July 21, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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4 July 21, 2021 Sports/Community Summer Sayre eagles Travel to Thomas Softball Coaches Corner By Kerry Hookstra Lou Wyatt winds up her pitch. Staff photo by Rose Cum- Elk Coaches Corner mings. Football continues to meet three mornings a week to lift and run. Softball got into summer league play last week and Head Coach Kaleb Murray is pleased with their play. They played in both Elk City and Hobart with the team continuing to improve. With Dani Sotille returning in the circle the starting pitcher slot is solid but the team needs to stay healthy and continue to play solid ball to have a successful season. Cross country got off to an early start July 12 with a 7 a.m. workout. Head Coach Jim Taylor welcomed 20 athletes the first couple of days with the numbers seeing a midweek slump. Workouts continue and the season schedule will be finalized following the coaches clinics at the end of July. Oiler Coaches Corner Fast-pitch Softball is in summer league at Elk City and Hobart. Head Coach Rodney Givens said, “The team played pretty well considering how early it is and that none of the high school girls play travel ball. At Hobart we tied Clinton and beat Sentinel last Tuesday. On Thursday we tied Shattuck and beat Woodward at Elk City. Future opponents in summer league tend to be tentative since teams may cancel for various reasons.” Cross country workouts are on the agenda for the Oilers and Oilerettes. Both squads look to improve upon good showings last fall. Trojan Coaches Corner Summer league play is rolling for Canute Fast-pitch Softball. They opened with an 8-0 win over Woodward July 12 behind a no hitter in the circle. Abby Janning hammered a home run and Emily Cantwell tagged a triple to lead the offense. The Trojanettes met Clinton and they returned to Elk City July 15 and took an 8-3 decision. Taylor Beutler powered the team at the plate with a double and a homer while Jade Gray tripled. In a second game that day Seiling came to the diamond and the game ended in a 1-1 tie due to the time limit. Kim Harris paced the offense with a pair of singles and the pitching allowed no walks with two hits and nine strikeouts. Canute played Vici and Sayre at Elk City July 19 and will meet Sayre again at Hobart July 20 along with Lookeba-Sickles. In Elk City July 22 the Tro- janettes are set to take on Hobart and Lookeba-Sickles. These games are always subject to change at any time. A word about Canute Baseball and the Small School All-State Game played June 6 in Enid. Trojan Head Coach J. W. Gillet coached the Small West All-State team that included Kelln Henderson and Keenan Smith from Canute. Henderson pitched three scoreless innings to earn MVP honors and Smith had a WILDLY ABSTRACT…See this piece and more at Jenny Jarnagin’s art exhibit. Courtesy photo. big hit late in the contest to help seal the win for the Small West squad. Both Henderson and Smith will take their talents on the Meet Jenny Jarnagin and view her art exhibit which opened Fri- cal Society Center this Thursday, July 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 diamond to the next level this fall. Henderson is set to attend day, June 4 and continues through the first week of September p.m. Western Oklahoma State College in Altus while Smith will play at the National Route 66 Museum’s Western Oklahoma Histori- You can follow Jenny on Facebook at Jenny Jarnagin ART. for Connors State at Warner. With a lifetime of restaurant service, Elk City woman opens her first cafe By Shonda Little Now in her 50s, Janice is until mine got in. It went from “We stay open until 5 pm. I equally determined to outpace a longtime dream to a reality in believe we will extend those For generations of Elk Ci- the other wait staff — some less than a month.” hours in the future, probably tians and labor-worn oilfield of whom are multiple decades Wilhite intentionally did a not too long from now. Right hands looking for a hearty younger than she is. However, soft opening last week — want- now, we are serving break- meal and exceptional service, you couldn’t tell it by looking ing her staff to have almost a fast and lunch. You are going Janice (Stowers) Wilhite has at her near wrinkle-less face. practice week before the cafe been a familiar face. After loving her coworkers and was packed. She praised her to love those pork chops and The bubbly brunette with big customers like family for de- head cook as her right-hand eggs. My pork chops are so eyes