Cowboys Exceed Expectations during 2018 Football Campaign

By

-

November 21, 2018

A review of the 2018 Ryan High School football season reveals a number of outstanding performances by individuals and by the team.

More importantly, the 2018 season will go down as a season where the Cowboys overachieved preseason expectations.

The Cowboys finished with a 7-4 mark and earned a runner-up finish in District B-4. Ryan was tabbed by most preseason polls to finish fifth in the district.

The season ended with a 58-12 loss to Burns Flat-Dill City in the first round of the Class B playoffs. BFDC advanced to the quarterfinals last week with a 34-26 victory over Pioneer-Pleasant Vale.

Offensively the Cowboys entered the season with talent at the skilled positions with three returning starters.

However, it was the offensive line that was the biggest question.

After the first game, the Cowboy offensive line started to jell and it helped the Cowboy offense to produce the third highest average number of points scored in a season in school history.

The three key offensive linemen were Sam Brown, Justin Williams and Trey Bryant. Andrew Villerreal and Kalen Weldon were key blockers from the receiver positions.

The defense turned in a couple of impressive performances – a shutout victory over hapless Temple in the third game of the season and a key 24-6 district victory over Wilson in the eighth game of the year.

But, for the most part, the defense never was able to stop opponents from gaining lots of yards and scoring points. The Cowboys gave up 50 or more points to three opponents. The amazing thing is they had a 1-2 record in those games.

The Cowboys gave up an average of 350 yards per game to the 11 opponents. Fortunately, the Cowboys were able to average 367 yards of offense per game to help lead them to the winning mark.

The seven wins for the Cowboys has not happened often. Only eight times in 99 seasons have the Cowboys won seven games.

The Cowboys have won seven or more games only 26 times during the 99-year history of football which is just over 25% of the time.

The offense was definitely the key to the success of the 2018 season. Ryan came up just short of having two 1,000-yard rushers.

Grayson Tomberlin was the top ball carrier for the Cowboys with 1,172 yards on 162 carries. Tomberlin had a season-high 273 yards against Bray-Doyle, which was the 12th best mark in school history.

Tomberlin compiled the fourth and seventh best yards passing totals in school history against Bray-Doyle and Maysville, respectively. His four touchdown passes against Bray-Doyle is tied for the fifth most in school history.

The sophomore quarterback finished with 1,688 yards passing and 11 touchdowns.

Skyler Parkhill was just behind Tomberlin’s rushing total with 913 yards on only 107 carries for an average of 8.5 yards per carry. His 228 yards rushing against Empire is tied for the 26th best individual rushing total in school history. His six rushing touchdowns against Empire was the second most in school history.

Parkhill was the leading receiver for the Cowboys with 39 catches for 932 yards – coming up just short of a 1,000-yard double-double in yards rushing and receiving.

In the game against Wilson, Parkhill snagged nine receptions, which is the second most in school history. Parkhill owns that school record with 11 catches in a game during his freshman season. The four-year starter for the Cowboys also had two other games with seven receptions, which tied him for the fifth most in school history.

Parkhill also broke the school record for most yards receiving in a game. He totaled 215 yards receiving against Bray-Doyle to set the record. He also had 189 yards receiving against Maysville and Caddo and that is the second most yards receiving on the school record books. His 154 yards receiving against Wilson is the eighth best mark in school history.

In the game against Bray-Doyle, Parkhill had four receptions for scores and that is the top mark in school history.

As you might expect the two Cowboy performers led the team in scoring in 2018. Parkhill total 176 points for the season with 48 coming against Bray-Doyle – the most in school history. Parkhill had 15 rushing touchdowns and 10 touchdown receptions. He also had an interception return for a touchdown. Parkhill also had nine two-point conversion runs and one two-point conversion reception.

Parkhill’s interception return was the longest in school history – 99 yards against Empire.

Travis Fristoe contributed to the Cowboy rushing game. He became eligible after the season started, but had 277 yards rushing and scored five touchdowns on the ground. He also had a touchdown reception.

Weldon was another top target of Tomberlin in the passing game. The Cowboy senior finished with 18 receptions for 319 yards and three touchdown receptions. He also returned a fumble for a score and had five two-point conversion receptions.

As a team, the Cowboy offense did not produce any school records but did record some impressive marks in several categories.

The 276 yards passing against Bray-Doyle was the fourth highest total in school history and the 642 yards against the Donkeys represents the fourth highest total in school history.

Ryan had 12 receptions in games against Maysville, Wilson and Central High which ties for the ninth most in school history.

The 24 first downs earned against Bray-Doyle were the third most in school history. And, the 152 points scored by Bray-Doyle and Ryan combined set a new school mark. The 98 points scored by Ryan and Grandfield tied for the seventh most in school history.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys gave up the fourth most points in a game in school history as Bray-Doyle hit the Cowboys for 74 points. The 507 yards gained by Bray-Doyle in the game was the sixth highest total by an opponent in school history.

Caddo rolled up 502 yards on the Cowboys and that mark is the seventh-highest total in school history.

The Cowboys had six seniors that completed their gridiron careers – Williams, Parkhill, Weldon, Brown, Pacen Wiest and Fristoe.

Here is a look back at some of the Cowboy games during the season:

Best All-Around Performance: A 24-6 victory over Wilson in what were awful playing conditions.

Most Dramatic Win: The memorable 78-74 victory over Bray-Doyle tops the list of exciting games this season. The Donkeys scored 30 points in the fourth quarter to rally from a large deficit before the Cowboys scored with only four seasons left on the clock to pull out the win.

Most Memorable Performance: The Cowboys were very impressive in the 84-36 victory over Empire. The Cowboy defense contributed scores on interception returns and also had a kickoff return in Ryan’s mercy-rule win over the preseason pick to win the district title.

