Class B State Basketball Pairings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Here ya go.
Class B Boys
Thursday
At Carl Albert
Hammon vs. Glencoe, 2 p.m.
Timberlake vs. Red Oak, 3:30 p.m.
Binger-Oney vs. Indiahoma, 7 p.m.
Roff vs. Vici, 8:30 p.m.
Class B Girls
Thursday
At Choctaw
Boynton vs. Moss, 2 p.m.
Cyril vs. Vici, 3:30 p.m.
Caney vs. Forgan, 7 p.m.
Frontier vs. Hammon, 8:30 p.m.
Class 5A Area Pairings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Here ya go.
Class 5A Boys
Friday
At Edmond North
Carl Albert vs. NW Classen, 8 p.m.
Western Heights vs. Lawton MacArthur, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Harrah
Capitol Hill vs. Ardmore, 8 p.m.
Guthrie vs. El Reno, 6:30 p.m. (Winner Advances to state)
At Catoosa
Bishop Kelley vs. Tulsa Central, 8 p.m.
Booker T. vs. Tulsa Memorial, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Tulsa Webster
McAlester vs. Claremore, 8 p.m.
Tulsa East Central vs. Tulsa Edison, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
Class 5A Girls
Thursday
At Norman North
Duncan vs. Southeast, 6:30 p.m.
Carl Albert vs. Western Heights, 8 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Edmond North
Lawton MacArthur vs. Ardmore, 6:30 p.m.
Deer Creek vs. El Reno, 8 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Tulsa Rogers
McAlester vs. Coweta, 8 p.m.
Tulsa East Central vs. Tulsa Edison, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Catoosa
Bishop Kelley vs. Claremore, 8 p.m.
Booker T. vs. Tulsa Memorial, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
Class 6A Area Pairings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Here ya go.
Class 6A Boys
Friday
At Choctaw
Lawton Eisenhower vs. Mustang, 8 p.m.
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Midwest City, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Edmond Memorial
Lawton vs. Southmoore, 8 p.m.
Putnam City vs. Putnam West, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Sapulpa
Jenks vs. Union, 8 p.m.
Norman North vs. Broken Arrow, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Owasso
Putnam North vs. Enid, 8 p.m.
Edmond Memorial vs. Muskogee, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
Class 6A Girls
Thursday
At Harrah
Southmoore vs. Del City, 8 p.m.
Midwest City vs. Norman, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Edmond Memorial
Yukon vs. Putnam City, 8 p.m.
Edmond Santa Fe vs. Edmond North, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Sapulpa
Shawnee vs. Union, 8 p.m.
Putnam North vs. Jenks, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
At Tulsa Webster
Norman North vs. Ponca City, 8 p.m.
Edmond Memorial vs. Owasso, 6:30 p.m. (Winner advances to state)
Class A State Basketball Pairings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Here ya go.
Class A Girls
Thursday
At State Fair Arena
Calumet vs. Fort Cobb-Broxton, 2 p.m.
Chattanooga vs. Copan, 3:30 p.m.
Merritt vs. Seiling, 7 p.m.
Okarche vs. Howe, 8:30 p.m.
Class A Boys
Thursday
At Norman HS
Porter vs. Fort Towson, 2 p.m.
Turpin vs. Okarche, 3:30 p.m.
Garber vs. Thomas, 7 p.m.
Cheyenne vs. Caddo, 8:30 p.m.
NW Classen’s Mike Anderson completes his vision quest
The 2009-10 wrestling season is in the books. Finals night usually has some great stories and
Mike Anderson celebrates after winning the Class 5A 215 pound championship
the 89th edition did not dissapoint.
One of the best was that of Northwest Classen’s Mike Anderson who won his first title as a senior at 215 pounds after a very difficult 2009 season when he wrestled with a torn ACL. He had surgery to fix it but wore a bulky brace all through this season.
“Yeah, I loved wrestling with a messed up knee,” Anderson joked earlier this season.
But physical pain is just part of what Anderson has endured during his short life. His parents have been in and out of his life. He lived at least part of his high school years with his sister.
