Hall officially named coach at BTW
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Tulsa Washington made it official Monday, naming Star Spencer coach Darrell Hall as the Hornets’ coach.
“It’s one of the top jobs in the state,” Hall said Sunday evening.
Hall acknowledged some internal conflict between staying at Star Spencer and leaving for Tulsa Washington.
In the end, the draw of one of the most successful programs in the state was too much to pass up for Hall.
The Hornets have won seven championships in their history, the last coming in 2008.
Last year, Washington was expected to contend again for a gold ball. But those hopes came crashing down when head coach Antwain Jimmerson was suspended without pay for the rest of the school year on Oct. 27. Jimmerson’s Hornets were forced to forfeit three games, eventually keeping Washington out of the playoffs for the first time in Jimmerson’s 10 years there.
Hall’s Bobcats finishes last season on an 11-game winning streak, culminating in a Class 4A state championship, the school’s first in football.
He coached Star Spencer for seven seasons, going 57-28.
The Bobcats beat Douglass 34-21 to bring home not only Star’s first football title but the first for Oklahoma City Public Schools since 1995.
Private schools honor: Matt Silver, Casady…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
First full week of spring sports is in the books, and it was an eventful one. It’s always interesting to see who will start to be among the common names you’re going to see throughout the season.
Definitely have one at Casady in Matt Silver, who is this week’s Private Schools Player of the Week. Whether it’s with the bat or on the mound, Silver has been huge for the Cyclones.
He had three hits in a big win against Oklahoma Christian and on did a little bit of everything in a 4-1 win against All Saints on Saturday.
He was the winning pitcher and added three hits with an RBI.
Other contenders
Ryan Shelley, Casady, Baseball: A warrior all year battling that wrist injury, Shelley had two hits and a home run in a loss Friday.
Barry Sanders, Heritage Hall, Baseball: Not too bad with a bat in his hand as he is with a football. Sanders had three hits and a home run in a big win against Bethany.
Cooper Cloud, Heritage Hall, Baseball: Guess it’s a natural transition from being a quarterback to a pitcher as Cloud was solid on the mound in a 9-1 win against Kellyville.
Brendan Dye, Bishop McGuinness, Baseball: Dye is off to a great start on the mound for the Irish as Bryan Wade’s team is coming out of the gates fast.
Alexa Gonce, Bishop McGuinness, Soccer: The Irish girls team was involved in a fun, tight Bishop Kelley Invitational, but Gonce gets it for his six-goal outing against Capitol Hill.
Abbey Akin, Bishop McGuinness, Soccer: A dynamite player in her own right, Gonce and Akin are an electrifying duo for Sally Cole’s team.
Jake Peace, Mt. St. Mary’s, Baseball: Peace had two hits, including a home run as the Rockets rolled Oklahoma Christian 16-4.
Carissa Villaflor and Sarah Bowen, Heritage Hall, Tennis: The Chargers, led by Julie Labarthe, could sweep once again and this No. 1 doubles team is one of the best, regardless of class.
Edmond honor: Stuart Turnipseed, Memorial…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
He’s set the bar early for Player of the Week honors during the spring as Edmond Memorial soccer star Stuart Turnipseed had a tremendous outing in a win against Broken Arrow.
In a showdown of two of the best teams in the state, the Bulldogs made an early statement with a convincing 6-0 victory.
Memorial scored five goals in the second half. Turnispeed notched three of them in earning the first hat trick of his brilliant career.
There’s going to be a great showdown Thursday with Memorial and Norman North, should be fun.
Other contenders
Jacob Romig, Deer Creek, Soccer: The Antlers are one of the best teams in 5A and Romig scored the game-winner in a thrilling 2-1 victory against Lawton MacArthur.
Allie Glazner, Santa Fe, Soccer: It’s been a rough start for the Wolves, but Glazner got things going by scoring two goals in a 2-0 victory against Putnam City.
Austin Place, Santa Fe, Soccer: The Wolves have had to battle this year at 3-3, but Place notched two goals in Santa Fe’s 3-0 win against Moore and Santa Fe ended with two wins in the Bronco Cup.
Alec Heinen and Austin Fuller, North, Golf: The boys tied for second place and the Huskies won the team title at the Timberwolves Invitational.
Carly Yates, North, Golf: Welcome back to the course, Yates. She finished tied for second in her first tournament of the year.
Arial Ruffin, Haley McDaniel and Courtney Walker, Santa Fe, Track and Field: All three girls earned individual titles while the Wolves earned team honors at the Memorial Invitational.
Gloria Mosely and Tara Lewis, Memorial, Track and Field: Each girl won an individual championship as Bulldogs placed second.
Haley Hammond and Nicole Underwood, North, Track and Field: Outshined by Santa Fe and Memorial, the pair of girls also won individual titles.
Gunnar Nixon and Matt Leavell, Santa Fe, Track and Field: Nixon won three titles while Leavell added one as Wolves placed second.