Most Forgettable Game: The 57-26 loss to Caddo was by far the Cowboys’ poorest performance of the season for a game that lasted four quarters. The Bruins finished the season with a 2-8 record.

Most Embarrassing Loss: The 58-0 loss to rival Waurika was a tough one although the Eagles are putting together one of the finest seasons in school history. But, The Cowboys had six turnovers in only one half of football and never gave themselves a chance to be competitive against the eventual district champion. Honorable mention is the 68-8 loss in the season opener to Snyder when the Cowboys looked totally disorganized and caused a great deal of pessimism among Cowboy fans about the 2018 season.

Most Improvement: After the difficult loss to Snyder, the Cowboys came back in the second week of the season with an impressive 70-28 victory over Grandfield.

Most Undisciplined Game: The Cowboys gained the 78-74 win over Bray-Doyle despite 24 penalties for 218 yards. The Cowboys had several personal foul penalties and three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Penalties plagued the Cowboys through much of the season.

Key Win: Every district game was important for the Cowboys because the talent edge was not that great, but the 24-6 win over Wilson helped propel the Cowboys into the runner-up position in the district that enabled them to host a playoff game for the second year in a row.

Biggest Blunder: This was not committed by the Cowboys, but rather this reporter. Throughout the season the name of Skyler Parkhill was misspelled. Apologies are in order to the outstanding Cowboy senior.

Cowgirls, Cowboys Drop Contests to Tough Foes to Start 2019

By

Trey Smart

-

January 10, 2019

0

Ryan’s Cowboy and Cowgirl roundballers in two nights this week faced two tough assignments to start the 2019 portion of the schedule.

On Tuesday, Ryan hosted Big Pasture and the Cowgirls fell to 14th-ranked Big Pasture, 43-32, while the boys dropped a 78-26 decision to Class B’s sixth-ranked Rangers.

On Monday, Ryan dropped a pair at Empire as the Cowgirls lost to 20th-ranked Empire, 57-34, while the Cowboys were hammered, 70-36, by the Bulldogs.

The Cowgirls will take a 6-7 record into next week’s action, while the Cowboys are now 4-9 for the season.

The Ryan squads will return to action on Monday when they host Oklahoma School for the Deaf on Raymon West Court.

On Tuesday, the Cowboys and Cowgirls will travel to Ringling to battle the Lady Blue Devils and Blue Devils.

One week from Friday the Cowboys and Cowgirls will play host to Frederick – the newest member of the Southern

Eight Conference.

In the home contest with Big Pasture, the Cowgirls actually led after the first quarter, 6-4, and maintained the margin at the intermission, 16-14.

However, in the second half Big Pasture’s Katelynn Laminack and Maddison Rivers found the range from the field and led the Lady Rangers’ rally.

Laminack had eight of Big Pasture’s 12 third-quarter points to give the Lady Rangers a 26-24 lead heading to the fourth quarter.

Rivers got hot from behind the arc in the final frame as the Lady Ranger connected on three treys and scored 10 of the 17 Big Pasture points to aid the Lady Rangers in taking command of the game.

The Cowgirls were still close late in the game and had a chance to cut the lead to only four but missed a layup and that forced the Cowgirls to foul in the final minute and Big Pasture connected on four of seven tries from the charity stripe to extend the lead and pick up the win.

Samantha Good finished with 18 points for the Cowgirls, but was the only player to score in double figures.

The Cowgirls were only 7-16 from the free throw line and shot only 36% from the field during the game.

Defensively, the Cowgirls recorded 10 steals and only suffered three turnovers in the contest.

The Rangers proved why they are worthy of their high ranking in Class B as they jumped on the Cowboys for a 52-8 advantage at halftime after rolling up 30 points in the second quarter.

The Cowboys, who have suffered from shooting woes the entire season, were never in the game. Ryan hit only 27% from the field – including only one of 14 from beyond the arc.

In the third quarter, the Cowboys scored more than in the first half, but Big Pasture continued to build the lead and led 72-17 heading to the fourth quarter.

The Rangers managed only six points in the final frame, while the Cowboys managed nine points to set the final margin.

The Cowboys had only 10 attempts from the free throw line, but connected on only three of them for 30%.

Grayson Tomberlin led the Cowboys in scoring with 11 points.

On Monday, the Cowgirls could never get anything going in the first quarter against Empire. Meanwhile, Empire exploded for 29 first-quarter points to hold a 29-3 lead at the end of the period.

The Cowgirls actually outscored the Lady Bulldogs, 31-28, over the remaining three quarters, but could not overcome the poor start.

Three Ryan starters were battling illnesses. Good and Lily York shared scoring honors with 11 points each, but only three other Cowgirls found the scoring column in the game.

The Cowboys suffered the same fate as the girls’ squad as a poor first-quarter showing left the Cowboys with no chance to win.

The Bulldogs stormed to a 20-3 first quarter lead and although Ryan trimmed the deficit to 32-21 at the half, the Bulldogs outscored Ryan, 38-15, over the final two quarters.

Tomberlin finished with 13 points for the Cowboys and was the only Ryan player to score in double figures.

Big Pasture 43, Ryan 32

(Girls)

Big Pasture 4 10 12 17–43

Ryan 6 10 8 8–32

RYAN – Samantha Good 6-4-18, Juliet Spangler 3-1-7, Lily York 2-2-6, Bailee Martin 0-1-1. PF: 17. Three-pointers: Good 2.

Big Pasture 78, Ryan 26

(Boys)

Big Pasture 22 30 20 6–78

Ryan 3 5 9 9–26

RYAN – Grayson Tomberlin 5-0-11, Trey Bryant 2-1-5, Travis Fristoe 2-1-5, Kane Howard 1-0-2, Andrew Villerreal 1-0-2, Caleb Perrin 0-1-1. PF: 12. Three-pointers: Tomberlin.

