March 14, 2020 Issue, Page 10 of 10

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Page 10 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Saturday, March 14, 2020 Basketball teams hold banquet to celebrate seasons By Don Munsch, Editor with his remark prompting Although the season didn’t At the Elk Clty High School banquet Sunday, boys coach Sam Stephens, left, Elk City High School bas- finish the way the team wanted some laughs. and girls assistant coach Sean Hamm talked about their seasons and praised ketball teams celebrated their it to, the Elks continued to get The other four seniors were their players, including seniors, who are pictured in the background. Staff seasons Sunday afternoon with better and work. Norie Flowers, Haleigh Mu- photos by Don Munsch. a banquet at ECHS. “And that’s what you want sick, Mikah Butler and Baylee While the Elks lost to King- fisher and Woodward to end their season in the playoffs — from your team as a coach,” Stephens said, adding that his Miller. Hamm coached the seniors Three Elk City powerlifters team still has a lot of work to since they were eighth-graders, postseason has a double-elim- do. and he had particularly kind ination format — the Elkettes The Elks started with six se- words for them, pointing out won three games in their play- niors and finished with three: their leadership and work ethic. off run, besting Kingfisher, Gavin Chadwick, Tate Trotter He also appreciated the work of Woodward and Bethany. The and Nate Jarel. Stephens lauded the underclassmen. Elkettes lost a rematch to King- the three seniors for sticking it He said Flowers was a timid fisher that finished their season. out and wished them good luck. player who eventually trans- The team also lost to Weather- “When they leave Elk City, formed herself. ford in the postseason. good things are heading in their “If you came to any game At the banquet, ECHS boys direction,” Stephens said. this year, you saw what an ab- coach Sam Stephens spoke Stephens said the program solute beast Norie turned into,” first, thanking his wife and as- has work to do and that he is Hamm said, adding that she sistant coach Jared Keyes for happy about the players he has was one ofthe most athletic and her support during the season coming back next year. selfless players to come into the before discussing the team. ECHS assistant girls coach program. “She’s turned into not Players were receptive to Sean Hamm thanked the ad- only an amazing player but an Stephens, in his first year as ministration and people in the absolutely fantastic young lady, head coach at Elk City. The program and then commended Elks finished 8-17 this season. the freshmen players and their and our program is better [be- “New coach, new style, new excellent season, as they fin- cause of her].” Musick is also a “fantastic system, new personality, and ished 14-2, they came in open-minded and After that, he asked the var- young lady,” Hamm said, and is one of the best shooters he ready to work and I really ap- sity team to stand up and then preciate that,” Stephens said mentioned how the team expe- has seen. about the group. rienced some ups and downs “We're going to miss you next year,” he said. Elk City High School wrestlers Daylan Thompson,. Brendan Wilhelm and Felix He chatted about how the that included some injuries. season can be long and fraught “T’'m super proud of how they Butler also was a selfless Gonzales competed at the state weightlifting meet Friday. Submitted picture. with sickness, injuries and los- finished down the stretch,” he player, one who could be ing streaks — along with win- said. counted on for her versatility. By Don Munsch, Editor “What they do is take their 10 in the state, while Wilhelm ning streaks, Hamm centered much of his “Absolute selfless player, Elk City placed three mem- total from those three lifts and should be in the top 20. “t's a lot of craziness,” he talk on the seniors, including absolute hard worker, and just bers of the powerlifting at the the top five kids in each weight All three lifters were excited said. adopted senior Daphne Groen, wants the best for” the team, he state meet Friday in El Reno. class automatically qualify for about getting a state designa- But throughout the year, he a foreign exchange student said. The News went to press before state,” said ECHS powerlifting tion, Dee Wilhelm said. said, players were always fun from The Netherlands. Miller took coaching well the meet occurred. coach Dee Wilhelm, “There’s “As far as a team, we only to coach and worked hard and “['m pretty sure her 3-point and “carried us as far as she Daylan Thompson, Felix four regions, and so they take took four kids, and we were the arrived at practice ready to go. percentage was probably the could,” Hamm said. Gonzales and Brendan Wil- the top five out out each region. “['m thankful for everything