April 1, 2020 Issue, Page 6 of 10

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Sports Page 6 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Wednesday, April 1, 2020 Elk City coaches, athletes react to seasons being cut short because of COVID-19 program is better off that and this year it wasn’t like they came through it and that for us, so it’s an unreal competed. feeling you’ve never really “They're not only really had before.” good golfers but they’re He said he hates seeing great kids with great fami- anybody having to lose a lies and they'll be missed,” season, no matter what grade Ellison said. they are in. Gina Curtis, ECHS ten- “Tt’s just a terrible feeling to have going from playing nis coach, said she all of her players were “very talented” four nights a week to prac- and had a chance to not only ticing six days a week to be- make it to state but compete ing in the weightroom put- well there. She knows the ting it all in to one day you season ending was the best wake up, it’s over,” he said. for everyone and can keep Moran recalls walking the coronavirus from spread- out of the lockerroom that ing any further. She sent a March Thursday, a day that group message to players. he and his teammates would “ know they’re really dis- spend their last day of school appointed, but I just haven’t together and be teammates. Elk City High School softball player Carsen Culver takes a swing at a pitch during a practice in really gotten to talk them Moran will attend either March. The Elkettes’ season, along with the seasons of other spring sports, came to an official one-on-one yet,” she said Southwestern — Oklahoma end last week when the State Board of Education announced learning activities would cease one day last week after the State University or Oklaho- in school buildings and extracurricular activities would be halted. Staff photo by Don Munsch. State Board's vote. She said ma State University and will it would be hard to know major in ag business. He’s By Don Munsch, Editor had never a group of seniors ending the season is for the ships with a lot kids up there what to say to them. not sure of a career yet. Elk City High School girls who wanted to win more best overall in that no one and some are less fortu- “This is kind of unprec- Grace Short, a senior on soccer coach Rhonda Mer- than this group. wants more people getting nate than others, so I worry edented,” she said. “Nobody the Elk City girls soccer rifield cried along with her “If you could read the sick and if the team can have about what they're doing was expecting this.” team, said players — espe- players when the news came messages that they wrote a part in helping that, then right now and stuff like that, Alll of her players will re- cially seniors — found the last week. to one another, it just made that is all the better. and I’m just hopeful we turn next year, and she will news to be especially tough The news? The season you cry every time you read “But at the same stance, have a bunch of seniors next because they now realize get this taken care of and it was done. Not only were one,” Merrifield said about you feel terrible for the se- doesn’t affect next year and season, Curtis said. that last game was the final school buildings being shut her team. “It was all en- niors,” he said. “And not especially rolling into fast- Elk City High School base- time the team would play down for the year and dis- couraging and uplifting and only just the ones that I have pitch season. We've already ball coach Monty Mayfield this year. In the group chat, tance learning being imple- [they] just talked about how for softball or sports, but missed out on enough, and said he put out a video feed senior players pledged to mented in Oklahoma, but they’ve worked so hard and you're talking band and all like I said, I understand it but to his players to update them watch the team next year extracurricular activities they were so ready for the extracurricular —_ activities. ‘on what had been going on. and support them. Because it doesn’t make it easier.” would, logically, cease as season and we really felt Who knows what’s going to Based on safety protocol, the season was canceled, the Tim Ellison, ECHS boys well. Because of the spread like this was going to be our happen with things like grad- golf team coach, said he had that was the best manner for senior soccer players won’t of the coronavirus, the State year. We really felt like we uation and prom. So I know three seniors on the team: him to talk to players, Like get their shot at senior night, Board of Education made could play in the state game; it’s tough for the seniors be- Tate Trotter, Baylar Barnett other coaches contacted for although some had their se- the decision last week to we should have been play- cause it’s already hard for and John Harguess. this story who had seniors, nior night in other sports or keep buildings closed for the ing it last year, But we really it being your end, but to go “And it just stinks for he knows how disappointing activities, Short said. remainder of the academic felt like we’ve been robbed out like that, it’s kind of un- those guys,” Ellison said. the end of the season came She recalled how she year and end extracurricular of the season. We had a great expected. I know from my “It’s just something that for the team’s seniors. heard the news that the sea- activities. chance at it. We really did.” [standpoint] anyway, it was can’t be avoided, but I hate “We were all seniors at son ended. Several Elk City High She liked her team chem- pretty heartbreaking.” it for all the seniors in all the one point, and we know “[ remember waking up School coaches and athletes istry — which can be hard to sports, but the ones I deal what it was like having that and my mom telling me that Players reacted with shock discussed how they dealt find — and players encour- to the news, Murray said, with, which is boys golf, we last season and having those the schools were going to with the news. aged and uplifted one anoth- but his players have “bigger had a legitimate chance to senior memories and those be closing and I just cried,” Coaches er but they also