Empire 57, Ryan 34

(Girls)

Ryan 3 10 12 9–34

Empire 29 13 4 11–57

RYAN – Samantha Good 4-3-11, Lily York 3-4-11, Juliet Spangler 1-4-7, Alicen Williams 1-0-3, Carter Combs 0-2-2. PF: 15. Three-pointers: Spangler, York, Williams.

Empire 70, Ryan 36

(Boys)

Ryan 3 18 6 9–36

Empire 20 12 15 23-70

RYAN – Grayson Tomberlin 3-5-13, Kane Howard 4-0-9, Andrew Villerreal 2-0-4, Daniel Alsup 1-0-3, Gunner Phillips 1-0-2, Kalen Weldon 1-0-2, Travis Fristoe 1-0-2, Landen Alexander 1-0-2. PF: 13. Three-pointers: Tomberlin 2, Howard 2, Alsup.

Impact of Ryan’s Coach West Goes Far Beyond Athletic Circles

By

Trey Smart

-

September 20, 2018

0

You might expect when a sports writer is asked to write a tribute to someone the focus would be on that person’s accomplishments as a coach or player.

But, this article will be focused more on the person than his accomplishments.

Last week a large crowd gathered at Ryan’s First Baptist Church to say goodbye to legendary Ryan coach and principal, Raymon West.

Most anyone that has been under the instruction of Mr. West would probably choose to focus on the man because

his contribution to the lives of people went far beyond the football field, basketball court or baseball diamond if they were tasked with writing a tribute.

As Bro. Mark Kunkel, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Terral, said numerous times while conducting the service, everyone was mostly there to honor the man Mr. West and not Coach West.

However, well over half the crowd identified themselves at one point in the service as having been coached by Coach West.

And certainly his coaching ability is not to be overlooked, but each person who has come under the influence of Mr. West would probably be quick to agree with Bro. Kunkel and this writer that his greatest achievements were what he poured into our lives.

You see the goal of Mr. West was not really to produce great athletes – although that did happen. His goal was to prepare high school students for life.

And, for the most part he was a master at teaching life lessons.

Mr. West was tough. He was a disciplinarian. However, he correctly knew that making life a bit difficult in the athletic arena would serve each person well when they began to tackle life as a young adult.

And, some of those lessons not only served us well as young adults, but throughout our life time.

As was noted in the funeral service, Mr. West cared deeply for people. He endeared himself to most every athlete he ever coached and those he taught.

The compassion Mr. West had for people carried over to his retirement years as he served people through his church and was frequently present when a need had to be met in the community.

Everything Mr. West did was with great passion – his family, ranching, teaching and coaching.

Mr. West’s accomplishments in the coaching profession should not go without mention. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988. Most everyone knows he coached the 1965 Cowgirl squad that won the Class B state championship – the only state title in school history. He coached the Cowgirls for a total of 13 seasons.

He coached the Cowboy basketball team for 15 seasons and took the 1962 squad to the state tournament – one of only two boys’ teams to advance into the state tournament.

Mr. West’s contributions to the football program are more notable than most people might think. He coached football on three different occasions – in 1958, 1962-1963 and 1977-1980. The 1962 squad just missed out on a district title and finished 8-2 which tied the 1929 football team for the second most wins in a season up to that time.

It is likely that one of the key decisions made by Mr. West while serving as principal and head football coach at Ryan was moving from 11-man football to eight-man football following the 1977 season. The decision probably saved the football program and he coached the Cowboys to the playoffs in the first year of eight-man football.

Mr. West also coached baseball in the early years at Ryan.

In the four sports coached by Mr. West, he led squads to 14 conference championships, three county championships, seven bi-county championships, 10 district titles, three regional crowns and one state championship.

No tribute, however, would be complete without personal stories because Mr. West had a profound impact on my life.

Late during my eighth-grade year and Mr. West’s first year back at Ryan after having coached at Burkburnett, Texas and Duncan, he noticed right away that my athletic genes were just about non-existent.

Mr. West came to me and asked me if I would be interested in being the student trainer, which I did after football season that year. He sent me that following summer by bus to Baylor University to attend the National Athletic Trainers Association annual convention.

I was definitely way out of my league (can you imagine a kid who just completed eighth grade going on a trip like that alone?), but I learned a few things and spent the rest of my high school days helping with all sports. Mr. West saw potential in me that I did not see in myself and giving me that responsibility helped me stay connected to sports.

As you can imagine we spent a lot of time together during basketball practices. During that time I learned a lot about basketball, but did not fail to pick up one or two life lessons along the way.

One of those came one afternoon after Ryan had suffered a loss in a game that was not well-officiated. And, as I have a tendency to do even today, I was griping about how poorly the officials called the game the night before.

I suppose Mr. West had heard enough and he looked at me and said, “You worry about the things you have control over. We have no control over the officiating.”

That little tidbit has remained with me through the years and has been invaluable in my life’s journey.

In the years following whenever I would make my way to Ryan I would try to make sure I came in contact with Mr. West.

A side note – most anyone coached by Mr. West were all afraid to ever call him anything but Mr. West or Coach West. It was always difficult to address him as “Raymon.” But, that is the kind of respect he commanded and deserved.

Many others and in particular his family could share similar stories about how Mr. West impacted their lives. I am just fortunate I had the opportunity to be the one to write this article.

I believe it is pretty easy to come to one conclusion – there will never be another Raymon West.

Cowgirls Fall in District Title Game to Central High

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

February 12, 2018

0

Central High raced to a 14-2 first quarter lead and never looked back in earning the district title over the Ryan Cowgirls last Saturday at the Central High gym.

The Lady Bronchos earned a 47-21 decision to advance into the regional tourney that begins today.