Chase Sammons and Isaiah Duke, Memorial, Track and Field: Sammons won two titles and Duke pitched in with one as Bulldogs won the team competition.
Adam Godwin, North, Track and Field: Godwin took first in the 3,200 run at the Memorial Invitational.
Jon McNeill, North, Baseball: Huskies had a rough week at Tiger/Trojans Invitational, but McNeill has been solid.
Tyler Price, Deer Creek, Baseball: One of the more overlooked contributors, Price has been most consistent performer for Antlers.
Eric Olson, North, Tennis: Olson won the No. 2 singles title and Huskies won team title at Muskogee Tournament.
Rachel Mitcham, North, Tennis: Senior still going strong, winning No. 1 singles title at Muskogee Tournament.
Report: Hall to be named BTW coach; Hall says nothing official
By Ryan Aber
raber@opubco.com
Star Spencer coach Darrell Hall will be named the football coach at Tulsa Washington, the Tulsa World reported Sunday.
“There’s a chance something could happen,” Hall told The Oklahoman, while emphasizing that nothing was official. “I’m pretty content at Star.
“We’ll see.”
Tulsa Public Schools has called a press conference at 1 p.m. Monday at Tulsa Washington to announce the school’s new football coach.
Hall would replace Antwain Jimmerson, who resigned in January after being suspended during the season following an eligibility scandal at the school.
In a press release issued Sunday, TPS athletic director Stephanie Spring said “school administrators want to keep a tight lid on the new coach’s identity. Suffice it to say, he’s no stranger to the winner’s circle and certainly has what it takes to lead the Hornets to another championship game.”
Tulsa Washington won the Class 5A title in 2008, its first championship since 1984.
Hall coached the Bobcats to the Class 4A title–the first football championship in school history–last year.
In seven seasons at Star Spencer, Hall is 57-28.
Edmond: Wolves, Bulldogs impressive on the track…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
There were a lot more track and field teams competing in the Edmond Memorial Invitational on Friday than just Edmond Santa Fe and Memorial, but the standings won’t exactly reflect that.
Santa Fe won the girls title while Memorial came in second. The teams switched spots in the boys as the Bulldogs came out on top with the Wolves the runners-up.
Chase Sammons and Bryce Burget led the way for the Memorial boys as they placed first and second in both the shot put and the discus throw. Sophomore Isaiah Duke also won the 400-meter dash.
Santa Fe star Gunnar Nixon had another solid meet, earning three individual titles while senior Matt Leavell earned the pole vault championship.
On the girls side, Santa Fe received titles from Arial Ruffin in the 400, Courtney Walker in the high jump and Haley McDaniel in the pole vault. Memorial’s Gloria Mosely won the discus throw while Tara Lewis placed first in the 3,200 run.
OGBCA All-State: Large schools
Here’s the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State teams for the Large East and Large West. The games will be played June 5 at Weatherford High School:
Large East
Kamri Anderson, Tulsa Washington
Sierra Barnwell, Claremore
Antionette Carter, Tulsa Edison
Y’Cedria Devers, Bixby
Carrington Fox, Tulsa Union
Shaylee Griffin, McAlester
Katy Harsen, Coweta
Jennifer Johnson, Tulsa Edison
Ashley Pitts, Tulsa East Central
Morgan Toben, Owasso
Alternates
Brittany Harris, Bixby
Mica Havens, Ponca City
Leslie Huff, McAlester
Kelsy Moreno, Sapulpa
Valerie Santiago, Broken Arrow
Coaches
Mark Van Curen, Owasso
Dwight Winburn, Ponca City
Large West
Jimi Blagowsky, Edmond Santa Fe
Danielle Bounds, Putnam West
Desiree Bradley, Carl Albert
Madison Johnson, Yukon
Chelsea Key, Norman
Kylie Mayes, Carl Albert
Tarrington Oakes, Midwest City
Kendra Suttles, Lawton
Laila Suleiman, Yukon
Porsche Young, Putnam City
Alternates
Tiarra Dewberry, Edmond North
Michelle Fisher, Mustang
Autumn Huffman, Midwest City
Paige Locke, Edmond Memorial
Lacy Reinke, Lawton
Coaches
Danny Garza, Lawton MacArthur
David Prickett, Altus
OGBA All-State: Middle schools
Here’s the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State teams for the Middle East and Middle West. The games will be played June 5 at Weatherford High School:
Middle East
Brenna Burnett, Dale
Taylor Collins, Heavener
Carissa Crutchfield, Fort Gibson
Lacey Dickerson, Tishomingo
Dana Downing, Vinita
Kortni Kendrick, Kansas
Christian Key, Victory Christian
Nikki Lewis, Sequoyah Tahlequah
Britant Morgan, Pawnee
Brooke Panther, Kansas
Justice Payne, Perkins
Chelsea Strickland, Adair
Paiten Taylor, Hulbert
Alex Tucker, Crowder