and a bright smile is lo- cades, Janice recently took the man. moist. We have the old-school cally famous in the restaurant plunge into owning and oper- “His name is Joseph Swint, kitty chicken. It is wonderful scene for her dogged work eth- ating her own establishment. and he treats this business like as a dinner or on salads. We do ic and fast feet. Breaking out in “Janice’s Cafe opened earlier it is his very own. We are here breakfast all day. I truly don’t the food and beverage industry this week inside the Clarion every morning from 5 am un- think our burgers can be beat. at the tender age of 14, she has Inn,” Wilhite gushed. “I’m so til 6 pm together. We worked From 11 am to 2 pm during the lived her life by one age-old excited. I can’t really believe together in making sure we lunch hours, a free drink comes service industry mantra. that it has happened. The op- had the perfect menu. I have “If you have time to lean, you portunity wasn’t one that I waited so many oilfield guys with the lunch. We have daily Janice (Stowers) Wilhite has been a familiar face witin have time to clean,” Wilhite was necessarily looking for, but and family groups out here so specials. And, I have to say, my Elk City’s restaurant industry for decades. Courtesy photo. laughed. “My mama was a great then it presented itself in a way long that I am confident that calf fries and liver and onions waitress. My family are all hard that felt like perfect timing af- I know what our people are can’t be beat, either. My ranch workers — that’s all they knew ter all these years. I went to my looking for. Joseph is happy to dressing is homemade. We and all we were taught. I took banker, Kyle at Great Plains help me with that, but he also have a lady who makes our pies my first waitressing job when I Bank, and he said, ‘Let’s do it, has made some contributions that will remind you of your was 14, and I was working with girl.’ I can’t say enough about that are only his. I think people grandma’s baking,” she said. my mama. She made it clear him. I had the funding there are going to love what we have For more information, visit that I was expected to work cir- but was on a time crunch to worked out,” Wilhite said. cles around those other grown get open. The sweet man who Opening at 6 am to serve www.janices.com. women waiting tables with us. has the Carter Cafe stepped up breakfast, Wilhite and crew “Stop in and see us out here For our family, being the hard- and told me that I was welcome bust into the morning like the at the Clarion. You won’t be est worker in the room is a per- to borrow whatever restaurant bright sun, hopeful to help disappointed,” Wilhite prom- sonal challenge.” equipment and supplies he had others start their day right. ised. Conservation District hosting free soil health field day for area producers on July 22 in Beckham County North Fork of Red River Conservation county producers. Every year Cost-Share across from 19944 E 1090 Rd, Elk City, OK District will be hosting a Soil Health Field funds are available for various practices 73644. Registration begins at 9:30am and Day focusing on conservation practices to aid Beckham county producers address the event will end at 2:00pm. A lunch will that were funded through the District’s conservation concerns. A demonstration be included for free. Please RSVP by July Cost Share Program. Invited speakers will of the rainfall simulator will also take 16th to the North Fork of Red River Con- discuss the company Phytech’s plant sen- place. servation District to reserve your lunch. sors utilized on irrigated cotton to achieve The first session will start out in the field For more information contact North water and cost savings. Local producer on the northwest corner of N. Pioneer and and District board member, Jimmy Smith E 1090 Rd (1 mile north of Elk City High Fork of Red River Conservation District will talk about cover crops and his produc- School) and will proceed to the North Fork at (580)928-3113 or visit the office at 902 NE Hwy 66 Suite C Sayre, OK. The office is Among the numerous mouth-watering entrees at Janice's tion system. These practices have been ap- of Red River Conservation District’s Out- Cafe, Janice says her pork chops and eggs breakfast plates proved through the State Cost-Share pro- door Classroom for lunch and the second open from 8:00am to Noon and 12:30pm are among one of her personal favorites. Courtesy photo. gram that the District runs for Beckham session. The Outdoor Classroom is located to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.