Ryan also advances to today’s regional tournament in the consolation bracket.

The Cowgirls were to have met Ringling at 1:30 p.m. today at Central High. The winner will advance and the loser’s season will end.

If the Cowgirls get by Ringling they would play at 6:30 p.m. on Friday at Union City.

In the district championship game the Cowgirls came into the contest with one girl diagnosed with the flu and another player with flu-like symptoms. This severely limited the Cowgirls’ attempt to pull off an upset and claim the district crown.

After dominating the first quarter, the Lady Bronchos ended the second quarter with Meagan Anderson hitting two treys – her second and third of the quarter – to give Central High an insurmountable 27-7 advantage at the half.

The Cowgirls came out of the locker room and scored the first three points of the third quarter to close the gap to 27-10, but that was as close as the Cowgirls would get the rest of the contest.

Lily York led the Cowgirls with 13 points, but nine of those points came from the charity stripe.

Anderson had 13 for Central High and she was one of nine players that scored for the Lady Bronchos.

The Cowgirls earned the spot in the championship game by upsetting the second seed Bray-Doyle, 46-31, last Friday at Central High.

In Friday’s game, the Cowgirls fell behind 7-2 in the first quarter, but two buckets by Samantha Good narrowed the gap to 7-6 at the end of the period.

The Lady Donkeys kept the Cowgirls at bay during the second quarter with the biggest led coming at the 3:42 mark when Kyndalin Byrd sank two charity tosses to build the lead to 14-9.

The Cowgirls were the only team to score the rest of the half and that came on a York free throw with 1:41 left in the half to put the margin at 14-10 heading to the intermission.

Bray-Doyle extended the lead to six in the early moments of the second quarter, but a three-point play and a layup by York put Ryan within one at 16-15 with 5:59 left in the third quarter.

It was at this point the Cowgirls took over the contest with a 11-6 spurt to close the third quarter.

The Lady Donkeys were able to cut into the lead and trailed 31-28 with 4:50 left in the game, but that was as close as Bray-Doyle would get the rest of the night.

Juliet Spangler connected on two charity tosses and Kenzie Lewis drained a trey to build the lead to 36-28 – the biggest of the night at that point.

Bray-Doyle would cut the lead to five at the 3:02 mark, but two free throws by Good and another layup by York gave Ryan a 40-31 advantage with 2:43 to play and from that point it was a matter of hitting enough free throws to thwart any hope of a rally by Bray-Doyle.

Down the stretch the Cowgirls connected on only six of 12 free throw attempts, but the Lady Donkeys could not take advantage of the misses partly due to missing four charity tosses during the same time frame.

The largest lead of the game was the final score that gave the Ryan a 15-point cushion. Good closed out the scoring with two free throws with :27.4 left in the game.

York led the way for the Cowgirls with 15 points, while Good contributed 12 and Spangler added 10.

The Cowgirls only shot 55 percent from the charity stripe, but were outstanding taking care of the basketball with only nine turnovers.

The Cowgirls committed only two turnovers in the second half, while Bray-Doyle had 20 turnovers for the game – 13 of them in the second half.

Ryan also held a 34-32 advantage in rebounding.

The Cowboys suffered a 50-42 upset at the hands of Bray-Doyle last Friday at Central High in the first round of district tourney play.

Bray-Doyle avenged a 30-point loss to the Cowboys with the upset victory.

The Cowboys led throughout the first half holding a 19-9 lead at the 4:40 mark of the second quarter when Dawson Tomberlin connected on a three-point field goal.

A Grayson Tomberlin layup with 1:51 left before the break gave Ryan another 10-point lead, but Curtis Cox connected on a trey for Bray-Doyle with 1:21 to play in the half to set the halftime score at 24-17.

The second half, however, was a nightmare for the Cowboys as they could simply not score.

G. Tomberlin opened the second half with a steal and a layup that put the Cowboys in front, 26-17, but the Donkeys answered with a bucket.

At the 5:16 mark, G. Tomberlin connected on a 10-footer giving Ryan a 28-19 advantage but from that point the Donkeys controlled the rest of the quarter.

The Donkeys went on a 14-5 run to end the third quarter and knot the game at 33 to begin the final period.

The Cowboy defense went to sleep in the final frame as the Donkeys hit five layups during the fourth quarter en route to outscoring the Cowboys, 17-9, in the quarter.

The Donkeys overcame 23 turnovers, but 15 of them were committed in the first half.

The Donkeys managed to get the victory despite hitting only 12 of 26 free throw attempts, but the Cowboys were not any better connecting on only nine of 21 attempts.

G. Tomberlin and Tate Kimbro each had eight points to lead the Cowboys in scoring.

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT NOTES:

The Cowboys dropped to 71-66 in district tournament games since first entering the district tournament in 1929….It was only the second meeting between the Cowboys and Donkeys in a district tournament and the Donkeys have won both games….The five wins for the Cowboys is the fewest since the 2009 season when Ryan managed only a pair of victories for the season….The loss to the Donkeys snapped a three-game winning streak by the Cowboys….Playing their final game in a Cowboy basketball uniform were Joseph Martin, Dawson Tomberlin, River Williams and Tate Kimbro…The Cowgirls are now 62-62 in district tourney games in school history and hold a 20-24 mark in district championship games….Ryan’s girls are 0-2 against Central High in district tourney games….The Cowgirls have lost five of the last six meetings with Central High….The 21 points scored by the Cowgirls is the fewest points in a district tourney game since 2000 when the Cowgirls could manage only 19 points against Waurika….The victory for the Cowgirls over Bray-Doyle was the first meeting ever between the two schools in a district tournament.

