Waurika Hoops Look To Build on 2020 Successes

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December 3, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Roberson will be manning the point for the Lady Eagles.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waurika Basketball Schedule

December

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

January

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

February

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

Waurika to Face Laverne for Rematch

By

Trey Smart

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November 28, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Laverne at Waurika

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2020 Laverne Season Results

Cherokee 28, Laverne 20

Laverne 42, Waurika 18

Laverne 50, Pioneer 14

Laverne 58, Balko12

Laverne 46, Seiling 0

Laverne 52, Canton 6

Laverne 56, Turpin 0

Laverne 50, Shattuck 16

Buffalo Storms Past Cowboys To End Ryan’s Grid Season

By

Trey Smart

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November 19, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eagles Begin Playoff Run Friday By Hosting Southwest Covenant

By

Trey Smart

-

November 19, 2020

0

After a week off during the first round of the Class B playoffs, Waurika’s grid squad will open the post-season Friday against a talented Southwest Covenant team.

The Eagles and Patriots will square off at 7 p.m. on Norman West Field at Waurika’s Cy Sloan Stadium.

Both teams have had an up-and-down season with the schedule.

Waurika had two games canceled during the regular season. That pales in comparison to the Patriots’ season that saw only five regular season games played.

The Patriots had hoped to repeat the success of the past couple of years until the season was derailed by the cancellations. After the Patriots’ win over Central High in the first round of the playoffs last week, Southwest Covenant has a total of six games under their belt.

In the 2018 season, Southwest Covenant marched all the way to the Class C state title game where they fell to Tipton. Last year’s season ended with a first-round loss after an undefeated regular season.

In the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Patriots put together a 22-2 record.

Over that same time period Waurika has been equally impressive. In those two seasons Waurika was 21-3 overall and had a pair of district titles.

The Eagles would likely have made it three district titles in a row but stumbled in the contest with Empire earlier this season.

The only common opponent between the two schools from the 2020 campaign is Central High. Waurika defeated Central High, 56-6, in a district contest in week seven.

The winner of Friday’s clash will take on Laverne. Laverne advanced after Seiling was forced to cancel because of COVID-19.

The Patriots football program has produced one National Football League player. Dan Bailey, a former Oklahoma State kicker, is in his 10th season in the profession ranks. He currently is the kicker for the Minnesota Vikings. Bailey graduated from Southwest Covenant, which is located in Yukon, in 2007.

Three other District B-3 teams remain in the playoffs. Empire, which also had a bye, faces Alex on Friday night at Empire, while Snyder, a 72-28 winner over Strother last week plays at Velma-Alma. Tipton, which also had a bye last week, makes the long trip to Caddo for its first playoff encounter.

SW Covenant at Waurika

Time and Place: Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Cy Sloan Stadium

Records: Southwest Covenant is 3-3 on the year, while Waurika is 5-3.

State Rankings: Neither team is ranked.

Coaches: Trey Cloud is in his seventh season at the private school that has competed in both Class B and Class C since the 2010 season. Cloud has a 39-31 record as coach of the Patriots. Joe Allen is in his third season at the helm of the Eagles. Under Allen the Eagles have compiled a 26-6 mark.

Series History: This will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Last Week: Southwest Covenant played host to Central High and rolled to a 44-0 victory over the Bronchos. Waurika, by virtue of finishing second in District B-3, received a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Playoff History: Southwest Covenant is making its seventh appearance in the post-season since becoming a member of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association in 2010. The Patriots have a 6-6 record and have made one appearance in the semifinals and one appearance in the state finals. This is the fifth straight year for the Patriots to compete in the post-season.

Waurika is making its 30th appearance in the playoffs and the sixth since joining the eight-man ranks. Waurika is 29-26-2 in all playoff games and has the 1951 state championship to its credit. The Eagles have appeared in six state semifinal contests. The Eagles have earned three district titles since beginning eight-man competition. Last year the Eagles were eliminated in the second round of the Class B playoffs by Pioneer. This is the fourth consecutive year for the Eagles to be in the playoffs.

Team Capsules: The Patriots had only two regular season wins – over Caddo and Bray-Doyle. The three losses by the Patriots came to Regent Prep – the only non-district game the Patriots were able to play – and to district foes Alex and Velma-Alma. The Patriots led the entire game against Alex, but the Longhorns rallied in the final quarter to get the win. Tyler Kelly, a senior running back, will be the top threat for the Patriots on offense. As a junior in 2019, Kelley rushed for 1,143 yards in 11 games. Spearheading the defense will be Blake Riddell who was the team leader in tackles a year ago from his linebacker position.

