, Binger-Oney capped a 5-0 run with a layup that tied the game at 38-38.

The Lady Eagles answered with a bucket by Berry on a nifty assist from Mora that put Waurika on top, 40-38 with 1:08 left in the game.

Waurika got a steal, but turned the ball back over to Binger-Oney with 55 seconds to play.

The Lady Bobcats got a free throw with 48.5 seconds left to draw within one, 40-39.

Berry connected on another in-the-paint layup with 36.3 seconds left that increased the Lady Eagle lead to 42-39.

Binger-Oney converted on one of two charity tosses with 15.9 seconds to play to crawl to within two at 42-40.

Waurika grabbed the rebound on the second free throw and then the Lady Bobcats were forced to foul four times to get Waurika to the free throw line.

The final foul came with 7.7 seconds left and Simmons calmly sank two free throws that set the final margin.

Simmons led the Lady Eagles in scoring with 17 points, while Berry contributed 13 tallies.

In the regional semifinals in the Geronimo Dome on Thursday night, Waurika applied tons of defensive pressure to stay with the talented Lady Pirates through three quarters.

The defensive pressure by the Lady Pirates equaled that of the Lady Eagles to the point that Waurika managed only a single point in the final quarter of what had been a close game throughout.

Waurika was able to gain an 8-5 edge in the first quarter and increased the lead to 17-13 at the intermission.

Cyril, the 10th-ranked squad in Class A, began to take over in the second half.

In the third quarter the Lady Pirates outscored the Lady Eagles, 14-9, to move in front, 27-26, heading into the final period.

It was a 12-1 scoring advantage in the final frame that catapulted the Lady Pirates into last Saturday’s championship tilt.

Mora led the Lady Eagles in scoring with eight points.

Cyril went on to claim the regional title last Saturday night with a 45-41 victory over Oklahoma Christian Academy.

LADY EAGLES REGIONAL AND SEASON-ENDING NOTES: This was the 16th time a Waurika girls basketball team played in a regional tourney championship game….Eight of those have been in the consolation bracket….Waurika is now 5-11 in all regional tourney championship games – both winner and loser bracket finals….This was the 28th appearance for a Waurika girls team in a regional tournament with the first appearance coming in 1964….Waurika is now 24-35 in all regional tourney games after going 1-2 in this year’s regional tourney….In regional tournament play, Waurika is 0-2 against Cyril, 1-1 against Binger-Oney and 0-1 against Calumet….The 27 points scored against Cyril on Thursday is the second fewest points scored by Waurika in a regional tourney game….The Lady Eagles also had 27 points in a loss to Velma-Alma in a 1997 regional game….The fewest points scored by the Lady Eagles in a regional tourney game is 23 against Frederick in 1964 – the first appearance for Waurika in a regional tourney….The 20 wins for the Lady Eagles is the most since the 2017 season….Waurika has had only four seasons with 20 or more wins….Waurika girls’ coach Kalee Baxter is now 74-35 in five seasons at the helm of the Lady Eagles….This was the fourth straight winning season posted by the Lady Eagles and the eighth in the past nine seasons.

Calumet 50, Waurika 36

(Girls Consolation Finals)

Calumet   10              15              7                18—50

Waurika   7                7                7                15—36

CALUMET – Allie Harris 6-3-15, Brie Myers 5-1-15, Lily Thomas 4-2-10, Karysa Meade 3-0-6, Mattie Pritchett 1-1-4. TOTALS: 19-7-50. PF: 9. Three-pointers: Myers 4, Pritchett.

WAURIKA – Liberti Simmons 6-0-14, Gracie Walling 3-0-8, Aubree Showalter 2-1-6, Tallin Mora 1-2-4, Jaden Adams 1-0-2, Cassidie Berry 0-2-2. TOTALS: 13-5-36. PF: 15. Three-pointers: Walling 2, Simmons 2, Showalter.