Central High 47, Ryan 21 (Girls)

Ryan 2 5 7 7–21

Central High 14 13 7 13–47

RYAN – Kenzie Lewis 0-1-1, Juliet Spangler 2-1-5, Lily York 2-9-13, Samantha Good 0-2-2. PF: 13.

CENTRAL HIGH – Megan Anderson 5-0-13, Kylee Sparks 2-2-7, Leigha Harris 2-1-5, Charlcie Parker 2-0-4, Kelsi Clement 1-0-3, Marissa Guttenby 2-0-4, Madi Kuntz 2-0-4, Brea Edens 1-2-4, Erica Minden 1-0-3. Three-pointers: Anderson 3, Sparks, Clement, Minden. PF: 21.

Ryan 46, Bray-Doyle 31 (Girls)

Ryan 6 4 16 20–46

Bray-Doyle 7 7 8 9–31

RYAN – Lily York 4-7-15, Samantha Good 4-4-12, Juliet Spangler 3-4-10, Kenzie Lewis 2-1-7, MacKenzie Keith 1-0-2. Three-pointers: Lewis 2. PF: 18.

BRAY-DOYLE – Kyndalin Byrd 2-5-9, Alyson Long 2-1-7, J-Cee Edwards 3-0-7, Sydney Kovar 1-1-4, Tristen Spivey 2-0-4. Three-pointers: Long 2, Edwards, Kovar. PF: 25.

Bray-Doyle 50, Ryan 42 (Boys)

Bray-Doyle 7 10 16 17–50

Ryan 8 16 9 7–42

BRAY-DOYLE – Skyler Cash 4-3-14, Curtis Cox 4-3-12, Chris Anderson 4-0-8, Mark Killborne 2-3-7, Justin Miller 3-0-6, Tyler Anderson 0-3-3. Three-pointers: Cash 3, Cox. PF: 18.

RYAN – Grayson Tomberlin 4-0-8, Tate Kimbro 3-2-8, Joseph Martin 3-1-7, Skyler Parkhill 3-0-6, Dawson Tomberlin 1-

2-5, Andrew Villerreal 2-0-4, Brock Smith 0-4-4. Three-pointers: D. Tomberlin. PF: 22

New Ryan Boys’ Basketball Coach Knows The Territory

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

May 25, 2018

0

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.

Cowgirl Standout Honored by State Publication

Sports

By

Trey Smart

-

June 14, 2018

0

1-Ryan-Track-25 — Juliet Spangler Photo by Shannon McCord

Ryan High School track and cross country stand out, Juliet Spangler, has been named the Chickasha-Duncan Area Girls Spring Sports Athlete of the Month by VYPE magazine.

The award is sponsored by Arvest Bank.

The honor was determined by on line voting and Spangler received 11,509 votes – well ahead of Bridge Creek soccer star Skyli Lassiter who garnered 8,475 votes.

Spangler was one of four Cowgirls that participated in track this spring and she qualified for state in the 3,200-meters and helped anchor the 3,200-meter relay team that also qualified for the state meet.

Not only was Spangler a key participant on the Cowgirl track squad this past spring, but she also was a member of the Ryan cross country team last fall that became the first team from Ryan to qualify for state in the sport. The Cowgirls were regional runner up in cross country last fall.

Spangler is a four-sport participant for Ryan as she was a starter on the Cowgirl basketball team and the fast-pitch softball squad.

In all four sports, her dad, Steve, is the coach. The Cowgirl athlete credits her family’s support for helping spur her improvement over the course of this past track season in particular.

Spangler is not only an outstanding athlete, but she is also active in academic and other extra-curricular activities. She is a member of the Beta Club, FCCLA club and was an officer for her sophomore class.

“She always puts team ahead of self,” her dad, Steve, told VYPE magazine.

Spangler will be a junior for the Cowgirls next fall.

Playoff Loss Does Not Dampen 2018 Waurika Grid Success

By

Trey Smart

-

November 30, 2018

0

The quarterfinal loss suffered by the Waurika Eagles certainly was hard to take, but it should not take away from one of the best football seasons in school history.

Waurika finished the season with an 11-1 record and that mark ties for the fifth most wins in a season for the Eagles.

The Eagles were ranked ninth in the final Class B poll by The Daily Oklahoman. The last time a Waurika team finished ranked in the top 10 was in 1997 when the Eagles were ranked seventh in the final rankings.

The 11 victories were the most since Waurika put together 12 wins in the 1988 season.

Waurika was undefeated in the regular season and that has happened only five other times in the 99-year history of the sport at Waurika.

Waurika Cheerleaders, band, and football players at the pep-rally.
Photo by Adam Brinson

Not even the state title team in 1951 finished the regular season with an unblemished record.

Two of the unbeaten seasons came in 1928 and 1933, which were before the playoff system began in Oklahoma. The records for those two years feature some tie scores in the results.

The 1928 team finished 7-0-5 and in 1933 the Eagles were 8-0-2.

The 2018 squad claimed the second district title since beginning eight-man play.

The season-ending loss in the quarterfinals marked the first quarterfinal playoff appearance by a Waurika team since the 1996 squad defeating Ringling, 14-6, before falling in the semifinal round.

In Waurika’s 11 wins they have played beyond halftime only three times. Waurika was involved in a total of 10 games that did not go the full four quarters.

The Eagles outscored opponents by an average of 49.3 to 13.3. Waurika scored an incredible 498 points in the first half against their opponents while surrendering only 146 – and 52 of those points came in the loss to Davenport.

Opponents only scored 14 points in the second half against the Eagles, but that is mainly due to most games ending at halftime because of the 45-point mercy rule.

Certainly, the 2018 squad coached by first-year mentor Joe Allen accomplished a great deal. But, there were also some outstanding individual performances during the season.

Turner Mora was outstanding directing the Eagle offense from the quarterback slot. The talented junior signal-caller finished with 24 rushing touchdowns, two kickoff returns for scores and 18 two-point conversion runs for a total of 192 points during the season. He also threw 12 touchdown passes during the season.

