Cowgirl Cross Country Squad Claims Two Meet Titles

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October 5, 2018

1-Ryan-Cross-Country — (l-r) Alicen Williams, Lilybet Harmon, Katelyn Dabbs, Holland Carter, Lily York, Juliet Spangler and Coach Steve Spangler Photo by Trey Smart

The Ryan Cowgirl cross country squad continues its impressive march through the season as they won two meet titles in two days and claimed a runner-up finish last Monday.

Last Friday the fifth-ranked Cowgirls held off Merritt and Waurika to claim the team crown at Frederick.

The next day, the Cowgirls added another team title by outlasting Velma-Alma and Waurika and successfully defending the title won in 2017 at Healdton.

On Monday, the Cowgirls traveled to Sulphur and finished second to Class 4A’s fifth-ranked Pauls Valley squad. The Lady Panthers had 30 points, while Ryan finished with 64 points.

Another impressive feat by the Cowgirls in these three meets in four days is a different runner paced the team in each of the races.

Lilybet Harmon was the top finisher for the Cowgirls at Sulphur. She finished the 2.2-mile course in 15:33.76 and finished seventh overall. The time set a school record for this distance (not many meets run a 2.2-mile course) set a year ago at the same meet by Holland Carter, who ran a 16:18.79 time.

Not far behind Harmon was Lily York. She finished 10th with a time of 15:52.40.

Juliet Spangler was 12th in the race with a time of 15:58.18 and Carter was 16th with a time of 16:22.49. Katelyn Dabbs recorded a 26th-place finish and a time of 17:38.15.

Alicen Williams finished 41st in the race that featured 64 runners.

Last Saturday at Healdton it was Spangler leading the way for the Cowgirls on the 3,200-meter course in claiming the team title.

Spangler finished third in the individual race and Harmon was right behind in fourth place. Carter was sixth, Dabbs finished seventh and York was eighth giving the Cowgirls four top 10 finishers.

Williams rounded out the Cowgirl competitors by finishing just one spot from earning a medal as she recorded a 26th-place finish.

Times were not available for the meet at Frederick or Saturday’s competition at Healdton.

At Healdton it was Dabbs, a freshman, claiming her best finish of the season. Dabbs nabbed fifth place in the race and Harmon and Spangler were right behind at sixth and seventh place, respectively.

York finished in 10th place, while Carter came in 12th place. Williams finished 30th in the competition.

Sixth place in a team race is not normally considered a very impressive finish, but for the Ryan Cowgirls’ sixth-place finish at Velma-Alma’s cross country meet a week ago Tuesday was quite a performance.

The five teams that finished in front of the Cowgirls were all Class 4A teams and all of them are ranked among the top 11 in that class in the state. It was an extremely competitive meet in the high school girls’ division with 23 teams and over 200 runners entered in the meet.

Ryan finished with 202 points, which was well behind Ardmore Plainview’s meet-winning total of 49 points. Tuttle finished fifth ahead of the Cowgirls with 156 points.

Another indication the meet was a tough one was despite the sixth-place team finish, none of the Cowgirls earned a medal by finishing in the top 25.

Spangler led the Cowgirls’ effort and finished just out of earning a medal with a 26th-place showing. She finished with a time of 14:01.

Not far behind was Dabbs who managed to finish 35th with a time of 14:22. Harmon was just two seconds behind Dabbs and finished 36th. Carter was 46th with a time of 14:43 and York was 59th with a time of 15:00.

Alicen Williams also competed for the Cowgirls, but her finish did not count in the team total. Williams was 100th with a time of 16:41.

The finish by the Cowgirls was also impressive because two of the girls had been battling illness just the day before the meet.

The Cowgirls will next compete in the Cameron University meet at the Big Green Soccer Complex in Lawton. This will be the final meet of the year until the Class 2A regional on October 13.

The junior high boys’ team competed in the meets at Sulphur, Healdton and Frederick. The Cowboys recorded a fifth-place team finish at Sulphur and earned runner up honors at Healdton.

Ryan Junior High Results

At Sulphur

BOYS: 20. Koble Lewis, 8:03.34; 23. Tommy Self, 8:15.59; 30. Alex Uribe, 8:35.95; 32. Mason Adsit, 8:39.79; 47. Landon Alexander; 59. Adan Uribe

GIRLS: 6. Jasmine Villarreal, 31. Whittany Spangler.

At Healdton

BOYS: Mason Adsit, Alex Urbie, Carson Williams, Tommy Self, Aidan Urbie.

GIRLS: 4. Jasmine Villarreal; 14. Whittany Spangler

At Frederick

GIRLS: 12. Jasmine Villerreal (medalists only)

BOYS: 23. Koble Lewis (medalists only)

New Ryan Boys’ Basketball Coach Knows The Territory

Sports

By

Trey Smart

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May 25, 2018

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Being familiar with your surroundings makes anyone a little more comfortable – even if it is your first job.