The Eagles have played their toughest schedule in the three-year tenure of Coach Allen. Two of the three losses came to eight-man powers Shattuck and Laverne and the other defeat was an overtime battle with district champion Empire. Waurika has a strong ground game on offense with talented quarterback Trey Torrez and dependable running back Kevin Garcia. Torrez has 1,168 yards rushing in just eight games, while Garcia has contributed 662 yards on the ground. Torrez has 20 rushing touchdowns on the year, while Garcia has 14 scores – 11 rushing touchdowns and three touchdown pass receptions. The Eagles are coming off possibly their best defense performance of the season in the final week of the regular season. The Eagle defenders held Snyder to only six points. The Cyclones scored 72 last week in a playoff game against Strother.

Outlook: The Eagles will have to be poised and ready for the invasion of Southwest Covenant into the Eagles’ home field. Despite the record the Patriots bring into the game, they are a dangerous team as they begin to gain experience with each contest played. The Eagles will need to start well on offense and produce another outstanding defensive performance to move on to the second round of the post-season.

Patriots 2019 Results

Regent Prep 53, SW Covenant 6

SW Covenant 30, Caddo 28

SW Covenant 56, Bray-Doyle 12

Alex 44, SW Covenant 38

Velma-Alma 50, SW Covenant 34

SW Covenant 44, Central High 0

Shattuck Defends Home Turf With Win Over Waurika

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

October 2, 2020

0

The task of facing the top-ranked team in Class B proved to be a bit too challenging for the Waurika Eagles at Shattuck last Friday.

The Indians used a big second quarter to garner a 56-14 victory over the Eagles.

Waurika, 1-2, will return home tomorrow night (Friday) for a homecoming battle with Canton. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Cy Sloan Stadium.

Homecoming activities will be held before the game.

Canton will bring a 3-1 record to Waurika and the Tigers suffered their initial loss of the season last Friday in a 44-28 loss to Ringwood.

Shattuck’s quarterback, Samuel Long, was a thorn in the side of the Waurika defense all night.

The senior quarterback ran for three touchdowns and threw for another score and converted four two-point conversions for the Indians. Long finished with 167 yards rushing on 18 carries.

Waurika hung tough with the defending Class B state champions as the Indians held only an 8-0 lead after the first quarter on Long’s four-yard run and two-point conversion with just 59 seconds left in the first quarter.

But the Indians dominated the second quart with three scores and three two-point conversions to hold a commanding 32-0 advantage at the intermission.

Shattuck added to the lead in the third quarter with another scoring run from Long – this time a 30-yard scamper – and Caden Laverty ran for the two points to increase the lead to 40-0 with 7:53 left in the game.

Waurika answered with its first score of the night as Treyton Torrez scored from one yard out. The two-point conversion failed and with 4:12 left in the third quarter the Eagles still trailed, 40-6.

Shattuck scored on the first play of the fourth quarter and was successful on the two-point conversion to increase the margin to 48-6 with 11:56 to play in the game.

Waurika kept the game alive with a score. Torrez scored from six yards out and also ran for the two-point conversion but the Eagles still trailed, 48-14, with only 8:44 left in the game.

Shattuck tacked on another score with only 2:26 left in the game.

The game ended with Waurika in Shattuck territory.

The Eagles did have 263 yards rushing on the night, but the Indians rushed for 355 yards and had 75 yards passing in the victory.

Kevin Garcia rushed for over 100 yards with 118 paces on 14 carries.

EAGLE FLIGHTS: Shattuck and Waurika both have one win in the two-game series with Waurika’s victory coming in a 1988 playoff game….Shattuck’s win over Waurika increased its winning streak to 44 straight games….The last time Shattuck lost was in October of 2017….The last time the Eagles started a season at 1-2 was in 2014 when they won the season opener against Ryan and lost to Maud and Maysville in back-to-back weeks….This marks the first time under head coach Joe Allen the Eagles have lost two games during the regular season….Both of the Waurika losses have come to a pair of the top programs in Class B.

