February 19, 2020 Issue, Page 9 of 10

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Sports Page I The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, February 19, 2020 Midwest City coaches mystified by scandal involving Hinch By Berry Tramel, The but not enough to make ev- best to ever come out of they did it right," Smith time in major-league mana- Smith said he knows he Oklahoman, Oklahoma eryone happy. His baseball Midwest City," said Jerry said. "Came early, stayed gerial winning percentage, sounds like a parent taking City future is imperiled. Long, Hinch's high school late. Mike Gundy was one minimum 1,000 games. He up for his kid. Long has at- AJ. Hinch's reputation is And those who have baseball coach, who gradu- of the hardest-working guys, managed the Diamondbacks tended Hinch's World Series in tatters across baseball. known Hinch since his youth ated from Midwest City in did everything right, never for parts of two seasons and games. These are not im- The Houston Astros’ man- are completely mystified. 1967 and then coached at loafed. Wouldn't dare ever the Astros for most of five ager was suspended, then "I mean, truly, I'm at a loss the school from 1972-2001. let a teammate see him loaf. years. His regular-season re- partial witnesses. They are fired, over the sign-stealing for words," said Ron Smith, "T would take him as my son In baseball, Mike was frus- cord is 570-452. Four Hinch coaches who know Hinch scandal that has tainted who was Hinch's quarter- in a New York second." trated if you ever missed a teams made the playoffs, best as a teenager. Houston's 2017 World Se- back coach at Midwest City Mike Sherman spent 11 sign. AJ. same way. That's two reached the World Se- But they swear by Hinch, ries championship. All High School in the early years covering high school why they're great leaders. ries and Houston won it all a straight-A student at Mid- things Astro are stained and 1990s, when Hinch was a sports for The Oklahoman, They had the respect of all in 2017. west City, a straight-A stu- corrupted. But only Hinch two-sport star for the Bomb- 1982-93, then returned in the players. The year that now taints dent at Stanford. A straight and general manager Jeff ers. "I don't understand 2003 to begin 13-year run as "As coaches, we tried to his career. arrow in baseball until the Luhnow lost their jobs. how that situation comes sports editor. That's a quarter act like him (Hinch)." "There's usually two sides sign-stealing scandal blew, Hinch conducted an inter- around. I've read all about century, and Sherman calls Long tells the story of to each story," Long said. view with MLB Network's it. Like I say, I totally don't Hinch the most impressive Hinch's family offering him, "You hear one side, and and Hinch admitted that Tom Verducci that aired Feb. understand. Us that know high school athlete he en- at age 16, a car or a backyard sometimes you never get to though he twice destroyed 7. The interview drew both him well, we have a lot of countered during that time, batting cage. Hinch took the hear the other side. As far as the monitor making the sign- sympathy and scorn from questions. It just doesn't sit not in athletic ability, but in batting cage. where he's at, history proves stealing possible, he also the baseball community - right." the way he presented him- "He's the kind of kid, what kind of young man he never sufficiently stopped it. retired pitcher CC Sabathia The Bombers have a proud self. student, that every coach is. I personally think he'll "Of all the guys that I've said at Yankee spring train- athletic heritage, and long- Smith compared Hinch's dreams of," Long said. "I've be back in the game. I think coached, probably the high- ing that Hinch "shouldn't be time Midwest City coaches leadership qualities with never seen, witnessed, any he'll do what he needs to do." est moral character young managing again." put Hinch at the top of the arrogance. Never seen dis- Mike Gundy, another former Both Long and Smith ad- The disgraced Hinch, list in terms of character and Bomber who excelled in played any attitude. Always mit bias. They have known man in my 43 years," Smith fighting for his career, took integrity. football and baseball. been positive, upbeat. Al- Hinch for more than three said. "I just know that all responsibility for not stop- "A.J. Hinch, as far as I'm "Kids followed them when ways enjoyed competing." decades and have nothing of us who knew him are in ping the Astros’ cheating, concerned, he's one of the they were younger, because Hinch, 45, ranks 17th all- bad to say about him. shock." Cowboys avoid the big ECHS basketball playoffs set upset in Bedlam blowout Elk City High School's boys and girls teams will play in the district playoffs at Kingfisher Friday night. The girls By Jason Elmquist, Still- at 174 pounds, and a late with Demas scoring the only the change in the dual order game tips off at 6:30 p.m. and the boys will play at 8 p.m. water NewsPress, Okla. rally by Jake Woodley to two takedowns -- one in the get to him at 165 pounds -- STILLWATER- Nick Pic- upset