Waurika 44, Binger-Oney 40

(Girls Consolation Semifinals)

Waurika                  8             10              17              9—44

Binger-Oney           8              5              10             15—40

WAURIKA – Liberity Simmons 7-2-17, Cassadie Berry 6-1-13, Jasmine Henry 2-1-5, Gracie Walling 1-1-3, Aubree Showalter 0-2-2, Tallin Mora 1-0-2, Jaden Adams 1-0-2. TOTALS: 18-7-44. PF: 8. Three-pointers: Simmons.

BINGER-ONEY – Jaydn Goucher 7-1-15, Taygan Graham 3-1-10, Jordan Anthony-Baade 2-0-6, Taylor Westervelt 3-0-7, Baylie Allen 1-0-2. TOTALS: 16-2-40. PF: 11. Three-pointers: Graham 3, Baade 2, Westervelt.               

Cyril 39, Waurika 27

(Girls Semifinals)

Waurika   8                9                9                1—27

Cyril          5                8                14              12—39

WAURIKA – Tallin Mora 3-0-8, Liberti Simmons 3-1-7, Aubree Showalter 2-0-6, Cassidie Berry 2-0-4, Gracie Walling 1-0-2. TOTALS: 11-2-27. PF: 16. Three-pointers: Mora 2, Showalter 2.

CYRIL – Lexie McLemore 4-7-17, Sky Ann Snider 3-1-9, Skalie Thompson 2-2-6, Hadley Gibson 2-0-4, Morton 1-1-3. TOTALS: 12-11-39. PF: 11. Three-pointers: Snider 2, McLemore 2.

Cowboys Falter In Regional Tourney To End Roundball Season

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….Sickness Hits Squad at Critical Time in the Season

The Ryan Cowboys boys’ basketball season came to an end last weekend as they dropped two straight in the Class B Regional Tournament.

 In last Thursday’s winners’ bracket contest, Big Pasture rolled to a 56-26 victory at Fox.

 Last Friday in the consolation bracket semifinals, Ryan fell to Alex, 60-29, on the Longhorns’ home floor.

The Cowboys battled illness that hit the squad in the early part of the week leading up to the regional tourney  and continued through the tourney.

Ryan’s boys finish with a 14-9 mark for the 2022 season.

The signal that the end of the season was imminent came early in Friday’s game with Alex.

The Longhorns opened the game on a 13-0 scoring blitz and finished the first quarter with an 18-2 advantage thanks to three treys.

Early in the second quarter the lead increased to 21-2 before the Cowboys could stop the Longhorn scoring barrage.

The energy-depleted Cowboys simply had no answer for the Longhorns the rest of the way.

The Cowboys rallied a bit in the second quarter, but still trailed, 33-11, at the break.

The two teams battled on near-even terms in the third quarter as Alex outscored the Cowboys only by a 14-12 margin but the lead of 47-23 was insurmountable.

The Longhorns closed out the fourth quarter with a 13-6 scoring advantage to set the final score.

Julian Rodriguez was the top scorer for the Cowboys with 12 points, but no other Cowboy was in double figures.

Landen Alexander led the squad in rebounding with eight.

The Cowboys committed 25 turnovers in the contest and shot only 28% from the field including only two of 21 from beyond the arc.

In Thursday’s contest with Big Pasture the Cowboys fell behind 6-0 on consecutive three-pointers by the Rangers in the first 90 seconds of the game, but Ryan rallied a bit through the rest of the quarter.

The two teams actually played on even terms the rest of the quarter.

Westin Jennings got Ryan on the scoreboard with a reverse layup that cut the Ranger lead to 6-2, but another trey gave Big Pasture a 9-2 advantage.

After a pair of free throws by Jennings, the Rangers got two layups and with 3:40 left in the first quarter the Rangers had extended the lead to 13-4.

The Cowboys finished off the quarter with a modest 6-3 scoring advantage and after Xavier Guzman’s short jumper at the 2:08 mark, Ryan trailed, 16-10.

That is the way the first quarter ended.

The game was essentially put out of reach early in the second quarter as the Rangers went on a 12-1 run that put the Big Pasture lead at 28-11.

Guzman’s layup with 28 seconds to play in the half brought the Big Pasture lead down to 15, 32-17, and that is the way the half ended.