Game In Figures

WHS SHS

First Downs 10 18

Yards Rushing 49-263 55-355

Yards Passing 10 75

Passes 1-3 4-7

Passes Int. By 1 0

Fumbles Lost 1 1

Punts 2-14 0-0

Penalties 4-35 2-20

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Waurika 0 0 6 8—14

Shattuck 8 24 8 16—56

FIRST QUARTER

SHATTUCK – Samuel Long 4 run (long run), :59

SECOND QUARTER

SHATTUCK – Long 3 run (Long run), 11:02

SHATTUCK – Jayden Frazier 20 pass from Jarek Fritz (Long run), 5:39

SHATTUCK – Frazier 15 pass from Long (Long run), :36

THIRD QUARTER

SHATTUCK – Long 30 run (Caden Laverty run), 7:53

WAURIKA – Treyton Torrez 1 run (run failed), 4:12

FOURTH QUARTER

SHATTUCK – Caleb Miller 4 run (Colton Jones run), 11:56

WAURIKA – Torrez 6 run (Torrez run), 8:44

SHATTUCK – Jones 3 run (Jones run), 2:26

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

WAURIKA: Rushing – Kevin Garcia 14-118, Treyton Torrez 16-57, Trent Arellano 5-54, Matt Arriola 5-19, Gabe Jenkins 6-15, Nic Wilson 2-0; Passing – Torrez 1-3-10-0; Receiving – Garcia 1-10.

Ryan Falls Short in Homecoming Game

By

Trey Smart

-

October 2, 2020

0

Just when you thought the football season for the Ryan Cowboys could not get worse, the Cowboys suffered a 64-8 defeat at the hands of Thackerville at Bob Givens Sports Complex last Friday night.

The loss was difficult but the Cowboys lost starting quarterback Racen Williams early in the game and the only option was to insert sophomore receiver Julian Rodriguez at quarterback who had not had any snaps at the position in practice or in games this season.

And while Rodriguez did an admirable job in the difficult circumstances, the lack of experience did limit the options for the Ryan offense in the homecoming contest with the Wildcats.

The Cowboys had already lost another player during the week and if Williams cannot recover from his injury, the Cowboys will have only 10 or 11 players to suit out in tomorrow night’s contest at Mountain View.

Mountain View-Gotebo comes into the district game with the Cowboys with a spotless 4-0 mark and ranked fourth in Class C. Kickoff for the game is set for 7 p.m.

With all of the difficult circumstances and adversity the Cowboys are facing last Friday night’s contest added to it as Thackerville hit for two quick scores in the first two minutes of the game.

The Wildcats scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass and passed for the two-point conversion to go on top 8-0 only 34 seconds into the game.

The Cowboys were forced to punt on their first possession and Thackerville wasted no time in scoring again – this time on a 49-yard pass. The pass for the two points was good and the Wildcats had a 16-0 lead with 10:13 still left in the first quarter.

On the next possession the Cowboys fumbled the ball and Thackerville recovered at midfield to set up a seven-play drive that included 20 yards of penalties against the Wildcats.

Blayne Giourgas, who had scored the first two touchdowns for the Wildcats, capped the drive with a 26-yard scoring run. The run for two points failed, but Thackerville was in front 22-0 with 7:25 to play in the first quarter.

On Ryan’s first play from scrimmage after the kickoff the Wildcats intercepted a Cowboy pass and returned it 26 yards to put Thackerville in business on offense at the Ryan 20.

It took Thackerville only four plays to score with Aziz Hernandez scoring from seven yards out. The conversion pass was successful and the lead had increased to 30-0 with 5:40 left in the first quarter.

Ryan was again forced to punt on the next possession and Giourgas fielded the punt at the Wildcat 42-yard line and raced 58 yards for the touchdown. The run failed, but the Wildcats held a 36-0 lead with 3:47 left in the first quarter.

Both teams turned the ball over on their next possessions with Trey Bryant recovering a Wildcat fumble to give Ryan the ball at the Thackerville 41.

On first down, Rodriguez found Skyler Wickware on a short pass and Wickware broke a couple of tackles and sped down the right sideline for the 41-yard touchdown.

Rodriguez found Carson Cooper on a pass for the two-point conversion and Ryan had cut the lead to 36-8 with 2:15 left in the first quarter.

Thackerville answered with another score before the end of the quarter. An onside kick was covered by the Wildcats and it put Thackerville at its own 49 to start the scoring drive.

In five plays Thackerville found the end zone as Giourgas made a diving catch just inside the goal line for a 14-yard score. The try for two failed, but the Wildcats had built an insurmountable 42-8 lead with just 21 seconds left in the first quarter.