Such is the case for the newly named Ryan boys’ basketball coach, Austin Masoner.

If that last name sounds familiar, it should because Austin is a 2014 Waurika High School graduate.

His father, Joe, has served on the coaching staff at Waurika for over 20 years, so he has been involved in plenty of competition between Ryan and Waurika.

But, the coaching name doesn’t stop there. Austin’s grandfather, Roy, coached at Temple, Walters and Tipton.

Roy Masoner actually coached a couple of years with Ryan graduate Doug Cathey when the former All-Big Eight defensive end was the head coach at Temple.

So the territory which Austin Masoner enters with his first paid coaching job will be familiar. He grew up competing against Ryan as an outstanding athlete at Waurika.

Masoner, who just graduated earlier this month with a bachelor of science degree in sports and exercise science from nearby Cameron University in Lawton.

Last month, he was named the new junior high and high school boys’ basketball coach at Ryan.

“I really am excited,” said the younger Masoner. “When they first called me and told me they would be meeting, I was really anxious.

“But, they called me back late the night of the meeting and offered me the job,” Masoner noted.

“It was surprising to get this job,” said Masoner. “I didn’t expect to be hired as a head coach right off, but it was a great experience.”

Austin has hit the ground running as he met with potential basketball players for the 2019 season last Monday night.

“It (the meeting) went well,” said Masoner. “It was kind of a last-second deal, so I am not sure the word got out to everyone.”

Masoner will face a tough situation in his first year of coaching as he inherits a Cowboy squad that counted only four wins during the 2018 campaign. Two starters from that team are expected to return in 2019.

Masoner’s expectations are realistic. “If they buy in and put fort the effort with the schedule we have I think we can be a .500 team,” Masoner commented. “I want to be competitive every night.”

On that schedule will be Ryan’s long-time rival and Masoner’s former school – Waurika. And, the current boys coach at Waurika just happens to be his dad.

“It will be real interesting,” said Masoner when asked about the unique experience of coaching against his dad who is a graduate of Walters High School. “We didn’t always see eye-to-eye when I was playing so it will be good to see who comes out on top.

“I know he won’t let me hear the end of it if he beats me,” Masoner noted with some laughter.

As Austin begins his coaching career he can draw on a varied number of experiences from his high school days competing in football, basketball, track and baseball.

Masoner was all-area all four years in basketball for the Eagles and was also an Oil Field Conference and Southern Eight Conference all-star all four years. In his freshman season he was selected as the defensive MVP in the Southern Eight.

In football, he was all-area for three years and possibly could have been his senior year, but a knee surgery forced him to forego his senior year on the gridiron.

Masoner will likely try to employ a high-tempo, fast-paced offense as he takes the reins of the Cowboys.

“I hope we can get up and down the floor because that is what I like to do,” Masoner commented.

The first-year coach will try to experiment a great deal on defense hoping to switch defenses on nearly every possession.

Not only will Masoner be in his first year of coaching, but he should enjoy the new improvements slated to get under way soon for the Ryan gymnasium.

The nearly 60-year-old facility will be undergoing a face lift with a new concession area, new entry, new home locker rooms for both boys and girls and additional seating on the south side of the gym.

It will be the first major renovations since the gym was built.

“It will be a great thing and it can also be seen as starting something new – both with the building and with the team,” said Masoner. “The job is always a little easier with new facilities.”

So Masoner has his work cut out for him, but knowing the area and no doubt some of the people will be an asset as he launches what surely will be a fruitful and long coaching career.

Eagle Harriers Are Fourth at Walters Invitational

By

Trey Smart

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September 27, 2018

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1-Waurika-CC — (l-r)Kynlee Waters, Corely Coffin, Skylar Garrett, Trish Julian, Jaci Gholson, Tracey Ballard, Aubree Showalter, Libi Simmons Photo by Joe Masoner

Waurika’s cross country boys’ team turned in another solid performance a week ago Tuesday as the Eagles finished fourth at the Walters Invitational held at Sultan Park in Walters.

The Eagles were the top Class 2A team among the field at Walters. Anadarko won the meet with 34 points, while Community Christian was right behind with 36 points.

Lawton MacArthur edged Waurika for third place. The Highlanders had 83 points, while the Eagles totaled 86 points in the meet.

The Eagles were led by three runners who earned medals by finishing in the top 25.

Bryson Hernandez finished fifth for Coach Joe Masoner’s squad, while Cache Arellano came in 11th. Octavio Gomez rounded out the medalists for Waurika by finishing in 24th place.

Rounding out the competitors for Waurika were Nick Alavardo (48th), Gustavo Gomez (58th) and Travis Etheridge (68th).

A total of 78 runners competed in the field at Walters.

The Lady Eagles had two runners to finish in the top 25. Asia Smith was ninth and Lexie Streeter was 18th to pace the Eagle contingent.

The other competitors for the Lady Eagles in this meet were Dallas Fristoe, who finished 38th, and Sara Ballard, who finished 68th.