“All my problems disappear when I go to school, especially in the wrestling room,” he said in February 2007 as a freshman qualifying for his first state tournament.
Anderson may never have had the kind of home environment others wrestlers have, but what he did have was a small army of people who cared, starting with coach Bob Toma and assistant coach Tony Trail. There were more than a few eyes filled with tears as faculty members at Northwest Classen and assorted friends and family gathered around him on the ramp at State Fair Arena after his victory.
And making the moment even more picture perfect was Van Bumpas, the last wrestler at Classen to win a state title.
In 1965.
Bumpas, now an accountant living in Edmond, presented Anderson with his championship medal. Bumpas moved out of the metro area years ago, and later returned, but never stopped caring about his old school. When Toma asked him to come out to see Anderson’s finals match, and present the award if he won he couldn’t stay home.
“It’s a thrill to be here and see him achieve a goal I know he’s worked so hard for,” Bumpas said. “If you added up all the time he’s wrestled this weekend, it probably wouldn’t be more than five minutes. He’s been that good.”
Anderson didn't get the girl, but he did win a title.
Wrestlers are almost always interesting people. From Jack VanBebber to John Smith to Steve Williams. Anderson is no different. His personality is unique and sometimes quirky like when he made a joke about his “messed up knee” qualifying as diversity in a sport full of athletes who are at the peak of physical perfection.
Or when he talks about about his love for the movie Vision Quest, a 1980s rotten tomato starring Matthew Modine, which also happens to be one of the two movies Hollywood has made about wrestling in the last 100 years.
Anderson pinned Deer Creek’s Alex Christensen who happens to be a fine wrestler himself, and one that will have a chance to have his hand raised this time next year.
But Saturday night belonged to Anderson and his “vision quest” (hey, at least he didn’t pick The World According to Garp)
“Everything starts with a dream, and it only takes those who believe,” Anderson said.
There were no shortage of people who believed in Anderson and on championship night he paid them back in the only way he knew how. He won.
Norman North girls still riding win-lose rollercoaster; time to break the streak
Although it would behoove Norman North to continue its now long streak of alternating wins and losses, the T-Wolves have got to get back on track if they’re going to make a serious run at a state championship.
After starting the season 11-2 (with the only losses coming to the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in Class 6A), North has been on a streak of losing after every win. After Saturday’s upset loss to Putnam City North in the regional final, the T-Wolves have now alternated wins and losses in 10 consecutive games. Granted, the schedule has been such that North has faced very strong teams every other game. It’s been a quirk. But, still, Saturday’s loss came to a team that wasn’t as good as Norman North.
To make the state tourney, teams can’t do that. To win at the state tournament, you not only can’t lose to teams you should beat, you have to be capable of beating teams that perhaps you shouldn’t.
I’m predicting North will get back on track. The T-Wolves will have to beat a tough Del City squad (the two teams split in two games this season) to reach state. But this team is too good to not be in the state tourney.
Here’s the short roundup item on Saturday’s game:
Playing in the east-side bracket band on Norman North’s home floor, Putnam City North knocked off the seventh-ranked T-Wolves 46-37 for a 6A regional title.
Joh’Vonna Mitchell scored 11 points for the Panthers (15-10), who outscored the T-Wolves in every quarter.
Norman North, which was led by Mariah Turner’s 13 points, continued its trend of alternating wins and losses to 10 straight games. Norman North (15-6) started the season at 11-2.
Norman girls have to face No. 1 MWC next, but sixth straight state tourney berth is very likely
Norman’s girls had one of only two Class 6A regional title games Saturday that featured no drama whatsoever. The Tigers thoroughly destroyed Putnam City to add to their ridiculous collection of regional crowns.
Saturday’s regional final was the seventh straight hosted by Norman’s girls and the 15th in the past 17 years. In other words, regional titles aren’t much of a big deal in Norman. Truth is, area crowns aren’t either. The Norman girl’s program has for the past 17 years been on a level that anything less than the state tournament doesn’t register on the radar.
