July 24, 2021 Issue, Page 4 of 8

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4 July 24, 2021 Sports Softball returns to Olympics after decade's absence. Why it's stronger than ever in US. Jenni Carlson, The Oklaho- which in most states includes — I’ll be watching as many What: Tokyo Olympics soft- U.S., OKC Thunder Mexico, OU man softball, while statistics for games as possible over the ball opener Obi Emegano, basketball, Nick Miller, track and field, 2020-21 have yet to be re- next week or so — but the re- When: 10 p.m. Tuesday Nigeria, Edmond Memorial Great Britain, OSU Haylie McCleney was only leased.) siliency the sport has shown Where: Fukushima Azuma High School/Oral Roberts Uni- in the U.S. during the Olympic Yul Moldauer, gymnastics, a few days shy of her 11th The expectation of softball’s Baseball Stadium versity demise was greatly exagger- absence should be encourag- U.S., OU birthday when her sport got TV: NBC Sports Network Tim Federowicz, baseball, Alex Noren, golf, Sweden, ated. The pipeline of players ing. It should make the players dropped from the Olympics. from the youth ranks feeding and the parents, the coaches The Tokyo Olympics of- U.S., Oklahoma City Dodgers OSU It was July 8, 2005, when the into the high schools remains and the fans and anyone who ficially start Friday with the A.D. Franch, soccer, U.S., Jahlil Okafor, basketball, Ni- International Olympic Com- strong, Ditto for the prep play- champions this sport proud. opening ceremonies, but pre- OSU geria, raised in Moffett mittee voted out softball. The ers fueling the college pro- It should hearten them, too. liminary-round games in soft- Danilo Gallinari, basketball, sport had been added in 1996, Softball, after all, isn’t expect- ball and soccer begin Tuesday. Italy, OKC Thunder Meghan O’Leary, rowing, grams. but after the 2008 Games in Honestly, it’s easy to argue ed to be on the 2024 Olympic Here’s a look at athletes not in- Jerami Grant, basketball, U.S., OKC National High Per- Beijing, it would no longer be the college game has never program in Paris and will only cluding alternates with ties to U.S., OKC Thunder formance Center part of the Olympic program. been better. Oklahomans be in the 2028 Games if the Oklahoma, past and present, Micha Hancock, volleyball, Ama Pipi, track and field, The news rocked a burgeon- have been witness to it as the Los Angeles organizing com- who will be competing: U.S., Edmond Memorial High Great Britain, OU ing softball community in Women’s College World Series mittee adds it. Name, Sport, Country, Okla- School Ben Preisner, track and field, continues to be more and more Canada, University of Tulsa America. unpredictable. We’ve gotten “Hopefully,” Haylie McCle- homa connection Privel Hinkati, rowing, Be- McCleney was part of that to the point where every team ney said, “a gold medal helps.” Alex Abrines, basketball, nin, OKC National High Per- Sydney Romero, softball, community. She was just a kid that come to Oklahoma City That may help convince the Spain, OKC Thunder formance Center Mexico, OU in small-town Alabama, but could win it all. folks in SoCal to add the sport Abraham Ancer, golf, Mexi- Viktor Hovland, golf, Nor- Marc Scott, track and field, she was already dreaming big This past June, lots of folks to the 2028 Games, but Olym- co, OU way, OSU Great Britain, University of dreams. While softball’s Olym- thought OU would take the pic inclusion isn’t make or Lauren Bay Regula, softball, Alex Karwoski, rowing, U.S., Tulsa pic exclusion was a meteor title, but frankly, after watch- break for softball. Canada, OSU OKC National High Perfor- Michelle Sechser, rowing, strike, it didn’t knock her off ing all of the teams play, would Not in America. Kenny Bednarek, track and mance Center anyone have been shocked had U.S., University of Tulsa/OKC track. She became one of the Not anymore. field, U.S. born in Tulsa Grace Luczak, rowing, U.S., top prep players in the country, Arizona or UCLA or Alabama National High Performance Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be Patrick Callan, swimming, OKC National High Perfor- then one of the best collegians had won it all? And between Center reached at 405-475-4125 or U.S., Tulsa Bishop Kelley High mance Center during her career at Alabama. them, they won only three Zouhair Talbi, track, Moroc- games in the entire series. [email