The Rangers continued to dominate throughout the third quarter as they outscored the Cowboys, 12-5, to obtain a 44-22 advantage at the end of the period.

Big Pasture continued to increase the lead early in the fourth quarter and the Cowboys simply did not have much left to give as the Rangers outscored Ryan, 12-4, to get the victory and move into the regional finals.

The Cowboys battled the Rangers on the board as both teams had 36 rebounds, but Ryan committed 29 turnovers to only 14 for the 11th-ranked Rangers.

Guzman led the Cowboys in scoring with 12 points and he was also the top rebounder for Ryan with nine rebounds.

It was a dismal shooting night for the Cowboys, however, as they connected on only 26% of their field goal attempts and were only four of 11 from the charity stripe.

REGIONAL TOURNEY RAMBLINGS: The Cowboys have not fared well in regional tournament play over the past few years as Ryan has now lost 15 straight games in regional tourney play….The last win in a regional tourney came in 2006 when they topped Big Pasture….The Cowboys are 31-44 in 41 appearances in the regional tourney with the first appearance coming in 1942….Ryan is now 1-1 against Big Pasture in regional tourney meetings and is 0-1 against Alex in regional tourney play….The 14 wins by the Cowboys in the 2022 season are the most since the 2017 campaign…The nine losses is tied for the fewest losses in a season since 2005 when the Cowboys lost only seven games….Lane Weldon made a return to Ryan this season to coach both the Cowboys and Cowgirls and as coach of the Cowboys Weldon has had only one losing season in 11 years….Under Weldon, the Cowboys have a 178-105 record in all games….Alexander and Jennings made their last appearance in a Cowboy basketball uniform in last Friday’s game.

Alex 60, Ryan 29

(Boys Consolation Semifinals)

Ryan         2              9               12              6—29

Alex          18           15              14            13—60

RYAN – Julian Rodriguez 4-2-12, Landen Alexander 4-0-8, Westin Jennings 2-2-6, Carsen Rodriguez 1-1-3. TOTALS: 11-5-29. PF: 11. Three-pointers: J. Rodriguez 2

ALEX – Chase Byrne 7-3-17, Ricky Thornburg 5-0-11, Conner Garrett 3-1-8, Konner Shebester 2-2-7, Kyler Boatright 2-0-6, Mason Spencer 2-0-4, Tallon Hurd 1-0-3, Nick Power 1-0-2, Jacob Compton 1-0-2. TOTALS: 24-6-60. PF: 8. Three-pointers: Boatright 2, Thornburg, Garrett, Shebester, Hurd.

Big Pasture 56, Ryan 26

(Boys Semifinals)

Ryan         10           7                5                4—26

BP             16          16              12             12—56

RYAN – Xavier Guzman 6-0-12, Mason Adsit 3-0-6, Westin Jennings 1-2-4, Julian Rodriguez 1-1-3, Landen Alexander 0-1-1. TOTALS: 11-4-2. PF: 11. Three-pointers: None.

BIG PASTURE – Lane Tinsley 6-0-12, Grayson Skocelas 4-0-0, Carson Coats 7-1-15, Aiden McCullough 3-0-9, Lance Martin 2-0-4, Hayden Tinsley 1-0-2, Dayne Rivers 1-0-2, Noah White 1-0-2. TOTALS: 25-1-56. PF: 14. Three-pointers: McCullough 3, Skocelas 2.

Season Ends For Eagles Basketball Squad In Regional Tourney  

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GERONIMO – What was a tough season for the Waurika boys hoopsters ended here last Thursday night in the Class A Regional Tournament.

 The Eagles fell in the consolation quarterfinals to Empire, 52-49.

In two previous meetings with the Bulldogs, the Eagles were dominated, but not on this afternoon contest in the Geronimo Dome.

 The Eagles led or were tied with the Bulldogs until the final 20 seconds in the heart-breaking loss in Thursday’s game.

 The Eagles got off to a good start with offensive rebounds and put backs by Treyton Torrez and Slade Cathey to give Waurika 4-0 lead with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

The rest of the period was a battle, but after Torrez hit a 10-footer at the 1:19 mark, Waurika held a 13-6 advantage.