Colton Bryant, a senior running back for the Eagles was the second leading scorer on the team. He rushed for 15 touchdowns and had three touchdown receptions. He also returned three interceptions for scores and had 20 two-point conversions.

The longest run from scrimmage for a score during the season came in the Eagles’ critical win at Wilson. Zachary Brown raced 80 yards for a score to top the list of long-distance touchdown runs.

Bryant and Mora also had long scoring runs. Bryant had a 78-yard run against Grandfield, while Mora scored from 71 yards out against Bray-Doyle.

The longest scoring pass play came against Central High when Mora connected with Hunter Wesberry from 44 yards out.

The Eagles had only two kickoff returns all season and Mora had both of those. A 75-yard return against Carnegie was the longest of the season.

Bryant’s 50-yard interception return against Ryan was the longest of three interceptions returned for a touchdown and Bryant had all three of them.

Waurika returned five opponents’ fumbles for scores. Edwin Garcia’s 55-yard scoop-and-score against Caddo was the longest return of the year.

The Eagles will try to build on the success of the 2018 campaign next season and will have seven returning starters to help provide some stability for the 2019 squad, which will likely be tabbed to repeat as district champions.

Waurika Pulls Away From Wilson Late For First District Win

By

Trey Smart

-

October 18, 2019

0

It was a struggle, but the Waurika Eagles flew past Wilson in the second half and scored a 62-34 victory at Cy Sloan Stadium last Friday night.

It was a tight game at the halftime break as Waurika led, 28-20, but after Wilson tied the game early in the third quarter, Waurika came alive with four scores to put the game away.

The Eagles travel down U.S. 81 Friday night to take on the Ryan Cowboys in a District B-4 matchup. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Wilson got on the board first after a Waurika interception gave Wilson the ball at their own six. On the third play from the Waurika three, Logan Schaaf’s pass was tipped and landed in the hands of Shane Honea who raced to the end zone for a 97-yard touchdown pass. Schaaf found Caylen Fulton for the two-point conversion giving Wilson an 8-0 lead with 7:12 to play in the first quarter.

Waurika answered on their next possession with a 63-yard drive on six plays. The big play of the drive was a 45-yard scamper by Kevin Garcia to the Wilson 15. Four plays later Garcia scored from one yard out and the lead was trimmed to 8-6 with 5:16 remaining in the first quarter.

Waurika Cheerleaders
***Photo by Adam Brinson***

Honea fielded the ensuing kickoff and raced 82 yards for the score. The two-point conversion failed, but the Carter County Eagles had increased the lead to 14-6 with 5:01 left in the first quarter.

Waurika came back to tie the score on a seven-play, 55-yard drive. Turner Mora picked up the touchdown was a 22-yard run. Trent Arellano picked up the two-point conversion on a tough run around the left side to knot the score at 14 with 2:35 remaining in the first period.

Tackle by Hunter Wesberry
***Photo by Adam Brinson***

Wilson began another scoring drive that carried into the second quarter. Schaff capped the drive with a one-yard plunge giving the lead back to Wilson at 20-14 with 10:26 left before the half.

Waurika had another answer, however, as they drove from their own 43. Mora found Hunter Wesberry wide open in the end zone and connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass to put draw Waurika even with Wilson at 20-20 with 8:45 left before the half.

After turning back another Wilson drive, Waurika took possession at the Waurika 25. Working against the clock Waurika marched down the field and competed the scoring drive when Mora hit Payton Fletcher with a touchdown pass over the middle. Mora ran for the two points and with just 16 ticks showing on the clock Waurika had gained the lead for the first time.

The two teams exchanged turnovers to open the third quarter and after Waurika recovered the Wilson fumble, Garcia scored from two yards out. After Mora ran for the two points, Waurika upped the lead to 36-20 with 10:12 to play in the third quarter.

Kevin Garcia
***Photo by Adam Brinson***

Wilson refused to die as they took the ensuing kickoff and drove 63 yards on just two plays. The big play was a 54-yard pass from Schaaf to Honea score the touchdown. Schaaf ran for the two-point conversion to narrow the gap to 36-28 with 8:12 left in the third period.

This is the point in the game Waurika took control. Mora had two-long distance scoring runs – a 40-yarder the completed a 63-yard drive and a 74-yard scamper that capped a 97-yard drive. The scores extended the lead for Waurika to 48-28.

Trent Arellano
***Photo by Adam Brinson***

Garcia got the next score for Waurika with a five-yard run with 11:22 left in the game giving Waurika a comfortable 54-28 advantage.

Waurika scored again after a Wilson punt and this time a 52-yard drive in three plays ended when Garcia caught a 12-yard pass from Mora for the touchdown. Mora ran for the two-point conversion and Waurika was in front, 62-28, with 8:28 left in the game.

Wilson got its final score of the night on a 50-yard drive that ended when Honea caught a 27-yard scoring pass from Schaaf. The try for two was batted down by Jordan Watkins to set the final margin.

Waurika rolled up 611 yards of total offense with Mora picking up over half of that on the ground. The talented senior quarterback finished with 27 carries for 319 yards. Garcia also topped the 100-yard mark with 137 yards on just 13 carries.

The Waurika defense was impressive against the run as Wilson picked up only 104 yards on 33 totes, but Wilson struck for 254 yards in the air.

EAGLE FLIGHTS: Waurika now leads this series, 52-20-3, with the first game being played in 1921….The 96 points scored by both teams is the most points by the two teams in a game in the series….The 62 points scored by Waurika is the most ever scored against Wilson….Wilson’s 34 points ties for the fourth most points scored against Waurika which was also done in 1956….The 34 points scored by Wilson is also the most points scored in a loss in this series….Mora moved over the 1,000-yard mark in rushing yards in this game as he now has 1,067 yards rushing….This was the third game of the season that Mora rushed for more than 200 yards.

