Slowpitch softball state pairings…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
It’s that time of year. SP softball officially kicks off the spring state championships. I’ll be at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium all day Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday will feature Classes A-4A (all one day) and Wednesday will be 5A-6A (all one day).
Here ya go:
Class 6A
At ASA Hall of Fame Stadium
Wednesday, May 5
Game 1: Moore vs. Tecumseh (Field 3), 11 a.m.
Game 2: Jenks vs. Tulsa Union (Field 3), 12:15 p.m.
Game 3: Poteau vs. Westmoore (Field 4), 11 a.m.
Game 4: Muskogee vs. Tahlequah (Field 4), 12:15 p.m.
Game 5: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner (Field 4), 1:30 p.m.
Game 6: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner (Field 4), 2:45 p.m.
Game 7: Championship (Field 4), 4 p.m.
Irish: Andrew Murphy video…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Irish senior Andrew Murphy with his father, Tom, when Andrew was in elementary school. Photo provided
Hope you got a chance to check out Friday’s story on Bishop McGuinness baseball player Andrew Murphy and his father, Tom. Blatant plug, here ya go.
What Tom has been through is incredible, and Anne, his wife, said it wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for the love and support of the McGuinness family.
It was a great scene Thursday night to see Tom make his way to home plate for senior night at McGuinness. It’s been rough since he suffered two strokes in January so good to see a moment like that.
Andrew is one of 11 seniors on the Irish team that cruised to district wins against Harding Charter Prep on Thursday and is ranked No. 7 in Class 4A.
Here’s a little ‘getting to know’ with Andrew:
Class: Senior
Position: Second base
Favorite player: Dustin Pedroia
Favorite team: Boston Red Sox
Best baseball childhood memory: “Playing whiffle ball all summer. We would play whenever we could. I fell in love with the game during that time.”
Best high school memory: “Winning state two years ago. Everybody knew their role on the team, and we came together. We had tremendous senior leadership on that team.”
And finally here is a video with Andrew following the senior night festivities.
Class 6A baseball regional: Putnam North
Wednesday
Game 1: Putnam North vs. Putnam West, 1 p.m.
Game 2: Westmoore vs. Edmond North, 4 p.m.
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 7 p.m.
Thursday
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 4 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 7 p.m.
Friday
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 7 p.m. (if necessary)
Class 5A baseball regional: Carl Albert
At Carl Albert
Wednesday
Game 1: Carl Albert vs. Northwest, 12 p.m.
Game 2: El Reno vs. Ardmore, 2:30 p.m.
Game 3: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 5:00 p.m.
Thursday
Game 4: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 p.m.
Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 4:30 p.m.
Friday
Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 4 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 6:30 p.m. (if necessary)
Heritage: Girls tennis ready for stretch run…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Now you know I love tennis, love it. But even I would not have wanted to play in the wind Thursday. That was almost beyond ridiculous.
But there was a pretty good tournament going on as the Betsy Braver Invitational was happening at Heritage Hall. The girls played Thursday, the boys play Friday.
Almost had a Heritage Hall-Carl Albert finals sweep, but Anadarko’s Lexi Maytubby earned her way into the No. 1 singles final. Heritage’s Julie Labarthe beat Maytubby, 6-0, 6-1 in the championship.
The Chargers also earned titles at No. 2 singles with Carissa Villaflor and the No. 1 doubles team of Sarah Bowen and Kelsey Grace.
Heritage easily earned the team title with Carl Albert placing second. The Titans could make a run for third in 5A if the girls bring their best game. A very experienced group for CA (all six played at state last year and are in the same positions).
Braver Invitational
At Heritage Hall
Girls
Team scoring: 1. Heritage Hall 34; 2. Carl Albert 29; 3. Perry 21; 4. Edmond Santa Fe 18; 5. Anadarko 16; 6. Edmond Memorial JV 11; 7. OCS 11; 8. Guthrie 6.
Championships
No. 1 singles: Labarthe, HH, def. Maytubby, Anadarko, 6-0, 6-1
No. 2 singles: Villaflor, HH, def. Conover, CA, 6-1, 6-0
No. 1 doubles: Bowen-Grace, HH, def. McLaurin-Miller, CA, 6-3, 6-3
No. 2 doubles: Beechum-Nichols, CA, def. Gretsch-Moll, HH, 6-2, 6-3
Ed North: Baylor Spring, Nate Roper video…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
We’re officially a week away from the girls state tennis tournament and two weeks from the boys. And we STILL do not know if Edmond North’s Casey Distaso is going to play.
