Norman sports teams relatively idle this week; but there’s the Clash, of course
The biggest single athletic event of the school year happens Thursday, but otherwise it’s a light week for sports at Norman High.
The Crosstown Clash football game will be held at on Owen Field Thursday at 7:30. Before then, only the softball team will be in action: The Tigers are at Edmond Memorial today at 6:30 and host Anadarko Tuesday at 4 p.m..
The next scheduled volleyball game isn’t until Sept. 7 when the Tigers play in the Mid-State Conference Tournament at 6 p.m. The cross country runners will stay close to home and compete in the annual Brookhaven Run road race. It starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and is open to the public.
Q&A with Yukon softball coach Jennifer Leonard
Yukon's Cheslyn Payne is part of a large group of juniors who will play key roles for the Millerettes this season.
Though there are only two seniors on the roster, expectations are high for the Yukon softball team this season. Here’s what coach Jennifer Leonard had to say about the season outlook:
Q. Your team is No. 2 in the OKrankings.com poll released this week. How high are expectations for your team this year?
A. Our goal as a team is to make it back to state again, we did not finish as strong as I beleived we could have last year, and so we are working to finish stronger. Our mission this year is to win state.
Q. Your team is actually kind of young, with only two seniors. Does the combination of talent, expectations and youth make this a unique team to coach?
A. We are young in that only one senior starts for us, so that is very exciting in that we will have so many returners next year. We have a great mix of talent, and our hope is that our team chemistry just continues to grow stronger throughout the year as players work to be the best teammates they can be, which I believe will give us more oppurtunities to be successful this year.
Q. With Mustang holding that top spot in the rankings, should we expect the rivalry to have a little extra heat this season?
A. The Yukon vs. Mustang rivalry is always heated, and yes putting us in the top two spots just gives the game a little more heat. Not only are we playing to win, but pride and a little bit of bragging rights are involved as well. Many of the these girls from these two teams play together throughout the summer and are good friends so it’s not just a softball rivalry.
Q. Where do you see your team’s strength?
A. I believe one of our strengths right now, is that everyone in the lineup is stepping up and getting the job done at different times when needed. We are not having to rely on just a few players, and as long as that continues we will be a very tough team to beat.
Brokeshoulder signs with Tech…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
I haven’t known former Shawnee star softball pitcher Ashley Brokeshoulder her whole life – it just feels that way.
I jumped on board in Shawnee after her freshman season and realized early on that she was indeed the real deal.
After some hiccups, Brokeshoulder and the Wolves put it together and reached the Class 5A state final last season, losing to Lawton MacArthur.
And then the recruiting game began and what a long and arduous one it became before Brokeshoulder signed with Texas Tech last month. When she was a sophomore, Brokeshoulder had her sights set on Georgetown to help build a program and Washington to help solidify a program.
Well, needless to say after Washington and Danielle Lawrie won the Women’s College World Series, the Huskies program doesn’t need any validation.
But Brokeshoulder’s father, Eddie, said Washington still had tremendous interest in Ashley but nothing could be done.
SEC schools like Georgia and Arkansas also showed heavy interest as did several Big 12 schools.
Brokeshoulder enjoyed her visit to Tech and despite a coaching change late in the game, decided to stick it out.
Eddie said he has happy with the decision that was made, especially with Ashley staying in the Big 12, which will give her a chance to come home a time or two.
Looking ahead for Shawnee, it won’t be easy to replace Brokeshoulder. Sidni Boyer will definitely lead the offensive charge with her speed and productivity, but the Wolves will need to find another arm, and there aren’t too many like Brokeshoulder out there.