Game in Figures

WIL. WAUR.

First Downs 14 30

Yards Rushing 33-104 49-501

Yards Passing 254 110

Passes 11-16 10-14

Passes Int. By 1 0

Fumbles, Lost 4-3 1-1

Punts 1-25 0-0

Penalties 5-28 2-20

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Wilson 14 6 8 6–34

Waurika 14 14 20 14-62

WILSON – Shane Honea 97 pass from Logan Schaaf (Caylen Fulton pass from Schaaf), 7:12, 1st Quarter

WAURIKA – Kevin Garcia 1 run (run failed), 5:16, 1st Quarter

WILSON – Honea 82 kickoff return (pass failed), 5:01, 1st Quarter

WAURIKA – Turner Mora 22 run (K. Garcia run), 2:35, 1st Quarter

WILSON – Schaaf 1 run (Honea pass from Schaff), 10:26, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Hunter Wesberry 24 pass from Mora (run failed), 8:45, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Payton Fletcher 4 pass from Mora (Mora run), :16, 2nd Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 2 run (Mora run), 9:36, 3rd Quarter

WILSON – Honea 54 pass from Schaaf (Schaaf run), 9:12, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 40 run (run failed), 8:12, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Mora 74 run (run failed), :26, 3rd Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 5 run (run failed), 11:22, 4th Quarter

WAURIKA – Garcia 12 pass from Mora (Mora run), 8:28, 4th Quarter

WILSON – Honea 27 pass from Schaaf (pass failed), 4:07, 4th Quarter

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Waurika: Rushing – Turner Mora 27-319, Kevin Garcia 13-137, Octavio Gomez 2-21, Gabe Jenkins 4-12, Trent Arellano 2-10, Treyton Torrez 1-2; Passing – Mora 10-14-110-1; Receiving – Hunter Wesberry 3-80, K. Garcia 3-23, Payton Fletcher 1-4, Gabe Jenkins 1-3. Wilson: Rushing – Logan Schaaf 17-60, Shane Hones 4-33, Hayden Mantooth 99-24, Hunter Wyatt 1- -7, Team 1- -6; Passing – Schaaf 11-16-254-0; Receving – Shane Honea 8-219, Tommy Right 1-21, Caylen Fulton 1-9, Mantooth 1-5.

Waurika Gridders Are Gunning For Third Straight District Title in 2020

By

Trey Smart

-

September 3, 2020

0

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jenkins collected 68 tackles as a sophomore last season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grandfield

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

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

Last Year’s Record: 3-7

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

Last Meeting: Waurika 64, Grandfield 0, in 2019

First Meeting: Grandfield 9, Waurika 3, in 1922

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

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

Laverne

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

Last Year’s Record: 9-3

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

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

Series Record: These two schools have never met in football

Zero Week Result: lost to Cherokee, 28-20

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

at Wilson

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

Last Year’s Record: 8-2

Preseason Ranking: Competing as an independent this year

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

Last Meeting: Waurika 62, Wilson 34 in 2019

First Meeting: Wilson 14, Waurika 0, in 1921

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

Zero Week Result: defeated Cyril, 56-32

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

at Shattuck

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

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

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

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

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

First Meeting: Waurika 25, Shattuck 8 in 1988

Series Record: Waurika leads 1-0

Zero Week Result: defeated Tipton, 46-0

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

Canton

Coach: Caleb Howell, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 4-6

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

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

Series Record: These two teams have never met in football

Zero Week Results: defeated Okeene, 20-0

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

Cyril

Coach: John Williamson, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 5-6

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

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

Last Meeting: Waurika 54, Cyril 6, in 2019

First Meeting: Cyril 56, Waurika 28 in 2012

Series Record: Series is tied at 4-4

Zero Week Result: lost to Wilson, 56-32

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

at Central High

Coach: Gerald White, 1st year

Last Year’s Record: 4-6

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

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

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

First Meeting: Central High 50, Waurika 22 in 2012

Series Record: Series is tied at 3-3

Zero Week Result: defeated Paoli, 48-12

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

at Empire

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

Last Year’s Record: 4-7

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

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

Last Meeting: Waurika 56, Empire 22, in 2019

First Meeting: Waurika 48, Empire 0, in 1974

Series Record: Waurika leads, 22-11

Zero Week Result: defeated Wellston, 66-20

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

vs. Tipton

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

Last Year’s Record: 9-3

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

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

Last Meeting: Waurika 29, Tipton 0 in 1989

First Meeting: Waurika 50, Tipton 0 in 1935

Series Record: Waurika leads, 7-2

Zero Week Result: lost to Shattuck, 46-0

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

Snyder

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

Last Year’s Record: 8-4

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

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

Last Meeting: Snyder 22, Waurika 20, in 2019

First Meeting: Waurika 23, Snyder 8, in 1982

Series Record: Snyder leads, 6-3.

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

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

Cowgirls Set For District Tournament Play

By

Trey Smart

-

September 21, 2018

0

1-Ryan-Softball-emilee-Martin — Emilee Martin Photo by Sheree Hanson

The fast-pitch softball season has not gone quite as expected for Coach Stan Mueggenborg’s Cowgirls.

But, as the Cowgirls get ready to enter district competition every team starts with a 0-0 mark.

The winner of the district tournament will advance to next week’s regional tourney.

This year’s district tournament is today (Thursday) at Thackerville and will include the host school, Turner and Ryan.

Ryan, 6-14 on the year not including Tuesday’s scheduled game with Springer heading into the tourney, was slated to take on Thackerville today at 12 noon. The loser of that game was to have played Turner at 1:30 p.m.