 Empire, however, scored the final five points of the quarter and trimmed the Waurika lead to 13-11.

 At the beginning of the second quarter the Eagles took charge as they went on a 11-0 run that was capped by Isaac Camarillo’s layup at the 4:54 mark of the period. This gave Waurika a 24-11 lead – their biggest lead of the game.

Waurika went cold for the rest of the half and Empire chipped away at the lead as the Bulldogs outscored the Eagles, 9-2, the rest of the second quarter and trailed only 26-20 at the break.

The Eagles built another big lead in the opening minutes of the third quarter with a 12-5 scoring run that gave Waurika a 38-25 lead with 4:24 remaining in the quarter.

The Bulldogs once again battled back and when Mcray Weber hit a three-pointer with 37.7 seconds left in the quarter, Empire had trimmed the Eagle advantage to 41-34.

A pair of free throws by the Bulldogs pulled Empire to within five to open the fourth quarter, but Malachi Dodson answered for the Eagles with a three-pointer and with 6:35 left in the game, Waurika led, 44-36.

As they had throughout the game, the Bulldogs put on a scoring burst and this time the Eagles could not keep pace.

From the 6:35 mark to the final 30 seconds, the Eagles managed only three points. Meanwhile the Bulldogs began to hit from the outside and converted five free throws until, at the 1:03 mark, Empire tied the game at 47-47.

The final minute was a flurry of activity. Waurika missed a trey and Empire grabbed the rebound and after the Bulldogs missed a field goal attempt, Torrez was fouled on the rebound and he connected on two free throws with 30.2 seconds left to give the Eagles a 49-47 lead.

After a Waurika timeout, Empire quickly moved down the court and after a couple of passes found Weber open at the top of the key where he nailed a three-point to put Empire in front, 50-49, with 20 seconds showing on the clock.

 The Bulldogs called timeout, but Waurika had an opportunity for a final shot. A missed three-pointer went awry with five seconds to go and as Empire grabbed the rebound a foul was whistled on Waurika as well as a technical foul.

This gave Empire four free throw attempts with 2.4 seconds left and the Bulldogs hit two of four to provide the final margin.

The main reason the Eagles were able to stay in the game was their domination on the boards. The Eagles outrebounded Empire, 36-20, for the game.

But, in the final quarter when the Bulldogs made the final surge, the Eagles were outrebounded, 8-3.

Torrez led the Eagles in scoring with 22 points, but he was the only Eagle in double figures.

Empire was eliminated from the playoffs last Friday night as the Bulldogs fell to Oklahoma Christian Academy, 51-31.

Waurika finished the season with a 6-17 record, but the Eagles were extremely competitive in five of the last seven games of the season and for the most part were playing their best basketball of the season down the stretch.

EAGLE REGIONAL RUMBLINGS AND MORE: This was the first regional tournament appearance for a Waurika boys’ basketball team since 2019….Overall, the Eagles have made 47 appearances in regional tournament play with the first appearance coming in 1929….Waurika is now 42-46 in all regional tournament games…Waurika is 0-2 against Empire in regional tournament play….The Eagles are now 4-2 against the Bulldogs in all playoff basketball games… In the two previous meetings with Empire this season the Eagles gave up six and seven three-pointers, but allowed only four treys to Empire in the regional tourney game – but the final trey by Empire was the difference maker in the contest….The Eagles were only 2-8 this season when giving up six or more three-pointers in a game….The six wins for the Eagles is the fewest since the Eagles won only four contests in 2018….The 17 losses is the most since the Eagles had 18 losses in the 2018 season….Garret Bachand completed his third season and he is 33-36 as coach of the Eagles with this season being the only non-winning season in his tenure as coach of the Eagles….The Eagles won three of their first four games, but only three of their final 16 contests.

Empire 52, Waurika 49

(Boys Cons. Quarterfinals)

Waurika   

13     13      15       8—49

Empire     

11      9       14     18—52

WAURIKA – Treyton Torrez 8-6-22, Isaac Camarillo 4-0-9, Slade Cathey 4-1-9, Malachi Dodson 2-0-6, Gavin Torrez 1-0-3. TOTALS: 19-7-49. PF: 20. Three-pointers: Dodson 2, Camarillo, G. Torrez.