I’m not even sure if the coaching staff really knows. Neither coach Dee Wallar or assistant Bryan Duroy will commit one way or the other.
If Distaso doesn’t play (electing instead to give the graduation speech at North), the Huskies will still make a big run at state, namely because of their versatility.
That versatility was on display Wednesday at the McGuinness Tournament as No. 1 doubles team of Nate Roper and Baylor Spring won an excellent match against the Irish duo of Jonathan Kraft and John Byrne. North won all four titles in the tournament.
Following their 10-7 win in the super tie-breaker, I caught up with the North boys.
Del City’s Jamelle Naff nets Missouri offer
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Del City offensive lineman Jamelle Naff received his first Division I offer early this week when Missouri extended the senior-to-be an offer.
Naff, 6-foot-4, 311 pounds, played a big part in Del City’s 7-3 season last year.
“It’s a great thing for Del City,” Eagles coach Nick Warehime said. “I expect him to be a dominant offensive lineman for us next year.”
Naff is being recruited to Missouri by former Tuttle and Oklahoma State standout offensive lineman Josh Henson.
Sallisaw’s Garrett Gladd commits to Stanford
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Sallisaw offensive lineman Garrett Gladd committed to Stanford earlier this week, Rivals.com reported.
“I knew that people called it the ‘Harvard of the West’ and it was very prestigious,” Gladd told Rivals. “But all the things they do to help encourage, the whole support system for the students, and all the benefits they have that helps you get your degree really blew me away.”
Gladd (6-4, 280) becomes the second state player from the class of 2011 to commit to the Cardinal. Norman North defensive end Daniel Davis committed to Stanford in December.
Gladd also had offers from OU and Kansas.
Former PCW coach Tim Stogsdill expected to be hired at Del City
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
It didn’t take Tim Stogsdill long to land on his feet.
Stogsdill, who was fired earlier this month as the boys basketball coach at Putnam West, is expected to be named Del City’s boys basketball coach Monday.
Stogsdill met with the team Friday at the school.
Stogsdill met with the team Friday at the school.
“He seems like he knows how to win and he’s willing to put in the work to be successful,” Eagles junior Drew Smith said. “But at the same time, he’s not all about winning. He knows that there are other important things.”
Stogsdill replaces Allen Dukes, who was fired last month after 27 years as the Eagles’ coach.
Del City looks like a team that could be primed for a breakthrough year soon.
The Eagles went 13-11 last season with a team made up entirely of underclassmen. Del City beat state tournament qualifier Norman North twice.
“We can be very good,” Smith said. “We’ve got great chemistry now and looking for big things.”
Stogsdill was not retained as the Patriots coach despite taking Putnam West to the state tournament for the first time since 1977 and just the second time in the school’s history.
A pair of players from that team have signed to play Division I basketball next year–Tyler Neal with Oklahoma and Amric Fields with TCU.
But the Patriots’ 22-win season was marred by a pair of eligibility issues during the season.
First, West was forced to forfeit five games from December for the use of an ineligible player during the 2008-09 season after the school did not file the proper paperwork on the player.
Then last month, Stogsdill was suspended for the first game of the state tournament after an academically ineligible player suited up for the Patriots first playoff game.
The player did not play and when Stogsdill became aware of the situation, the player did not return to the bench for the second half.
The Patriots won their opener of the state tournament before falling to Midwest City in the semifinals.
After Stogsdill was relieved of his coaching duties at West, Putnam City Schools director of communications Steve Lindley would not comment on whether the action was related to the two incidents.
Millwood’s Josh Turner invited to Gridiron Kings
BY RYAN ABER
raber@opubco.com
Millwood junior Josh Turner was recently invited to the Gridiron Kings 7-on-7 this summer in Orlando, Fla.
The event, held at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex, features some of the top high school players in the country.
It will be the first of at least two Florida trips for Turner, who has also been invited to the Under Armour All-American Game in St. Petersburg in January.
Turner, who is expected to play cornerback in college, has offers from more than 20 schools, including OU, OSU, Texas, Alabama and Notre Dame.