regional runner-up with four “T think they learned a lot, highest on the team,” Hamm helm are the three lifters who They take the next five best lifts kids,” he said. “The team that and I hope you think we got said, alluding to a game in the [she] did,” he said, noting the qualified for the large school from whoever in our state, and won was Harrah, and they had better,” he said. “I think we got season in which Groen, a bench team also miss her presence on meet, which for large schools so the next best five lifts were 25 kids.” better.” player, made a couple of trays, the court next year. covers 3A through 6A schools. out of our region. So the top 10 The coach said the team’s Thompson and Wilhelm are kids in my son’s [Brendan] di- OSU basketball: Cowboys sophomores while Gonzales is a junior. Another lifter, junior vision — the 242 division — they work ethic and approach come went to state.” from the school’s emphasis on Thompson is in the 168 divi- the weightroom, with new head survive lowa State Jackson Easttom, will travel to the meet, although he didn’t qualify for state. sion and Gonzales in the 275 division. Lifters are placed in football coach Dave Meadows spearheading that effort. By Berry Tramel, The Okla- out the Jayhawk hordes. prepared, right?, for this. Be- “No matter what they’re do- homan, Oklahoma City These are strange days in cause you don't expect to not The lifters qualified for state divisions based on how much KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Lin- America, so these are strange have anyone even in the build- after competing in the North- they weigh. Gonzales will be ing, [Meadows] always wants dy Waters heard the boos dur- days in American sport. Draw- ing. Yeah, it will be different ... west Region meet in Bridge ‘out of town and won't attend them to fight, and I think our ing a second-half timeout. He ing KU in KC always has been I don't have a great answer for Creek last week. Participants the meet, Dee Wilhelm said. kids, they fight the weight just didn't know what had stirred a quick ticket home, but Thurs- you in terms of how do I make had three lifts: the squat, bench Thompson has a good opportu- like they fight a man on Friday the passions of the Sprint Cen- day, the Jayhawks are limited an adjustment. We will all be press and dead lift. nity to finish in the top five or night,” Dee Wilhelm said. ter's pro-Iowa State crowd, but to 125 family and friends, the playing it by ear tomorrow." Waters was in no mood to wor- same as OSU, with no other The Big 12 made the right ry about it, His Cowboys were fans allowed in the building. down seven points Wednesday call, of course. The only criti- “T guess it's going to feel like cism could be that the con- Soccer and softball roundup night in this first-round game of a scrimmage," said OSU center ference was a day late, that By Don Munsch, Editor corner kicks. We have to get Girls soccer the Big 12 Tournament. Yor Anei. perhaps the Wednesday night Boys soccer: our legs refreshed and boost ECHS beat Cordell 9-1 in the Soon enough, OSU had a 72- Maybe. Who knows what doubleheader should have been EIk City began the season 71 victory and Waters figured it's going to feel like? None of fan-free. But Big 12 commis- our stamina as we go into a season opener with Savannah out the displeasure from the us -- not players, not coaches, sioner Bob Bowlsby said not with a 10-0 victory over Cordell two-week break." Kauk leading the way for the fans. The Big 12 Tournament not fans, not media -- have ex- until Wednesday afternoon did and a 3-2 win over Altus. He said he was looking Elkettes with three goals. Other would proceed, starting Thurs- perienced something like this. conference officials hear that "We played really well forward to a physical match plays scoring one goal: Fenix day, in a virtually empty gym, Especially a brand like Kan- large crowds were discouraged, against Cordell, as were were against Woodward on March in response to the new corona- sas, playing in an event like the and by then it was too late to able to move the balll and break 24, Wright, Rossy Garcia, Edith virus pandemic. Big 12 Tournament, without turn away the fans, down the defense," said ECHS Alex Waters scored two Bustillos, Emmy Grace, Grace The Cowboys’ reward for the usual 10,000 Jayhawk fans Now top-ranked Kansas pro- coach Josh Barnett. "Altus goals in the Altus game, while Short and Yadira Rivera, overcoming Iowa State and its making the Sprint Center roar. vides the opposite; a power- played us tough, but we were Kevin Carmona led the team Girls softball Kansas City magic? A quarter- 's uncharted," said OSU house team, but no fan advan- the more physical team and with three goals in the Cordell Elk City Middle School beat final against Kansas, only with- coach Mike Boynton. "I'm not tage. were able to capitalize on some match. Weatherford 18-17.