Ryan turned the ball over on downs on its next possession and Thackerville began another scoring drive. This time it took the Wildcats only four plays to move 37 yards. Hernandez scored on a 17-yard run and Wade Oglesby caught a two-point conversion pass to increase the lead to 50-8 with 9:23 left in the second frame.

Thackerville added two more scores before halftime to end the game by the mercy rule.

Hernandez caught a 29-yard pass with 4:14 to play in the second quarter to put the Wildcats in front, 56-8.

Justice Rodriguez capped the Thackerville scoring onslaught with a 56-yard run with 2:56 left before the half. The Wildcats ran for the two-point conversion to set the final margin.

The Cowboys could not muster anything on offense most of the night as they picked up only one first down – and that was on the scoring play.

COWBOY CORRAL: The Cowboys are now 0-4 on the season and the last time Ryan has opened a season with four straight losses came in the 1994 season….Ryan finished the night with minus-9 yards rushing and that is a new school record that broke the old mark of minus-3 against Snyder in the 2018 playoff game…The 64 points scored by the Wildcats is the highest total scored in the series with Ryan….The previous high score by Thackerville as 50 points in a 1993 loss….The 56-point margin of victory by the Wildcats is the most in the series that dates back to 1980….The previous greatest margin of victory for Thackerville against Ryan was 46 in a 2013 contest….This was the second loss to Thackerville in a homecoming game in two homecoming encounters….Ryan is 6-4 in the last 10 homecoming games.

Game In Figures

THS RHS

First Downs 13 1

Yards Rushing 28-233 12-(-9)

Yards Passing 14 58

Passes 6-10 5-18

Passes Int. By 3 0

Fumbles, Lost 1-1 3-2

Punts 1-17 2-29

Penalties 4-35 1-10

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Thackerville 42 22 x x—64

Ryan 8 0 x x—8

THACKERVILLE -Blayne Giourgas 31 pass from Justice Rodriguez (Giourgas pass from Rodriguez), 11:26, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Giourgas 49 pass from Rodriguez (Giourgas run), 10:13, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Giourgas 26 run (run failed), 7:25, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Aziz Hernandez 7 run (Colt Scarbrough pass from Rodriguez), 5:40, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Giourgas 58 punt return (run failed), 3:47, 1st Quarter

RYAN – Skyler Wickware 41 pass from Julian Rodriguez (Carson Cooper pass from Julian Rodriguez), 2:15, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Giourgas 6 pass from Rodriguez (pass failed), :21, 1st Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Hernandez 17 run (Wade Oglesby pass from Rodriguez), 9:23, 2nd Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Hernandez 29 pass (pass failed), 4:14, 2nd Quarter

THACKERVILLE – Rodriguez 56 run (Scarbrough run), 2:56, 2nd Quarter

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

THACKERVILLE: Aziz Hernandez 15-149, Justin Rodriguez 4-47, Blayne Giourgas 1-26, Colt Scarbrough 4-8, Peyton Cartright 4-3; Passing – Rodriguez 6-10-146-0; Receiving – Giourgas 4-102, Dylan Weir 1-17, Hernandez 1-29.

RYAN: Rushing – Caleb Perrin 5-1, Racen Williams 2-(-1), Julian Rodriguez 5-(-9); Passing – Williams 3-4-12-0, Rodriguez 2-14-46-3; Receiving – Skyler Wickware 5-58; Tackles – Trey Bryant 7, Wickware 7, Perrin 6, Rodriguez 5, Williams 3 Mason Adsit 3, Carson Cooper 2, Mike Regehr 2, Will Regehr 2.

Central High Uses Big First Half Subdue Cowboys

By

Trey Smart

-

September 25, 2020

0

CENTRAL HIGH – Central High raced to a 52-14 victory over the Ryan Cowboys here last Friday night.

The Cowboys, 0-3 on the year, will return home tomorrow night (Friday) to host Thackerville in a homecoming contest.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. with homecoming festivities beginning around 6:30 p.m. at the Bob Givens Sports Complex.

Ryan suited out only 11 players last week, but the Cowboys opened the game with a long drive that ended when they came up one yard short of a first down at the Central five-yard line.

The Cowboys had moved from their own 28 to the Central 12, but on the 10th play of the drive, the Bronchos stopped the Cowboys on fourth down.