Kaylee Wilkins, Dale
Alternates
Mattie Callahan, Vinita
Shakayla Love, Preston
Janae McJunkins, Wagoner
Sydney Stoup, Konawa
Talor Ward, Beggs
Coaches
Jodie Fincher, Heavener
Benny Burnett, Dale
Middle West
Tiffany Bellamy, Anadarko
Ashlynn Brieggs, Perry
Ronay English, Anadarko
Tiffany Harper, Weatherford
Meagan Henson, Christian Heritage
Kalie Lucas, Harrah
Kristin Milster, Washington
Taylor Neidy, Clinton
Lauren Pittman, Washington
Cara Pugh, McGuinness
Paige Pulliam, Newcastle
Rylee Rackley, Sulphur
Allison Randolph, Chisholm
Bradi Scheuk, Watonga
Lauren Winham, Cache
Alternates
Eboni Bunch, Douglass
Lauren Crenshaw, Newcastle
Hope Hall, Elk City
Dena Landers, Elgin
Mykeisha Stevenson, Star Spencer
Coaches
Tonya Loma, Lindsay
Casi Bays, Newcastle
OGBCA All-State: Small schools
Here’s the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association All-State teams for the Small East and Small West. The games will be played June 5 at Weatherford High School:
Small East
Whitney Barnes, Indianola
Cassi Baughman, Caney
Bailee Cartwright, Moss
Hope Conneywerdy, Frontier
Teryn Gillett, Barnsdall
Javen Henson, Red Oak
Misty Johnson, Leflore
C.J. Palmer, Sasakwa
Haley Schaefer, Wright City
Kelsey Wilson, Ripley
Alternates
Daisha Chesser, New Lima
Randa Grant, Howe
Shawonda Lang, Boynton
Chelsea Reece, Caddo
Kyra Underwood, Moss
Coaches
Todd Been, Dewar
Chris Gibbs, Rattan
Small West
Ashley Baughman, Chattanooga
Cassidy Boggs, Cyril
Ali Brown, Chattanooga
Kylie Castonguay, Lomega
Jonna Gregory, Vici
Adalynn Klugh, Fort Cobb-Broxton
Jaci McGill, Forgan
Brittany Pfaff, Okarche
Chelsea Tate, Seiling
Jessi Treadway, Amber-Pocasset
Alternates
Kelsey Baker, Hammon
Kelsey Grellner, Okarche
Jill Hobbs, Deer Creek-Lamont
Taylor Posey, Wayne
Bailey Wilkerson, Cashion
Coaches
Brady Hamar, Seiling
Jeff Fletcher, Cyril
Private schools: Reaction to proposal…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Had a chance to talk with some private school athletic directors and their thoughts about what happened at the OSSAA board meeting Wednesday.
Bishop McGuinness AD Gary Savely and Heritage Hall’s Rod Warner declined to comment since they’re on the committee, but I got in touch with Mt. St. Mary’s Lenny Hatchett and Christian Heritage Academy’s John Merrell.
One of the six proposals was an enrollment multiplier where certain schools would have to multiply their enrollment by 15 or 30 percent.
Lenny Hatchett
Every school is different. Something like this would really hurt the Mount. We only have like 300 kids, so this would be a big increase. It’s not like we have 800, 900 kids.
Every administration is trying to do what’s best for them and that makes sense. It’s not a perfect answer to everything. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
John Merrell
We just want to be a good member of the Association. This has been a great experience for us ever since joining. We wanted to get in for years, and we’re just happy to be a part of this.
It’s created a lot of excitement with the student body, going to state tournaments and having success. We’re embracing everything. Whatever decision is made, we’ll happily abide by it.”
In the multiplier proposal, MSM would move up to 4A from 3A while CHA would move to 3A from 2A.
For a full list of the schools affected by the multiplier and how the enrollment numbers would change, Ryan Aber wrote a detailed piece in Thursday’s paper.
MSM: Rockets hosting celebrity weekend…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Fellow chum Ryan Aber will be on hand for both events.
ROCKETS TO HOST CELEBRITY ALL-STAR WEEKEND
Oklahoma native Cato June leads a group of athletes who will be at Mount St. Mary High this weekend for an all-star basketball game and a football camp at the sixth annual Celebrity All-Star Weekend, presented by the Carrie Garth Well Institute and The June Family Foundation.
June grew up in Oklahoma before moving to Washington, D.C., during his high school years and is currently an NFL free agent.
The Cato June and Terrance Jackson All-Star basketball game is tonight at 7 at MSM. Admission is $5 for children and $8 for adults. The football camp is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pre-registration for the camp begins at 9 a.m. Saturday and is $30 per person. Anyone from ages 5-18 is allowed to participate.
Other players who will be in attendance include Tommie Harris, Mark Clayton, Reggie Wayne and Reggie Smith among others.
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For more information on the CGWells Institute, here ya go. For more info on The June Family Foundation, here ya go.