The area final will be against No. 1 Midwest City, which has beaten Norman twice this season and is by a long shot the superior team in the state this year. Now, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Norman could pull the upset, but it’s unlikely. Still, even if it loses, Norman will get to play the winner of the Southmoore-Del City game for a trip to state and the Tigers have beaten both those teams twice this year.
So, bank on a sixth straight trip to state for Norman.
Here’s Ryan Aber’s report on Norman’s rout of Putnam City:
Norman had no problems with Putnam City in Saturday afternoon’s regional final at home, blowing the Pirates away 66-16.
Jeannie Ramon had 18 for the Tigers, outscoring Putnam City by herself. Gwen Nelson added 10 points and 10 rebounds for Norman.
The game was relatively close early but Putnam City went cold from the floor and Norman dominated the boards.
After a Pirates field goal in the closing seconds of the first quarter, Putnam City went more than 19 minutes without a field goal, stretching nearly midway into the fourth. The Pirates had just four field goals in the game and were 8 of 21 from the free-throw line. No Putnam City player scored more than four.
Nearly missed Krepel’s story, but recognition comes to those who deserve it
I cover cross country for the Oklahoman and while I was fortunate enough to tell a lot of runners’ tales this past fall, I missed one story. Katie Krepel of Kingfisher was a name I knew well (and her sister Grace). But I didn’t know until after the season, when I was putting together my All-City cross country team, about the ordeal Katie had gone through. And, since she’s a senior, I wouldn’t have another chance next cross country season to write her story.
Alas, though I don’t cover track, Krepel does compete in the sport. That gave me the opportunity to write her story for the track season preview. It will be in Sunday’s sports section. If you miss it in print, I’m including it here.
It’s nice that everything worked out because Krepel deserves the recognition. She’s overcome a lot and hasn’t sought the spotlight. For now, it’s going to be on her. Likely, it will be again come state meet time in May.
Enjoy the story:
Girls basketball: Class B state tourney filled with teams with little experience in losing
The Class B girls basketball state tournament field is set and it is about as predictable as it could get. Only Vici, which has 10 losses, is something of a surprise. No, this is one loaded field: Six of the eight teams have four losses or less.
Class B Girls
No. 1 Cyril (22-3): Last year’s Class B runner-up has played brutally tough schedule and excelled. Friday’s win was the team’s fourth win over an opponent ranked second or higher.
No. 2 Hammon (26-1): Making return trip to state tourney, with ability to go further than first round this season
No. 3 Moss (24-2): Making second straight appearance at state after earning first berth in 12 years last season.
No. 4 Caney (29-1): After being stunned in regionals after a 26-3 season last year, the Cougars’ five returning starters came through with a state berth this time around.
No. 5 Frontier (19-8): Looking for third state title since 2003.
No. 6 Forgan (25-2): Three starters came back after team had 20 wins last year but didn’t make state. A year later, they’re in state tourney for first time since 2004.
No. 10 Boynton (25-4): Five starters returned from last year to try to bring first title to school.
No. 13 Vici (21-10): One-point win prevented Lomega from making state for fourth straight season.
Edmond: Regional results…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Memorial's Paige Locke shoots a jumper in an OT win against Union. Special thanks to Jana Hill for the photo.
Some real thrillers in the Edmond games Saturday, wish I could have seen one or two of them. But as you know, I was at wrestling so no dice. Edmond teams end up going 6-0 Saturday and put themselves in great position to punch ticket to state.
Santa Fe
Boys: Wolves def. Lawton (53-39) for regional championship.
Girls: Wolves def. Southmoore (61-51) for regional championship.
Memorial (remember ‘Dogs are on the east side)
Boys: Bulldogs def. Jenks (56-53) for regional championship.
Girls: Bulldogs def. Union (48-42, OT) for regional championship.
North
Girls: Huskies def. Del City (60-41) for regional championship.
Deer Creek
Girls: Antlers def. Southeast (68-49) for regional championship.
Should make for a fun, fun week ahead for the six remaining Edmond teams. I’ll catch up with coaches/players all week, but I’m headed to Class A/B state tournament action next weekend and will miss the Area battles.