The Lady Eagles were one runner short to figure in the team scoring.

Treyton Torrez medaled for the Waurika junior high boys with an 11th-place finish.

Two Lady Eagles earned medals in the junior high girls division. Jaci Gholson finished 11th and Trish Julian was 15th.

Skyler Garrett was 32nd for the junior high girls, while Bailey Romero was 64th and Tracy Ballard finished 71st among the 91 junior high girls runners.

Waurika also had five top 25 placers in the sixth grade girls’ race.

Destiny Foster was eighth, Sadie Smith was 10th, Jasmine Romero was 12th, Niecsa Camarillo was 15th and Caitlyn Ramsey was 18th.

Waurika was to have run at the Velma-Alma Invitational this past Tuesday and will travel to Frederick tomorrow (Friday) to compete in the Frederick Bomber Invitational.

It All Gets Serious for District B-4 Grid Squads

By

Trey Smart

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October 5, 2018

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While all the games played up to this matter certainly have meaning, they do not match the intensity that is about to occur tomorrow night as the District B-4 schools begin district play.

All districts across the state began play a couple of weeks ago, but because of Class B having eight districts, each district only has five or six teams.

So for the remaining five weeks of the season Ryan and Waurika and the rest of District B-4 will be playing for a district title and a playoff spot. The top four teams in the district qualify for post-season play.

Only two schools – Waurika and Wilson – finished the non-district play with wins last Friday.

And, both Waurika and Wilson went through the non-district slate unbeaten.

Wilson is 5-0 on the year, while Waurika is 4-0. The two teams open district play by facing off at Wilson tomorrow night (Friday).

Last Friday Wilson rolled to a 54-6 victory over Maud, while Waurika scored a 48-0 road victory over Caddo.

Ryan had a bye last Friday and will take a 3-2 mark into district play tomorrow night against Empire at home.

Empire is 2-3 on the year, but has played a slightly tougher schedule than the Cowboys including last week’s 52-24 loss to Class B’s fifth-ranked Alex Longhorns.

Two Stephens County rivals – Central High and Bray-Doyle square off in the other district fray.

Bray-Doyle carries a 2-3 mark into district action, while Central High is 1-3.

Central High, who continues to struggle with injuries and depth, fell to a talented Cyril club, 46-0.

Bray-Doyle met Strother in the final non-district game for the Donkeys and came out on the short end of a 48-16 game. The Yellowjackets had seven players ejected in a skirmish during the game and Bray-Doyle had one player tossed out of the game.

Cowgirls End Season with Two Tough Losses in District Play

By

Trey Smart

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September 27, 2018

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One of the most disappointing things in sports is losing a game at the very end.

That is exactly what happened in the district tourney elimination game with Turner last Thursday at Thackerville.

The Cowgirls led throughout the contest before allowing Turner to score four runs in the seventh and final inning to drop a 6-4 encounter with the Lady Falcons.

In the first district tournament game the Cowgirls fell to Thackerville, 10-6.

Thackerville went on to claim the district title with two victories over Turner.

In the opening game of the tournament the Lady Wildcats got off to a 6-0 lead before the Cowgirls could find the scoring column.

In the bottom of the fourth, Sadie Guzman led off with a single and Emilee Martin followed with another base hit. Carter Combs came on to run and her and Guzman both scored to cut the Thackerville lead to 6-2.

Neither team scored in the fifth, but Thackerville padded its lead in the top of the sixth with four runs to take a commanding 10-2 advantage.

The Cowgirls got one run back in the bottom of the sixth as Brooklyn Charmasson reached on an infield single and scored on Lindsey Reak’s RBI-single to make it 10-3.

So the Cowgirls faced a seven-run deficit in the bottom of the seventh and it looked like Ryan had a chance to extend the game.

Samantha Good, Kodi Duke and Guzman – the first three batters in the inning – all reached base and came around to score. Duke and Martin both had runs batted in during the uprising.

However, the final three hitters for Ryan were retired ending the contest.

This sent Ryan into a must-win situation with Turner.

The Cowgirls took command of the second game with a four-run first inning.

Good and Duke walked to start the inning and then Guzman, Martin and Charmasson each got an RBI-single. Combs, who ran for Martin eventually scored and the Cowgirls held a 4-0 lead after one inning.

Turner cut into the margin in the top of the second with a one and then added another run in the top of the fifth to leave the Lady Falcons trailing, 4-2.

In the top of the sixth inning, Turner added another run but Ryan clung to a 4-3 lead after six innings.

In the top of the seventh the Lady Falcons put together a three-run rally to take a 6-4 lead.

The Cowgirls went down in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game and the season for Ryan.

A week ago Tuesday the Cowgirls rolled to a 15-1 victory over Springer at the Lady Cardinals’ home field.

It was a slow start for the Cowgirls as they led 1-0 after two full innings when Charmasson walked and eventually scored to get Ryan on the scoreboard.