The winner of the first game was to have met Turner at 3 p.m.

The tournament is double-elimination with the championship game scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today and an “if necessary” game at 6 p.m.

Sadie playing catcher
Photo by
Sheree Hanson

Only Thackerville comes into the tournament with a winning record at 11-8 not including last Tuesday’s scheduled game.

Here is a look at the results for the Cowgirls last week including three games in the Comanche Tournament the game a week ago Tuesday against Waurika as well as Monday night’s contest.

Ryan 12, Temple 2

On Monday the Cowgirls hosted Temple on Larry Ninman Field and came away with the victory that should give the Cowgirls a bit of momentum heading into today’s district tourney.

Temple got on the board in the top of the first with a single run, but the Cowgirls took the lead in the bottom of the first after two were out.

Brooklyn Charmasson and Sadie Guzman each reached base and came around to score putting the Cowgirls in front, 2-1.

The score stayed that way until the top of the fourth inning when Temple got a run to tie the score at 2-2.

The Cowgirls then exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth to seal the victory.

Madison Rhoades led off the inning with a walk and scored. The next three Cowgirl batteres reached base to set up Kodi Duke’s grand slam to center field that put the Cowgirls comfortably in front, 7-2.

The Cowgirls scored five more runs and the game ended when Ryan reached the 10-run advantage.

Emilee Martin picked up the win in the circle for the Cowgirls and also had two hits in the game.

Guzman, Martin, Justyce Keith and Laken De Board were honored on Senior Night in their final home game for the Cowgirl fast-pitch squad.

Marietta 7, Ryan 0

In the final game of the Comanche Tournament last Saturday the Cowgirls fell to Marietta, 7-0.

Marietta scored one in the first, one in the second, two in the third and four in the fourth to record the victory.

The Cowgirls had a threat in the top of the second inning as Charmasson and Duke reached base, but the Cowgirls could not produce a run.

The Cowgirls only collected one other hit the rest of the game that was ended in the top of the fifth inning.

Wilson 9, Ryan 4

In the second game of the tournament last Thursday, Ryan jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning.

Samantha Good and Charmasson had base hits and came around to score for the Cowgirls.

Wilson tied the game in the bottom of the first inning and then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the second inning to hold a 9-2 advantage.

In the top of the third, the Cowgirls produced two more runs as Guzman and Martin reached base and scored on Duke’s base hit to cut the lead to 9-4. The Cowgirls left the bases loaded in the inning.

Good led off the top of the fourth inning reaching base on a hit by pitch, but the next three Cowgirls went down in order and the game ended because of the time limit.

Bray-Doyle 5, Ryan 2

In the opening game of the tourney, Ryan held a 1-0 lead after one inning.

The Cowgirls’ Charmasson got a base hit and scored after the Cowgirls got three straight hits. Ryan again left two runners on base.

Bray-Doyle took the lead in the top of the second with two runs.

The Cowgirls tied the game in the bottom of the third inning when Duke reached base on an infield hit and came around to score.

In the top of the fourth, the Lady Donkeys took the lead for good with two runs. Bray-Doyle added an insurance run in the top of the fifth and the Cowgirls could get nothing going in the final two innings.

Ryan 11, Waurika 0

Spurred by some heavy hitting, the Cowgirls picked up the victory over the Lady Eagles in a game that ended after four innings because of the run rule.

A single by Martin drove in Charmasson, who had reached on a base hit, and moved Guzman to third after Guzman had walked. Guzman scored by stealing home to put the Cowgirls in front, 2-0. Ryan left the bases loaded in the inning.

The Lady Eagles threatened in the bottom of the first as Destiny Barnes and Madison Roberson got two-out base hits, but Ryan got a ground out to end the inning.

Ryan added five runs in the top of the second. After one out, Carter Combs walked and Good followed with a two-run home run to left. Charmasson singled and Guzman slammed a two-run homer to put the Cowgirls in front, 6-0.

Martin followed with a single, Duke singled and Martin scored on an error, but Waurika managed to retire the Cowgirls as they again left the bases loaded with a 7-0 lead.

Again the Lady Eagles got something going in the bottom of the second with a walk and two singles, but Waurika left all three runners stranded.

The Cowgirls put the game out of reach in the top of the third inning with four more tallies. Three straight walks loaded the bases and Duke tripled to right center and then scored when the Lady Eagles made a throwing error getting the ball in from the outfield.

The Lady Eagles got another hit in the bottom of the third, but the Cowgirls got three ground outs to prevent Waurika from scoring.

Avery Howard and Combs picked up base hits in the top of the fourth for the Cowgirls, but Ryan could not get a key hit and ended the inning without scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth, Waurika was retired in order to end the game.

Charmasson and Martin each had two hits and Duke, Charmasson and Guzman each had a pair of runs batted in.

Sports

1973 Eagle Roundballers Lead List of Top Teams in Waurika History

District Champs!

Waurika Looks to Take Control of District Race Against Ryan

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

Ryan Cross Country Squads Low in Number for 2021

Cowboys Exceed Expectations during 2018 Football Campaign

Cowgirls, Cowboys Drop Contests to Tough Foes to Start 2019

Impact of Ryan’s Coach West Goes Far Beyond Athletic Circles

Cowgirls Fall in District Title Game to Central High

New Ryan Boys’ Basketball Coach Knows The Territory

Cowgirl Standout Honored by State Publication

Playoff Loss Does Not Dampen 2018 Waurika Grid Success

Waurika Pulls Away From Wilson Late For First District Win

Waurika Gridders Are Gunning For Third Straight District Title in 2020

Cowgirls Set For District Tournament Play

FOLLOW US

RECENT POSTS

Waurika Chief of Police Report

Sheriff’s Report

Jeffco COOP News

Manger Thought