held one an- things to do,” such as going compete for a state cham- moments that you’ll remem- Short said. “I haven’t ever Merrifield communicated other accountable. She said to college and doing what- pionship, and now it’s lost ber for a long time,” he said. been like a school person, with her players by comput- all-state nominations will be ever is they can to occupy for those seniors. I really “That’s kind of been taken but going and playing soc- er on a group chat and liked taken and an all-state game themselves now. The end of hate it for them to have to from them. Talking to them cer with the girls made it all the leadership demonstrated will be played if conditions the season will be easier as go through this, but there’s a and saying, ‘I’m sorry,’ just better.” by her seniors in reaction to allow for it. That game is time goes on. lot of things more important doesn’t even cover it.” She plans to be a teacher the end of the season, but held in the first week of June. Murray misses seeing his than sports.” He said he expects daily one day and has been taking adjustments as the school classes at SWOSU in early she also just liked, in gener- Kaleb Murray, ECHS soft- students and athletes, He said the seniors need to al, how players encouraged ball coach, said the situation “T love teaching,” he said. know how much they meant year moves toward the end, childhood education. one another. She said she is bittersweet. On one hand, “T’'ve got a lot of relation- to the program and that the whether it’s with school, Savannah Kauk, a senior graduation date or summer soccer player, said she was OSU football: With move to cornerback, ball. upset about the end of the “That’s stuff we don’t season, especially because know yet,” he said. “That’s the team was loaded with tal- Bernard lost important snaps in spring ball still in the workings right ent and potential and could now.” have gone far in the playoffs. By Scott Wright, The March 13. with 54 tackles, plus five erage player, will be a pair Even minor duty for a But the seniors won’t wear Oklahoman, — Oklahoma Bernard didn't stay hid- pass breakups, an intercep- of former cornerbacks, ju- coach these days, such as the Elkette uniforms again. City den for long after that first tion and 1,5 sacks. nior Tanner McCalister and players turning in uniforms, “It’s rough,” she said. STILLWATER - Jarrick practice, because everyone Now, he's getting a new sophomore Thomas Harper. has to be compliant with “T’'ve been sad about it and Bernard quietly walked be- knows how important spring challenge at cornerback. With junior safety Kolby Centers for Disease Control trying to distract myself.” tween the various groups was going to be for the With Rodarius Williams Harvell-Peel set to become and Prevention protocol, Kauk, who also starred on heading for his fourth year of interview scrums as his safety-turned-cornerback as a starter, Bernard will be the heart of the secondary Mayfield said. Once a solid the track team this spring, Oklahoma State teammates who was being asked to fill when he returns from a torn date is known for uniform will attend Oklahoma State first to be tested, until he and coaches talked to the the void of NFL-bound A.J. proves he can handle him- ACL suffered last Novem- turn-in is made, players will and wants to be a physician’s media following the first day Green. self in the new position, be informed. He said the assistant one day. ber, and last season's break- of spring football practice "The kid's got over 2,000 For the 6-foot-1, out player Tre Sterling at team has a couple of players Rossy Garcia, a senior on earlier this month. snaps of experience," de- 200-pound junior, it's not re- who want to play baseball in the girls soccer team, cried the other safety positions, He stopped and waited his fensive coordinator Jim ally a new position. college, so he has to work at when she got the news of the "I played comer a lot in Knowles likes the makeup of his potential starting five contacting schools and get- turn. Knowles said of Bernard. season ending and thinks the Throughout his first two "Now, you move him to high school," said Bernard, ting players’ information out team would have done pret- corner and he's got such on the back end of what has seasons, that was the norm who earned a starting safety and possibility scheduling a ty well this season. She will for Bernard, slipping under long arms. You want him to job as a true freshman in morphed into a 3-3-5 de- workout in the summer. miss the friendships she had compete, and he's got a short 2018 and hasn't missed a fense. the media radar while other Athletes on the team. memory. He looks good out But that requires Bernard Cowboy defensive backs game. "I'm a DB, so I feel “Tt’s kind of an unreal feel- “You get close to all the gained more attention. there. to adapt to the cornerback "We're hopeful that he'll like I can play anywhere. I'm ing,” Elk City senior base- girls, and then it’s like, that’s But spring ball was going take the job." role, and either McCalister just adjusting to it and learn- ball player Kasen Moran it, that’s over with now,” she or Harper to step into a start- to be different. It wasn't because of Ber- ing what I need to know. said. “You work all season said. “There was so more And it was going to be nard's talent that he stayed "I'm always up for a chal- ing job. and everything, and you al- growing to do, too.” important, until the corona- under the radar in the past. lenge." "On face value,I think that ways dream about growing Garcia plans to attend virus pandemic likely wiped His coverage skills were Filling Bernard's void in could be our best lineup," up and playing your senior SWOSU and will major in out any chance of spring regularly tested against the the safety position Knowles Knowles said. "But those season and seeing how far health science, but she does practices beyond the three best slot receivers in the Big calls the Strike, which oper- guys gotta prove them- you can get. You always hear not know what her career the Cowbovs held prior to 12. He was sixth on the team ates more as an interior cov- selves." that vou control vour destinv goal is vet.