EMPIRE – McCray Weber 9-6-26, Easton Beck 2-5-11, Nycolas Spigner 2-4-8, Brodric Spigner 3-0-6, Colby Boyd 0-1-1. TOTALS: 16-16-52. PF: 16. Three-pointers: Weber 2, Beck 2.

Oil Field & Southern 8 Conferences 

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 Basketball awards for Ryan and Waurika have been announced by the Southern Eight and Oil Field conferences.

Waurika’s Liberti Simmons nabbed the top honor for the Oil Field Conference as she was named the most valuable player of the conference for the 2022 season.

Simmons was the leading scorer for Coach Kalee Baxter’s Lady Eagles and helped lead Waurika to a 20-win season that ended in the regional consolation bracket finals.

Also earning an individual award for Waurika was Tallin Mora. Mora was named the Southern Eight’s outstanding defensive player.

Mora was a defensive standout for the Lady Eagles and was often tabbed to guard the top players of teams Waurika faced throughout the season.

Frederick’s Dannie McClung and Cade Roady snared the most valuable player awards for the Southern Eight Conference.

Chrissa Gomez of Geronimo was named the Southern Eight’s top offensive player of the year on the girls’ side, while Big Pasture’s Carson Coats was named the top offensive boys player for the conference.

Brennan Turner of Big Pasture was voted by the coaches as the outstanding defensive player for the boys.

The Oil Field Conference selects only a most valuable player and Velma-Alma’s Tyler Stewart grabbed the honor among the conference’s boys.

Selected to the Southern Eight all-conference team for the Lady Eagles were Simmons and Gracie Walling.

Cassidie Berry of Waurika was named to the all-conference squad by the Oil Field coaches.

Treyton Torrez of Waurika was an all-conference selection in both the Oil Field and Southern Eight conferences. Torrez, who missed a few of the early games of the season, was the top point producer for coach Garret Bachand’s Eagles.

Ryan’s Racen Williams was named to the all-conference team for the Southern Eight Conference. He was the only Cowboy selected from coach Lane Weldon’s team that finished with a 14-9 mark. Williams was the leading scorer for the Cowboys.

The Southern Eight also named Ryan’s Jasmine Villarreal to the all-conference team. She was the leading scorer for the Cowgirls in the 2022 campaign.

Berry, Isaac Camarillo and Slade Cathey of Waurika were selected to play in the Southern Eight’s all-star game that is slated for Monday at Geronimo.

Mora and Malachi Dodson will represent Waurika in the Oil Field Conference all-star game to be held at Waurika on March 8.

Ryan’s Alicen Williams, Westin Jennings and Landen Alexander were selections for the Southern Eight all-star fray that will feature athletes from all the schools in the conference.

Announce Hoops Honors

 Southern 8 Boys All-Conference Team

A.J. Clung, Frederick; Spencer Crain, Geronimo; Treyton Torrez, Waurika; Quavy Brown, Grandfield; Zack Tyler, Frederick; Racen Williams, Ryan.

Southern 8 Girls All-Conference Team

Liberti Simmons, Waurika; Ashlynn Spurlock, Temple; Liz McCarthy, Geronimo; Dalee Groves, Big Pasture; Jsmine Villarreal, Ryan; Ashlee McClung, Frederick; Gracie Walling, Waurika.

Oil Field Boys All-Conference Team

McCray Weber, Empire Tristan Wainscott, Velma-Alma; Cy Red Elk, Walters; Treyton Torrez, Waurika; Isaac Love, Healdton; Jace Waller, Central High; Kaden Forsythe, Wilson; Ty Turner, Walters; Andrew Sawyer, Elmore City-Pernell; Chase Taylor, Ringling.

Oil Field Girls All-Conference Team

Shain Ille, Velma-Alma; K.K. Smith, Empire; Brynli Tucker, Healdton; Ashtyn Baker, Wilson; Trista Ford, Walters; Ramsey Webb, Healdton; Emma Youngblood, Walters; Mia Curtis, Empire; Cassidie Berry, Waurika; Meghan Roberts, Ringling; Ally Smith, Velma-Alma.