Ryan forced Central High to punt but after picking up a first down the drive stalled at the Cowboy 37 and the Cowboys punted the ball back to the Bronchos.

This time Central High drove from their own 13 in five plays for the score. Ryan Minden took the ball into the end zone from 14 yards out, but the two-point conversion pass was intercepted by the Cowboys’ Racen Williams and Central was in front, 6-0, with only 30 seconds showing on the clock.

Central High dominated play in the second quarter with three scores.

The first drive came after another fourth down try by the Cowboys came up short. Central High took possession at the Ryan 32 and in only four plays went the distance. The scoring play came on a well-executed option play when Levin Young took the pitch from Minden and raced 27yards for the score. Jax Hansen ran for the two points giving the Bronchos a 14-0 lead with 11:06 left before the half.

A Ryan fumble that gave Central High the ball at their own 30 set up the next score. The Bronchos drove the 50 yards (Central High plays on an 80-yard field) in six plays and overcame two penalties to get the touchdown.

Hansen scored the touchdown from 15 yards out and Kolten Bethune caught a two-point conversion pass from Minden to increase the lead to 24-0 with 5:16 left in the second quarter.

On the ensuing drive the Cowboys could not pick up a first down and were forced to punt.

Central High took possession at its own 17 and six plays marched 63 yards for the score. Minden caught a 36-yard pass from Hansen and maneuvered through the Cowboy secondary for the score. Payton Spencer ran for the two points and Central High held a commanding 30-0 lead with just 1:30 left before halftime.

The Bronchos took the second half kickoff at the Ryan 38 after a failed onside kick attempt by the Cowboys. It took Central High only three plays to travel 38 yards. Young covered the final 15 paces for the score and Cooper Walters caught a two-point conversion pass from Minden to put Central High in front, 38-0.

The two teams exchanged possessions and after Ryan stopped Central High on a fourth down try, the Cowboys took over at their own 18.

Williams hit a wide open Caleb Perrin on first down and Perrin went the distance for a 62-yard touchdown pass. The try for two failed, but Ryan had trimmed the margin to 38-6.

Central High answered as they began a scoring drive at the Ryan 35. The Bronchos overcame two penalties in getting the touchdown. The final play of the drive came on Young’s 15-yard run for the score. The two-point pass was incomplete, but Central held a 44-6 lead with 7:06 to play in the third quarter.

The Cowboys did not quit, however, and they answered the score by Central High with a 61-yard drive in 13 plays.

Williams found Skyler Wickware in the back of the end zone and Wickware made the catch for the score from 11 yards out. The try for two failed leaving Ryan with a 44-14 deficit with just 29 seconds to play in the third quarter.

Central High scored for the final time as they took just 29 seconds to go 48 yards. Bethune caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Minden and Aidan Randall ran for the two points with only seven seconds left to play in the third quarter.

The Cowboy offense was a bit more effective in the contest as they rushed for 149 yards and threw for 173 yards.

Williams led the Cowboys in rushing with 69 yards on 19 totes, while Perrin had 68 yards on 18 carries.

The favorite target for Williams in the game was Wickware who finished with seven catches for 77 yards. Perrin had four catches for 85 yards.

Trey Bryant turned in another good performance for the Cowboy defense with 15 tackles. Perrin added 11 stops.

COWBOY CORRAL: This was the 38th meeting between Central High and Ryan – all eight-man encounters as Central High did not play football until 1978….Central High leads the series, 24-14….The 52 points for Central High is the third most points in the series with Ryan….Ryan is 0-3 for the first time since 2000…For some reason the officials changed the score at halftime taking two points off the board for Central High and it was never corrected, however, Central High did score 52 points in the game…Ryan’s senior quarterback Grayson Tomberlin did not suit out for the Cowboys and was slated for season-ending knee surgery last Wednesday.