In top of the third inning the Cowgirls sent 16 batters to the plate and scored nine runs.

The Cowgirls were credited with six runs batted in and had seven hits in the inning to take a 10-0 lead.

Ryan added five more runs in the top of the fourth inning. This time the Cowgirls were helped along by four walks and a hit batsman.

The Lady Cardinals struck for one run in the bottom of the fourth inning, but it was not enough to keep the game from ending by the run rule.

Guzman led the Cowgirls at the plate by going 3-for-4 in the game with three runs batted in. Good was 2-for-3 with a run batted in and she scored three times.

Martin picked up the win in the circle for the Cowgirls allowing only two hits and striking out eight Springer batters.

Ryan finished with a 7-16 record in Stan Mueggenborg’s first season as head coach.

COWGIRL NOTES: Ryan is now 3-3 against Thackerville in district tourney play…The Cowgirls have never beaten Turner in 12 outings in district tournaments….Ryan is only 10-33 in district tournament competition since beginning fast-pitch softball in 2002….Five of the seven wins for the Cowgirls came in contests with Waurika and Temple…The seven wins ties the mark for the second most wins since the 2012 season….The fast-pitch softball team played for its third coach in three years in 2018….Ryan has won only one district title since beginning fast-pitch softball in 2002….This was the second year in a row that Turner has ended the Cowgirls’ season.

Waurika Roundballers Split Games with Central High

By

Trey Smart

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January 10, 2019

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Waurika began the new year by taking on a couple of Stephens County foes and managed to split a pair of games with Central High Tuesday night after dropping a twinbill to Empire last Friday.

Playing on the home court Tuesday night, the Lady Eagles dropped a 52-43 decision to Central High, while the Waurika boys held off Central High, 42-35, to snap a three-game losing streak.

Last Friday at Empire the Lady Eagles fell, 56-51, while the Waurika boys dropped a 51-41 decision to the Bulldogs.

Waurika begins play today in the Black Diamond Invitational at Rush Springs. The Lady Eagles were to have played Sterling at 1:30 p.m., while the boys were to have followed with a 3 p.m. contest against 20th-ranked Roff.

Both squads will continue play in the tourney on Friday and Saturday.

The Eagles and Lady Eagles will play host to Walters on Tuesday night with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m.

Heading into today’s tourney action the Lady Eagles are 8-5 on the season. The Waurika boys sport a 4-8 record heading into the tournament.

At home on Tuesday night, the Lady Eagles trailed Central High, 11-10, after one period, but rallied with a strong second quarter to carry a 27-22 advantage into the locker room at the half.

Central High managed to take the lead after three quarters, 41-39, and outscored the Lady Eagles, 15-4, in the final quarter to get the upset win.

Madison Roberson paced the Lady Eagles in scoring with 20 points and was a perfect eight for eight from the charity stripe.

The Eagles managed a 7-5 advantage after one quarter against the Bronchos and extended the lead in the second quarter as Waurika outscored Central High, 14-7, to hold a 21-12 lead at the break.

Despite Central High hitting three treys in the third quarter, the Eagles were able to pad the lead by outscoring the Bronchos, 12-9, and take a 33-21 lead into the final quarter.

Central High mounted a rally in the fourth quarter, but the Eagles held off the Bronchos despite struggling from the free throw line.

The Eagles hit seven of 14 attempts from the charity stripe and had only one field goal in the final quarter, but it was enough to secure the win.

Kevin Garcia led the Eagles in scoring with 10 points, but six other Eagles contributed to the scoring column.

The 20th-ranked Empire girls fell behind the Lady Eagles, 10-4, in the first quarter as Roberson accounted for eight of Waurika’s 10 points.

The two squads battled on even terms in the second quarter and the Lady Eagles held a slim 28-22 lead at the break.

The third quarter is where the tide turned for the Lady Eagles as Empire outscored Waurika, 18-8, to overcome the deficit and take a 40-36 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

In the final frame, Empire’s Korrie Allensworth scored eight of the team’s 16 points and helped hold off the Lady Eagles’ rally attempt for the win.

Empire’s only loss coming into the game was to seventh-ranked Ft. Cobb-Broxton and the five-point loss by Waurika was the closest victory for Empire during this season.

Roberson finished with 23 points and was the only Waurika player in double figures.

In the boys’ game at Empire, the Eagles suffered from a poor shooting night from the field and the free throw line.

The Eagles hung with the Bulldogs throughout the game, but Empire was able to increase the lead after every quarter.

Empire held a narrow 10-8 lead after one quarter and increased it to 25-20 by intermission.

The Bulldogs managed a 12-10 advantage in the third quarter to head into the final quarter with a 37-30 lead.

The Eagles could never get a serious rally going in the final quarter.

Waurika shot only 33% from the field and were woeful at the free throw line hitting only nine of 21 charity tosses for 42.9%. The Eagles did not connect on a three-point basket in the game.