Post Season Athletic Honors

 Southern 8 Conference 

Game is Monday at 6:30 @ Geronimo 

Girls

Defensive Player of the Year Tallin Mora 

All Conference Team 

Libi Simmons 

Gracie Walling 

All-Star Team

Cassidie Berry 

Honorable Mention 

Aubree Showalter 

Boys

All Conference Team

Treyton Torrez 

All Star Team

Slade Cathey 

Isaac Camarillo 

Honorable Mention 

Malachi Dodson 

Oil Field Conference 

Game is March 8 at Waurika at 6:30

Girls

Most Valuable Player Libi Simmons 

All Conference Team 

Cassidie Berry 

All Star Team 

Tallin Mora

Honorable Mention 

Gracie Walling 

Jasmine Henry 

Boys

All Conference Team 

Treyton Torrez 

All Star Team 

Malachi Dodson 

Honorable Mention 

Isaac Camarillo

Former Ryan Basketball Coach Helping Preserve Sports History

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…. Sports Museum Located In Downtown Guthrie Chronicles Oklahoma Sports

Tucked away in three buildings in historical downtown Guthrie, Oklahoma is a little-known destination for any sports enthusiast – particularly if you are from Oklahoma.

The Territorial Capital Sports Museum is located in three adjoining buildings in Guthrie. Those buildings, along with many others in the downtown area, are on the National Register of Historic Places.

And, the museum has a local connection – it was founded by and is managed by former Oklahoma high school coach Richard Hendricks – who made Ryan one of his coaching stops in his basketball coaching career.

Hendricks coached at Ryan in the 1966 and 1967 basketball seasons.

The museum features 13,000 square feet of space full of displays that feature sports artifacts and educational items related to the state of Oklahoma.

UP FRONT – Pictured is the various artifacts near the entrance of the Territorial Capitol Sports Museum in Guthrie. The museum is located in downtown Guthrie and it houses tons of sports memorabilia related to people that call Oklahoma home.
(Photo by Trey Smart)

The museum is also home to the Oklahoma High School Baseball Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame and features a gallery devoted to around 50 members of the Hall of Fame.

The Oklahoma Sports Museum Association is the operator of the museum and was founded in 1993.

The purpose of the museum is to preserve Oklahoma sports history including the traditional sports of football, basketball, baseball, but there are also large displays from rodeo, the Olympics and ice hockey.

It is the largest collection of sports artifacts in Oklahoma.

The museum annually presents the Warren Spahn Award to the best left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. The award, created in 1999 by Hendricks, honors Spahn, who resided in Oklahoma. Spahn holds the MLB record for wins by a left-handed pitcher.

“This all began one year when I was assistant principal at Guthrie High School,” said Hendricks in a recent interview at the museum.

“I had brought in Fergie Jenkins (former major league pitcher) and Hubert “Geese” Ausbie (former Harlem Globetrotter) to speak during Red Ribbon Week about staying away from drugs and building character,” Hendricks shared.

Jenkins at one time owned a ranch near Guthrie and he pitched for the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, while Ausbie is from nearby Crescent and he was part of the Globetrotters from 1961 to 1985.

“And, the idea of putting together the museum got going at that point,” Hendricks added.

The museum honors athletes from all parts of Oklahoma and teams that represent Oklahoma from the Oklahoma City Thunder to all minor league teams that have existed.

There is also a display with all the Heisman trophy winners and a statue of Olympic gymnast Shannon Miller.

“The creator of Miller’s statue did some of the work right here at the museum,” noted Hendricks, who was able to talk non-stop about the many things located in the museum.

“We have a section honoring Camille Herron from Norman. She is an ultra-marathon runner and she recently set the world record for the 100 mile race,” Hendricks said. “She is a three-time Olympic Marathon trials qualifier.”