Game In Figures

RHS CHS

First Downs 14 19

Yards Rushing 40-149 40-276

Yards Passing 173 141

Passes 13-26 8-14

Passes Int. by 1 1

Fumbles, Lost 22 2-0

Punts 2-31.5 1-45

Penalties 9-49 8-80

SCORE BY QUARTERS

CENTRAL – Ryan Minden 14 run (pass failed), :30.1, 1st Quarter

CENTRAL – Levi Young 27 run (Jax Hansen run), 11:06, 2nd Quarter

CENTRAL – Hansen 15 run (Kolten Bethune pass from Minden), 5:16, 2nd Quarter

CENTRAL – Minden 36 pass from Hansen (Payton Spencer run), 1:30, 2nd Quarter

CENTRAL – Young 15 run (Cooper Walters pass from Minden), 11:12, 3rd Quarter

RYAN – Caleb Perrin 62 pass from Racen Williams (pass failed), 8:38, 3rd Quarter

CENTRAL – Young 15 run (pass failed), 7:06, 3rd Quarter

RYAN – Skyler Wickware 11 pass from Williams (Wickware pass from Williams), :29.2, 3rd Quarter

CENTRAL – Bethune 38 pass from Minden (Aidan Randall run), 7.5, 3rd Quarter

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Ryan: Rushing – Racen Wiliams 19-69, Caleb Perrin 18-68, Skyler Wickware 3-12; Passing – Williams 13-26-173-1; Receiving – Wickware 7-77, Perrin 4-85, Mason Adsit 2-11; Tackles – Trey Bryant 15, Perrin 11, Wickware 9, Williams 8, Joshua Denton 7, Carson Cooper 4, Adsit 3, Ethan Burden 3, Mike Regehr 3, Will Regehr 1.

Central: Rushing – Levi Young 9-110, Ryan Minden 9-47, Payton Spencer 4-46, Jax Hansen 6-36, Cody Zimmerman2-27, Aiden Randall 9-14, Jerry Allen 1-(-4); Passing – Minden 6-12-99-1, Hansen 1-1-36-0, Zimmerman 1-1-6-0; Receiving – Kolton Bethune 1-38, Spencer 3-37, Minden 136, Hansen 1-12, Cooper Walters 1-10, Coltin Ladd 1-6.

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

By

Trey Smart

-

September 25, 2020

0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waurika added a pair of scores in the second quarter.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game In Figures

WAU WIL

First Downs 7 7

Yards Rushing 29-351 21-31

Yards Passing 66 56

Passes 7-12 9-14

Passes Int. by 2 0

Fumbles Lost 0 2

Punts 0-0 0-0

Penalties 9-70 7-35

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Waurika 24 16 14 x—54

Wilson 6 0 0 x—6

First Quarter

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

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

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

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

Second Quarter

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

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

Third Quarter

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

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

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

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

Lady Blue Devils, Wilson Stop Lady Eagle Fast-Pitch Softball Squad

By

Trey Smart

-

September 17, 2020

0

Waurika’s fast-pitch softball team hit the road Monday and Tuesday for contests at Wilson and Ringling and the road was not kind to the Lady Eagles.

Tuesday at Ringling the Lady Eagles fell to the Lady Blue Devils, 11-1.

On Monday, Waurika dropped a 9-1 decision at Wilson.

The Lady Eagles will be back in action today (Thursday) when they host Temple and Fletcher.

Aubree Showalter up at bat! Photo by Karlee Brinson

Waurika travels to Temple on Saturday for the weather-shortened Temple Invitational Tournament.

The Lady Eagles will battle Ft. Cobb-Broxton in the first round of the now single elimination tournament. The first pitch is slated for 12:45 p.m.

If Waurika wins, they will meet the winner of the Grandfield and Bray-Doyle matchup at 3:15 p.m.

The championship game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Grace Hill warms up. Photo by Karlee Brinson

Waurika closes out its regular season on Monday by hosting Velma-Alma.

One week from today (September 24) the Lady Eagles will compete in the Class A District Tournament at Snyder.

Pairings for the district tournament were not available for this week’s paper.

In Tuesday’s action, Ringling struck for nine runs in the first three innings and Waurika could not rally.

In the bottom of the first the Lady Blue Devils used a pair of walks, five stolen bases, two doubles and a triple to produce the four runs – all after two were out.

Riley Howell at bat. Photo by Karlee Brinson

Ringling added to the lead in the bottom of the second with the benefit of three Waurika errors in the inning and only one hit. Ringling scored two runs to increase the lead to 6-0.

In the top of the third, the Lady Eagles finally got something going with a lead-off double by Grace Hill. She scored on Aubree Showalter’s ground out to narrow the gap to 6-1.

Ringling added three more runs in the bottom of the third on five hits and one error to move in front, 9-1.

The Lady Blue Devils added another run in the bottom of the fourth to end the game by the run rule.

Gracie Walling was 2-for-2 to lead Waurika at the plate.

In Monday’s loss to Wilson, the Lady Eagles had trouble getting that key base hit.