Aaron Nitka paced the Eagles in scoring with 16, while Cache Arellano added 11 points.

Central High 52, Waurika 43

(Girls)

Central High 11 11 15 15–52

Waurika 10 17 12 4–43

WAURIKA – Madison Roberson 6-8-20, Gracie Walling 4-0-8, Tallin Mora 3-0-7, Faith Roberson 2-0-6, Madison Dees 1-0-2. PF: 19. Three-pointers: F. Roberson 2, Mora.

Waurika 42, Central High 35

(Boys)

Central High 5 7 9 14–35

Waurika 7 14 12 9–42

WAURIKA – Kevin Garcia 4-2-10, Aaron Nitka 4-1-9, Turner Mora 3-2-8, Cache Arellano 2-1-6, Hunter Wesberry 0-3-3, Bryson Hernandez 1-0-2. PF: 17. Three-pointers: Arellano.

Empire 56, Waurika 51

(Girls)

Waurika 10 18 8 15–51

Empire 4 18 18 16–56

WAURIKA – Madison Roberson 8-7-23, Tallin Mora 3-1-8, Asia Smith 2-4-8, Gracie Walling 2-0-4, Lexie Streeter 0-4-4, Faith Roberson 1-0-2, Madison Dees 1-0-2. PF: 13. Three-pointers: Mora 3.

Empire 51, Waurika 41

(Boys)

Waurika 8 12 10 11–41

Empire 10 15 12 14–51

WAURIKA – Aaron Nitka 6-4-16, Cache Arellano 4-3-11, Turner Mora 2-2-6, Payton Fletcher 3-0-6, Hunter Wesberrry 1-0-2. PF: 11. Three-pointers: None.

Eagles’ Matchup with Snyder Canceled Because of Weather

By

Trey Smart

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September 27, 2018

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It was a much anticipated matchup as two undefeated teams were set to face off at Cy Sloan Stadium last Friday night.

Waurika and Snyder were both undefeated and the Cyclones were coming off a big win over rival Tipton. Waurika had mercy-ruled each of its first three opponents by halftime of each contest.

But because of about five inches of rain that fell in the area last Friday and concerns about fans getting into and out of the stadium area, the game was canceled and will not be played.

Of course there was concerned about the playing conditions of the field and trying to prevent injuries as the two teams look forward to district play.

The Eagles get back in action tomorrow night by making the long trip to Caddo to face the Bruins in the final non-district encounter. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Bruin Field.

Caddo will come into the game with a 2-2 mark and some momentum having won two in a row including last Thursday’s 57-26 victory over Ryan.

In the win over Ryan the Bruins came within just over a 100 yards of eclipsing the total number of yards on offense in the three previous games combined. The Bruins recorded 502 yards of offense against the Cowboys and had only a little over 600 yards of offense in the previous games.

Senior quarterback Jack Holbrook was outstanding the contest against Ryan with five touchdown passes and was 13 of 18 passing for 230 yards.

The favorite target for Holbrook against Ryan was Payton Brewer, a senior wide receiver. He had three catches for 85 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown pass from Holbrook.

Another senior, running back Michael Creel rushed for 110 yards on just 15 carries and one touchdown.

The Waurika defense will be tested in the contest as Caddo averaged over eight yards per offensive play against Ryan.

Caddo features a 23-player roster and eight of those players are seniors.

The Eagles, however, should be well rested for the game and the unexpected break in the schedule.

Waurika, Ryan Thinclads Tune Up For Regionals at V-A Meet

By

Trey Smart

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May 2, 2019

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A limited number of participants from Ryan and Waurika traveled to Velma-Alma a week ago Tuesday for a final competition before last week’s regional meets for the two schools.

It was less than ideal conditions as rain threatened to cancel the meet, but after a couple of rain delays, the final part of the meet was completed.

Plus, the meet featured a number of Class 2A and Class 3A teams that made the competition at the meet extremely tough.

The Ryan Cowgirls chose not to compete in the meet after running at Covington-Douglas the day before and not wanting to risk injury.

The Cowboys sent only one participate – Walker Rawlings – to the meet and he placed in both events he entered.

Rawlings finished sixth in both the shot put and discus. His mark for the shot put was 40-8 and his best throw of the discus was 121-8.

Seminole won the boys’ part of the meet with 124 points, while Ryan finished tied for 25th with two points and Waurika managed 11th place with 20 points but had the most points among the Class A teams competing in the meet that featured over 25 teams.

Only two of the Waurika relay teams managed to place in the meet.

The 800 meter relay of Kevin Garcia, Turner Mora, Nic Alvarado and Colton Bryant was sixth with a time of 1:37.09, which is the third best time posted in the 2019 campaign.

The 1,600 meter relay team for the Eagles earned a bronze medal with a time of 3:41.85. Garcia, Mora, Bryant and Cache Arellano finished the race for Waurika. It was the third best time this season for the relay squad.