OKLAHOMA CONNECTIONS – This display of major league baseball jerseys belonged to former MLB managers that have connections to Oklahoma. The display is one of the many things found in the Territorial Capitol Museum in Guthrie.
(Photo by Trey Smart)

Some of the displays go back to prior to 1900 and there is an extensive collection of baseball artifacts featuring Oklahomans Paul and Lloyd Waner – the only brother combination in the Baseball Hall of Fame that are from Harrah.

There are also displays featuring former major league baseball players Mickey Mantle, Pepper Martin (who was born in Temple) and Dizzy Dean – just to name a few.

One of the most impressive displays is a collection of jerseys from many major and minor league teams – both past and present.

“This guy called me one day and said he had some jerseys he wanted to donate,” Hendricks shared. “I thought it might be seven or eight and it turned out to be 90.”

“We are really fortunate to have so many outstanding people come through this state,” Hendricks reflected. “We have so many outstanding athletes for our size of state in all sports.”

“Oklahoma has a great tradition and outstanding teams,” added Hendricks.

Hendricks has been in charge of the museum since it opened.

“It was great to be able to do this after retiring from education,” Hendricks said. “It has been a great thing for me to do.”

Hendricks was born in Wichita, Kansas, but grew up in Cherokee, Pryor and Cordell. His father was a Baptist minister and his dad helped open Baptist Hospitals in Pryor and Cordell.

“I am 80 years old now and we are really hoping for a major corporate sponsor to help guarantee the future of the museum,” said Hendricks, who had coaching stops at Stigler, Ryan, Lone Wolf, Ft. Cobb, Grandfield, Cordell.

Hendricks came to Guthrie in 1976 and remained at the school until retiring in 1993 and taking over the responsibility at the museum.

Some of his greatest coaching accomplishments came in the two years Hendricks directed the Cowgirl and Cowboy basketball programs for Ryan.

He took over a girls team in 1966 that had won the Class B state title the previous year and the Cowgirls returned four starters from that squad.

“We were always battling Sterling,” Hendricks said. “We were ranked one and two all year and met them twice in the regular season – we won at our place and they won at their place.”

“We begged the OSSAA (Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association) to put us in different regionals, but they didn’t,” Hendricks explained.

Sterling defeated Ryan in the regional finals that season, 42-41, to advance to the state tournament.

That Cowgirl squad finished 21-4 and won the district title and finished ranked fourth in the state.

The 1967 squad carved a 19-5 record and was also the district champion, but fell in the first round of the regional tournament.

“Both years we were one of the top teams in the state,” Hendricks said. “Our boys were not quite at that level but we had some really good players.”

Hendricks mentioned several of his former players such as Pernell Howard (now Williams), Barbara Huff, Sandy Knowles, Gayle Ellis and Sharon Ellis.

“Pernell would have been a good forward, but she dominated on defense,” said Hendricks about the former all-stater that played six-on-six girls basketball.

Hendricks referred to his short stay at Ryan throughout the interview.

“We have nothing but good memories about Ryan,” noted Hendricks. “There were a lot of good people and good kids – good character kids.”

“Glen Martin (the superintendent during Hendricks’ tenure at Ryan) was really good to work with,” Hendricks said.

Hendricks and any of the dedicated museum volunteers will greet you at the door, show you around the galleries and tell you the fascinating stories of Oklahoma’s sports history and its heroes.

The next time you may be looking for a day trip – plan on visiting Guthrie and this hidden gem – the Territorial Capital Sports Museum in downtown Guthrie.

Archery Team Being Formed in Waurika

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What started as an interest with my daughter wanting to shoot competitive archery has become a much larger vision. I started trying to find a way for Karlee to get involved in a sport she had a true interest just before COVID shut everything down. With not being able to join a team and attend events things got delayed. I first signed on to be a 4H archery coach, and I will move forward with 4H as I am able to attend their training. However, 4H only offers a couple of competitions a year. After some research and visiting with many people in bow shops and in archery groups, I came across Scholastic 3-D Archery. It is not connected to school but an emphasis on being a good student will be part of the program. There will be many opportunities for competitions through our organization’s partnerships. We will be able to accommodate ages 7 to 18 or 19, depending on when their birthday falls. The scholarships and possibilities to compete as an adult are endless. 