Dakota Geer by 10-9 first period and the other in wrestling nearly two hours Basketball cininni has heard John Smith decision at 197 -- OSU sent the third -- for a narrow 4-3 after the dual started. talk about "expect the unex- out Austin Harris at heavy- decision. pected" in Bedlam for the weight. "If he could blitz the guy Wittlake said he spent a roundup past five years. John Smith admitted af- a little bit more, like the first good portion of the dual The Oklahoma State wres- ter the match the two early minute really blitz him, he's resting his eyes and "getting tling coach brings it up to the wins by the Sooners forced got really good hips and there mentally prepared" in the media and wrestlers every his hand to go with Harris in wasn't a lot of wrestling that wrestling room. It worked year -- in Bedlam wrestling, the match. But it proved to took place," OU coach Lou somebody is going to pull be the right one anyway. Rosselli said. "But I was out well, because he steam- By Don Munsch, Editor team with 21 points. Kylie off a big upset, you just have Harris controlled much of pleased to see him shoot two rolled Oklahoma's Elijah Jo- Girls Basketball Savage added 14 points and to avoid being on the wrong the match, scoring five take- or three times -- that's two or seph for a 19-4 technical fall Canute 92, Ringling 53 Kirstyn Strain had 10 points end of it. downs on his way to a 13-5 three times more than he's in the third period. Haley Schreck led the Tro- in the victory. It was starting to look like major decision. been shooting. He hit some "Personally, I like wres- janettes with 23 points. Oth- Merritt 57, Mangum 47 that could be the case for the "I think it shows that he's finishes ... so for him, that's er Canute scorers in double Dayli Pollard led the tling on my feet, I've never redshirt senior from East Se- fighting for the job," Smith an improvement." figures were Kirstyn Strain, Oilerettes with 15 points. tauket, New York, in his fi- said. "He wants to wrestle The Cowboys (13-2, 7-1) been much of a 'pinner’ my 18; Kylee Smith, 13; and Also scoring ion double fig- nal dual against in-state rival in the Big 12 and he wants would close out the dual whole career," Wittlake said. Madison Faylor, 12. ures for Merritt were Josh- Oklahoma. to he wants to be the man so with three fairly convincing "So I always love wrestling Canute 67, CBA 38 lyn Tomlin-Sanders, 13, and Clinging onto a narrow you know, it's a good effort matches -- in which only one on my feet, being on my Haley Schreck led the Jamie Peffer, 12. lead against unranked Chris- on his part." takedown was given up to an feet, that's where I'm most tian Moody, Piccininni, the Following the back-to- OU wrestler. No. 4-ranked wrestler at 125 pounds, locked up a cradle back bonus-point wins for OSU, the match at 133 Boo Lewallen coasted to comfortable. also comfortable Obviously, every- Have a great season! a 14-1 major decision over and closed out his home pounds had some fireworks where but on my feet is just career inside Gallagher-Iba from the opening whistle. Jacob Butler at 149 pounds, —— while Wyatt Sheets had to really where I prefer." Arena with a pin in Bedlam. Oklahoma's Tommy rally in the third period but OSU will go from its old- "It's pretty cool," Piccinin- Hoskins opened with a take- ni said. "I would definitely down and nearfall of OSU's with two takedowns and a est wrestling rival to its most two-point nearfall won by heated rival with a road trip take all that with a dominant Reece Witcraft, who re- 8-3 decision. performance over that (pin), sponded in like with a take- to No. 1-ranked Iowa next In his first home Bedlam 2009 S. Main St, Elk City personally, but it's not the down and nearfall of his own Sunday to close out the dual dual, redshirt freshman Tra- The Phillips Family way it went. So I guess that's before the end of the first pe- pretty cool, too." riod. Oklahoma State's true vis Wittlake didn't allow schedule. Locally owned and operated It was one of four bonus- freshman would maintain for over 30 years point victories for the Cow- the momentum the remain- 580-243-1200 boys in a 27-8 victory over der of the match for an 11-7 the Sooners -- with each decision. team being deducted a team "Don't get up and go get a Good Luck to all of point for unsportsmanlike Coke, because you may miss sports conduct after the match at 184 pounds. something with that kid," John Smith said. our area teams! The first lopsided victory for OSU came a match prior OU (4-7 overall, 2-6 Big 12 Conference) would get its a ay photo to share? Send it to to Piccininni -- with the dual final win of the dual at 141 starting at 174 pounds. pounds with All-American TERRY'S FURNITURE (580)225-4006 OR (800)925-4006} (errysfurnitureshowroom.com After Oklahoma won two redshirt sophomore Dom SHOWROOM Monday of the first three matches -- 2001 SOUTH MAIN editor@ecdaily- Demas. ‘Through a 10-5 decision by Anthony There would be little ac- Saturday Mantanona over Joe Smith tion throughout the match, ELK CITY, OKLAHOMA 9-6 Check out our website www.elkcityoknews.com news.com