The only other placer for the Eagles was Mora who managed a third-place finish in the 400 meters with a time of 53.28. The time was the best of the season for Mora – even better than last Saturday’s gold-medal regional performance.

The Lady Eagles also took a full squad, but found the competition to be tougher than expected as the Lady Eagles failed to place in any of the running events.

Pauls Valley was the team champion with 107 points, while Waurika finished 16th with 11 points.

Madison Roberson accounted for all the team points for the Lady Eagles.

Roberson’s throw of 36-4.5 in the shot put earned her gold medal honors. It was her fourth best throw of the season in the shot put.

In the discus event Roberson finished sixth with a throw of 99-0. The mark was her third best performance in the event in 2019.

Tomberlin Brothers Make Mark On Ryan Athletics This Year

Sports

By

Trey Smart

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May 17, 2018

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Sibling rivalry is a real thing

Just ask Ryan High School athletes Dawson and Grayson Tomberlin.

However, when siblings play on the same team, that rivalry tends to go out the window.

Dawson, who graduated from Ryan High School last weekend, and Grayson, who just completed his freshman year in high school were starters on all three athletic squads this past year at Ryan.

Both student-athletes, who are the sons of Tony and Mandy Tomberlin, competed in football, basketball and baseball. And, they did not just compete, but they excelled for most of the season in all three sports.

“It was pretty exciting to play together,” said Dawson in a recent phone interview. “It was really a pretty good feeling.”

Grayson echoed the sentiments of his older brother, “It was a pretty cool experience to be playing on the same team all season.”

And while the outstanding pair of athletes enjoyed the experience of playing together for the Cowboys during the past nine months, it has not always been that way.

Growing up in the Tomberlin home the two boys often engaged in backyard or driveway competition.

“It (competing against each other at home) was pretty intense,” said Grayson.

“A few times we ended up in a fight,” said Dawson, who admitted they spent a lot of time playing against each other growing up.

While Dawson was winding up his high school athletic career at Ryan and Grayson’s high school career was just getting started this past year, both played key roles for the Cowboys in each of the sports.

The most successful sport this past year for the Cowboys was on the gridiron. The Tomberlin brothers were a big part of leading the Cowboys to their first playoff berth since 2014.

Dawson, a running back and linebacker, was named the co-most valuable player in District B-4 and was selected along with Tate Kimbro, to represent Ryan at the upcoming Eight-Man All-Star game in June.

Dawson, who admits football is his favorite sport, was the third leading rusher for the Cowboys and caught five passes for 160 yards. He was also a defensive stalwart and was counted on to provide overall leadership to the team by veteran mentor Stan Mueggenborg.

As a freshman, Grayson started at the quarterback spot for the Cowboys and was the leading rusher with 638 yards and he passed for another 731 yards. He was also the fourth leading tackler from the defensive backfield.

Both brothers point to the football season for their most memorable moments of the 2017-2018 sports year.

“My favorite moment of the year was when I caught a pass over my shoulder against Waurika,” said Dawson.

It was the play that put the Cowboys in position for Skyler Parkhill to snag a 15-yard touchdown pass from Grayson with 14 seconds left in the game that sent the contest into overtime.

The Cowboys went on to defeat Waurika, 44-36, in a come-from-behind, double overtime thriller. Grayson points to the entire game as his highlight of his freshman athletic year.

On the hardwood, Grayson was counted on to direct the Cowboy offense from his point guard position and he led the team in scoring in seven contests during the season.

Dawson was also a starter on the basketball squad and played in the Southern Eight senior all-star game. He was also awarded a scholarship by the Southern Eight conference for participation in athletics, academics and completing an essay.

In the recently completed baseball season, which Grayson admitted was by far his favorite sport, the younger Tomberlin was the catalyst for the Cowboys’ run production. He set a school mark for most runs batted in during a single game with six against Grandfield.

The brothers would be quick to recognize the contributions of their teammates. Both were somewhat reluctant to talk about their achievements in the phone interview.

There was one incident during the football season that exemplifies what can happen when two brothers that spend years growing up together get to play on the same team in high school.

In a key district football contest with Central High that decided the district title, the two brothers took matters in their own hands on a fourth down during the game.

Coach Mueggenborg had directed the team to punt the football, but as the Cowboys approached the line of scrimmage, Grayson, who was slated to punt the ball, gave some hand signals to Dawson that he would look for him to complete a pass on a fake punt attempt.

The play did not end well as the pass fell incomplete and Central High took over on downs. Both coaches, including assistant coach and dad, Tony, reacted strongly to the antics by the brothers.

After a cool down period, the two brothers and dad were able to find some humor in what happened.

Some people would call it a foolish thing. Others might label it a freshman mistake. More than likely it was just two brothers who had spent lots of time together in the yard just trying to make a play to help their team rally in an important contest.

It has not been a unique experience for the Tomberlin boys to have their dad on the sideline or the dugout over the past football and baseball seasons. The elder Tomberlin serves as assistant coach for both sports and is also the principal at RHS.