Wilson put up four runs in the bottom of the first inning with four hits – including two doubles and a triple – and one Waurika error.

In the bottom of the second inning Wilson added to the lead with an RBI-double to increase the margin to 5-0.

Waurika got its only run in the top of the third inning. Showalter reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on a ground out and a single by Landry Forsyth. Showalter scored by stealing home plate to cut the lead to 5-1.

Gracie Walling was 2 for 2 at the plate. Photo by Karlee Brinson

Wilson added a single run in the bottom of the fourth with the aid of another Waurika miscue and the lead stood at 6-1.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Wilson struck for three runs on two Waurika errors, a hit batter, a single and a double. This ended the game by the run rule.

Riley Howell was 2-for-2 in the game for the Lady Eagles.

Faith Hill at bat. Photo by Karlee Brinson

Cowgirls Earn Third Place at Geronimo Meet

By

Trey Smart

-

September 11, 2020

0

It was a relatively small meet at Geronimo last Saturday, but Ryan’s cross country squads came home with their share of medals.

The Cowgirls finished third in the team race behind team champion Munday, TX and runner up Waurika.

The Cowboys did not have enough competitors to compete for the team title. Waurika won the team title in the boys’ division.

Mason Adsit earned the only medal on the day for the Cowboys as he finished 25th with a time of 27:47 over the five kilometer course.

Tommy Self was the only other competitor for the Cowboys and he finished 29th with a time of 32:07.3. It was Self’s first competition of the season.

Alicen Williams, who is battling an injury, led the Cowgirls with an eighth place finish in the 3,200-meter race. Her time was 14:37.4.

Jasmine Villarreal also earned a medal for the Cowgirls with her 16th-place finish.

She turned in a time of 15:41.8 on the day.

Just missing out on a medal was Katelynn Dabbs. She finished 26th for the Cowgirls with a time of 17:44.8.

Joining the Cowgirls for this meet were Lindsey Reak and Alyssa Phillips.

Reak finished in 35th place with a time of 23:55.2, while Phillips was right behind with a clocking of 24:53.5, which was good for 36th place.

The Cowboys and Cowgirls next action for cross country will be September 19 at Prague.

The junior high squads also had a good day with the junior high girls capturing the team title at the first Geronimo Invitational.

Other Ryan Results at Geronimo

Junior High Boys (3,200 Meters)

3. Koble Lewis, 13:00.4; 4. Andrew Scott, 13:37.7.

Junior High Girls (1,600 Meters)

1. Ryan 15.

3. Harleigh Loftis, 6:51.7; 8. Lilah Regehr, 7:30.3; 10. Heather Poage, 7:40.4; 11. Hannah Williams, 8:10.9; 12. Lynnlee Tomberlin, 8:53.4; 13. Alyssa Harris, 9:01.0; 14. Kayleigh Hodges, 10:37.9.

Elementary Boys (1,600 Meters)

6. Kovin Lewis, 8:03.3; 7. Seth Duke, 8:15.7; 8. Clifford Self, 8:18.5; 11. Luke Burkhalter, 8:51; 16. Easton Rhoades, 10:34; 17. Bo Burkhalter, 10:48.2.

Elementary Girls (1,600 Meters)

1. Micah Villarreal, 7:50.4; 2. Annzlee Tomberlin, 8:22.5; 5. Haley Smith, 9:12.9; 6. Kinzee Parkey, 9:14.0; 7. Jordan Garcia, 10:02.0

Sports

Long-Range Shooting Lifts Cowboys to Homecoming Victory

Lady Eagles Soar to Pair of Wins Before Christmas Break

Waurika Roundball Squads Fall to Velma-Alma in Road Confrontation

Cowgirl Hoopsters Capture Consolation Title at Wilson Tourney

Lady Eagles Claim Southwest Shootout Tournament Title

Waurika Hoops Look To Build on 2020 Successes

Waurika to Face Laverne for Rematch

Buffalo Storms Past Cowboys To End Ryan’s Grid Season

Eagles Begin Playoff Run Friday By Hosting Southwest Covenant

Shattuck Defends Home Turf With Win Over Waurika

Ryan Falls Short in Homecoming Game

Central High Uses Big First Half Subdue Cowboys

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

Lady Blue Devils, Wilson Stop Lady Eagle Fast-Pitch Softball Squad

Cowgirls Earn Third Place at Geronimo Meet

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