There will be an information meeting where we will talk about what the vision is for our Waurika Discover Archery team. The meeting will take place on November 4th, 2021, at 6:00 pm at the Jefferson County Fair Building. I will have what it will cost for registration in the organization and other dues to make this program a possibility. Archery is a fantastic way to focus our minds on things and discover who we are and how we can center ourselves and compete only against ourselves. It important to remember that hunting wildlife is a part of archery, but it does not have to be for some or be all there is for many. 

Scholastic 3-D Archery, known as S3DA, was created by a group of leaders in the archery industry who realized there was a large gap between basic introductory archery programs and the next-step training initiatives that students are looking for.  A key facet of the S3DA program is the partnerships between the Archery Shooters Association (ASA), National Field Archery Association (NFAA) and the USA Archery Association (USA Archery).

The mission of S3DA program is to foster, educate, and guide youth in the areas of 3-D, indoor target archery as well as safe, ethical bowhunting practices. 

S3DA is a non-profit organization with numerous corporate sponsors.  S3DA has an ever-expanding, diverse group of local, regional, state, and national organizations, archery manufacturers, archery shops, trade groups, etc., who are interested in youth outdoor education and support S3DA.  The driving force behind the growth of the program has been derived from many different facets, including the R3 program, Fish & Wildlife agencies, Dep. of Natural Resources agencies and interested parties across the nation.

Students love S3DA because S3DA does not require any specific equipment to participate in the program. S3DA standardizes the tournament format instead of the equipment involved. Students can choose to shoot any bow, sight, stabilizer, release, etc., that they want as long as they are within the rules for their shooting division and class. Many students enjoy S3DA because it gives them more time with their friends and family.

I hope so see you on November 4th and to have you and your future archer as part of our club and team. If you have any questions before the meeting or cannot make it that night please feel free to email me at discoverarcherywaurika@gmail.com or by text or calling 580-227-7090. 

Ryan Cross Country Squads Low in Number for 2021

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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.

Diamond Woes Continue for Cowgirl Softball Squad

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 It has been a difficult first few weeks for the Ryan Cowgirl softball squad as the Cowgirls are still looking for their first win of the season.

In action Monday and Tuesday, the Cowgirls dropped a 10-6 decision to Big Pasture and a 12-0 verdict to Thackerville.

The Cowgirls are slated to travel to Temple today and then will host Waurika on Tuesday.

One week from today, Bray-Doyle and Temple will come to Larry Ninman Field for a three-way encounter.

Photo by Shelley Villarreal

On Tuesday, the Cowgirls could not get anything going at the plate against the Lady Wildcats.

Plus, defensive lapses allowed Thackerville to get a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The first four Lady Wildcats reached base on errors and three of them scored.

In the second inning a combination of three errors and two walks led to three more runs to increase the Thackerville lead to 7-0.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Lady Wildcats got five runs to end the game. Thackerville took advantage of two more errors and three walks and a hit batsman to pick up the run-rule win.

The Cowgirls did not have a hit in the game.

In Monday’s game at home, the Cowgirls got on top of the Lady Rangers with a single run in the bottom of the first inning.

Carter Combs reached base and then Libby Carter and Emily Harris walked. Maci Cooper got a two-out, RBI-single to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 advantage.

In the top of the second inning Big Pasture had its first four batters reach base and score giving the Lady Rangers a 4-1 lead.

Photo by Shelley Villarreal

Ryan cut the margin with another run in the bottom of the third inning.

Jasmine Villerreal reached base and scored for the Cowgirls and the Big Pasture lead was down to 4-2.

In the top of the fourth, Big Pasture increased the lead with three runs to go up, 7-2.

The Cowgirls were able to pick up another run in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cooper reached base and eventually came around to score to bring the Cowgirls to within 7-3.

The Lady Rangers put the game away with three more runs in the top of the sixth inning to expand the lead to 10-3.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Cowgirls mounted a rally that came up a little short.

Harris, Villerreal and Cooper led off the inning by reaching base and all three scored, but the Cowgirls went down in order after that.

Villerreal and Cooper each scored two runs in the contest for the Cowgirls.

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