“It has been an awesome experience having dad coach us,” said Grayson about his father who has been involved with both boys’ teams since T-ball days.

“It was great,” added Dawson, “it might have been a little tough at home after the game and it was harder, but it was cool to have him with us.”

Grayson looks forward to furthering his athletic career at Ryan. He is not only an outstanding athlete, but is also active in Future Farmers of America and Beta Club.

“At the first of the season it (playing with all upper classmen) was a bit intimidating, but after a while I was comfortable,” said Grayson of taking on the quarterback role as a freshman. “It was pretty much the same way with basketball.”

Grayson will spend the summer working on improving his skills particularly in football and baseball. He will participate in the team football camp at Shattuck in a few weeks and has a baseball opportunity for the summer. He also plans to work at the school for the summer.

Dawson plans to further his education at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant and is set to major in Occupational Health and Safety. He was also active at Ryan in FFA and Beta Club.

Dawson’s summer plans include working around the school. He is also looking forward to the eight-man all-star game in Miami.

“Coach Mueggenborg told me it will be the most fun week of my life and I’m ready for it.”

While there have been many sibling combinations through the years compete for the Cowboys and Cowgirls through the decades, these two boys have represented their school and their family well in being teammates at RHS.

Eagles Intercept Cherokee Threat to Earn Playoff Win

By

Trey Smart

-

November 21, 2018

0

In was a slow start for the Waurika Eagles last Friday night in the second round playoff contest with Cherokee, but the Eagles broke loose for a 58-14 win over the Chiefs with the aid of five Cherokee interceptions.

Waurika will hit the road for the quarterfinal round. The Eagles travel to Davenport on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Eagles had a few turnover problems, too, as the first two Eagle drives ended with a fumble and an interception.

Turner Mora looking for an open receiver.
Photo by Curtis Plant

But the Waurika defense held its ground and forced Cherokee to punt on its first two offensive thrusts.

After the second punt, the Eagles took the ball at the Waurika 18 and marched 82 yards in just eight plays for the first score of the game.

Turner Mora connected with Aaron Nitka and Hunter Wesberry on two big pass plays to help the Eagles advance down the field.

Kevin Garcia racing toward the end-zone.
Photo by Curtis Plant

Zac Brown capped the drive with a six-yard run and Colton Bryant ran for the two points to give the Eagles an 8-0 advantage with 1:40 left in the first period.

Cherokee answered the score after Kade Chace returned the kickoff to the Cherokee 44 yard line. It took the Chiefs five plays to get the game-tying score.

On the first play of the second quarter, Chace found 6-8 wide receiver Blake Hall in the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Chace added the two-point conversion with 11:55 left before intermission.

The Eagles were forced to punt on the ensuing series and the Chiefs took over at their own 27-yard line.

The Chiefs drove down the field, but on a second down pass by Chace, Waurika’s Wesberry made a diving interception to thwart the drive and give the Eagles possession at their own two.

Disaster struck on the first play for the Eagles as they fumbled the handoff and Cherokee’s Damein Labato recovered just inside the end zone for the Chief touchdown. The run failed, but the Chiefs were in front, 14-8 with 7:23 left before the half.

The Waurika Defense.
Photo by Curtis Plant

This was only the second time this season the Eagles have trailed in a game, but they responded well to the challenge.

After a 12-yard kickoff return by Kevin Garcia, the Eagles were in business at their own 48. Overcoming a penalty, the Eagles drove the distance in seven plays with Mora getting the score on a one-yard plunge. Mora connected with Aaron Nitka for the two-point conversion and Waurika was back in front, 16-14, with 4:19 left in the second quarter.

Things began to turn south from this point as Treavor Green could not handle a pooch kickoff by the Eagles and Austin Dyer was there to recover the ball for the Eagles.

Cherokee forced another Waurika punt, but Payton Ream let the ball go through his hands and Edwin Garcia was downfield for the Eagles to recover the ball.

Coach Joe Allen talking with Turner Mora.
Photo by Curtis Plant

A Cherokee penalty on the play put Waurika at the Chiefs’ seven-yard line and in just two plays the Eagles’ Mora got the score from five yards out. Matt Arriolla ran for the two-point conversion giving Waurika 24-14 lead with 2:21 left in the half.

Following a Cherokee penalty on its first play, Wesberry picked off his second pass of the game and returned it to the Cherokee 24 giving the Eagles another golden opportunity.

The Eagles covered the distance in just four plays with Mora getting the touchdown on a two-yard run. K. Garcia ran for the two points and with just 40 seconds showing on the clock, Waurika held a commanding 32-14 lead.

The second half belonged to the Eagles. The defense stepped up and thwarted three of the four Cherokee possessions by snaring interceptions. The other possession the Eagles held Cherokee on fourth down.

Meanwhile, the Waurika offense continued to churn out scoring drives to dominate the second half.

On Cherokee’s first possession of the second half, K. Garcia picked off an errant Cherokee pass and returned the ball 33 yards to the Cherokee 27 yard line.

K. Garcia went the distance on first down for the score to increase Waurika’s lead to 38-14 with 9:15 to play in the third quarter.

Waurika defensive player stopping a Cherokee runner.
Photo by Curtis Plant

The next Cherokee drive also ended with an interception by Mora. He returned it 23 yards from the Waurika one, but a Waurika holding penalty set the Eagles back to the Waurika 15.

The Eagles engineered a 10-play, 85-yard scoring drive and the scoring play was a 22-yard pass from Mora to Nitka. After the two-point conversion failed, the Eagles held a 44-14 lead with 3:12 left in the third quarter.

Cherokee was able to pick up a first down on the ensuing possession, but the Eagle defense stuffed a fourth down and short run to take the ball over on downs.

This time it took the Eagles 12 plays to cover 60 yards for another score. Arriolla was heading into the end zone for the score but fumbled and Jordan Watkins fell on the loose ball for the Waurika touchdown. Mora ran for the two-point conversion giving Waurika a 52-14 lead with just 7:52 left in the game.

Front row (l-r) Mallory Adkins, Nicole Burton, Lexi Streeter, Tallon Mora, Faith Roberson,
Back row: (l-r) Kaci Reynolds, Emily Waid, Regina Bradley, Gracie Walling, Olivia Ralls, Madison Christian, and Kaitlyn Washburn
Photo by Curtis Plant

On the kickoff, Cherokee failed to field the ball and Mora raced down the field to cover the ball giving the Eagles possession at the Cherokee 28. On the first play, Mora raced 28 yards for the score. The two-point conversion that would have ended the game by the mercy rule failed, but with 7:44 remaining in the game the final margin was established.

Cherokee moved the ball to the Waurika 16 on the following possession, but K. Garcia ended that threat with an interception in the end zone and Waurika successfully ran off the final 3:07 of the game to secure the win.

K. Garcia picked up 170 yards on 14 carries for the Eagles, while Arriolla, who came in for an injured Bryant, added 105 yards on 11 carries.

Wesberry and K. Garcia each had two interceptions for the Waurika defense and that helped limit the Chiefs to only 58 offensive plays compared to Waurika’s 72 plays.

EAGLE FLIGHTS:

After the Chiefs scored their second touchdown in the second quarter it marked only the second time all season Waurika has trailed an opponent….The 58 points scored is the second highest total by Waurika in a playoff game…The 1951 state championship team put up 65 points on Okemah in the state finals that year….The 170 yards rushing by K. Garcia is the top rushing mark for the season by a Waurika player….Mora’s four touchdowns on the ground was a season-high for the Eagle quarterback….It is also the most rushing touchdowns by any Waurika player this season…The 10 penalties whistled against the Eagles is the most this season and the 85 yards in penalties against Waurika is the most yards penalized this season….The 58 points scored by Waurika is tied for the third highest number of points scored in a game in 2018…Arriolla’s 105 yards rushing is also the top mark of the season for the freshman running back…The 374 yards rushing for the Eagles is the most this year and the first time they have topped the 300-yard mark mainly because only two games went the full four quarters during the season.

Game in Figures

CHS WHS

First Downs 12 23

Yards Rushing 34-132 54-374

Yards Passing 102 133

Passes 8-12 9-16

Passes Int. By 1 5

Fumbles, Lost 1-1 3-2

Punts 2-33 2-39

Penalties 4-30 10-95

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Cheroke 0 14 0 0–14

Waurika 8 24 12 14–58

WAURIKA – Zac Brown 6 run (Colton Bryant run), 1:40, 1st Quarter

CHEROKEE – Blake Hall 12 pass from Kade Chace (Chace run), 11:55, 2nd Quarter

CHEROKEE – Damien Labato recovered fumble in end zone (run failed), 7:23, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Turner Mora 4 run (Aaron Nitka pass from Mora), 4:19, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 5 run (Matt Arriolla run), 2:21, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 2 run (Kevin Garcia), :40, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 27 run (run failed), 9:15, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Nitka 22 pass from Mora (run failed), 3:12, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Jordan Watkins recovered fumble in end zone (Mora run), 7:52, 4th Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 28 run (run failed), 7:44, 4th Quarter

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

CHEROKEE: Rushing – Chace 18-76, Payton Ream 16-44, Labato 5-12; Passing – Chace 8-17-102-5; Receiving – Ream 3-38, Hall 2-27, Jacob Mustard 2-14, Blaine Hellar 1-23.

WAURIKA – Rushing – K. Garcia 14-170, Arriolla 11-105, Mora 14-54, Brown 9-39, Bryant 5-9, Austin Dyer 1- -3; Passing: Mora 9-16-133-1; Receiving: Nitka 3-62, Arriola 2-22, Hunter Wesberry 1-26, Brown 1-13, Bryant 1-5, K. Garcia 1-5

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