protected]. Like School Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Now, McCleney is part of her at facebook.com/Jenni- Jennifer Casson, rowing, basketball, France, OKC Thun- co, Oklahoma City University Team USA. Think, too, of the teams that Ellen Tomek, rowing, U.S,, Yes, softball is back in the didn’t even make it to OKC. CarlsonOK, follow her at twit- Canada, University of Tulsa der Florida. Washington. Arkan- ter.com/jennicarlson_ok, and Will Claye, track and field, Caroline Masson, golf, Ger- OKC National High Perfor- Olympics, added to these Games by the Tokyo organiz- sas. Texas. support her work and that of U.S., OU many, OSU mance Center ing committee but hoping to The days of one or two teams other Oklahoman journalists Gabriel Deck, basketball, Ar- Amath M’Baye, basketball, Ekpe Udoh, basketball, Ni- make a permanent return in dominating are over. The depth by purchasing a digital sub- gentina, OKC Thunder France, OU geria, Edmond Santa Fe High the future. of quality programs continues scription today. Kevin Durant, basketball, Nicole Mendes, softball, School “I think our sport is one of to grow. the best sports in the world,” So does the fan base. McCleney recently told report- Everyone here knows about ers, “and it should be included in the Games full-time.” the recent expansion to Hall of Fame Stadium, an addition Nelson brings a big arm to Sooners’ quarterback room When softball was dropped, of an upper deck that added there was much hue and cry 4,000 permanent seats and Ryan Aber, The Oklaho- hind it when needed. He also in two seasons before transfer- need? Do you feel like you need in the United States. Most felt pushed WCWS capacity to man showed the ability to to put ring to UNLV. to add somebody? Whether the sport was being pushed nearly 13,000. We also know NORMAN — Malachi Nel- touch onto his throws, with Texas does have a top-100 it’s signing a player, whether out because of American that pretty much every seat son finished off a powerhouse the accuracy to fit them into quarterback committed in the it’s taking a transfer, whatever dominance in softball’s first was filled for pretty much ev- 2022 class in Maalik Murphy, ery game in this year’s series. recruiting weekend by OU tight windows from a variety it is,” Riley said in 2019. “We three Olympic appearances, who is ranked No. 54 according The TV numbers were every with his Sunday night an- of angles. to Rivals. know we’ve got to be really and many thought the expul- sion would hurt softball in the bit as impressive as the atten- nouncement that he’d chosen Nelson also has shown For much of Riley’s tenure, good at that position. We know States. Remove the possibility dance ones. ESPN notched all the Sooners over USC and Ala- strong decision-making capa- he’s had a reputation as a quar- what the standards are here.” of going to the Olympics, and kinds of records during this bama. bilities at a young age, an ele- terback whisperer, developing In the 2022 class, between girls might play something year’s series, including being The five-star 2023 quarter- ment that figures to continue Baker Mayfield, Murray and Williams’ and Nelson’s, the else. Participation could plum- the most viewed WCWS ever back from Los Alamitos, Cali- to be refined during his junior Hurts into superstars. May- Sooners haven’t made an of- met. Momentum could die. with an average of 1.2 million fornia, kept up Lincoln Riley’s and senior seasons. field and Murray won the Heis- fer for a quarterback and aren’t But Haylie McCleney is one viewers and having the largest string of landing one of the While Nelson (6-foot-3, 175 man Trophy as Sooners while likely to, with a small class ex- of the poster children for what finals average audience at 1.8 Hurts finished second in his pected and with Rattler, Wil- million viewers. top quarterbacks in the class pounds) has plenty of athleti- lone season on campus. happened to softball. liams and Penn State transfer It kept right on going. Remember, those best-of- every other recruiting cycle cism, he’s a pro-style quarter- But all three of those were Frankly, it got better. three finals included a decisive since landing Spencer Rattler back, without the explosive transfers from other programs. Micah Bowens already on cam- Numbers from the youth third game moved by weather in 2019. running ability of Kyler Mur- pus — though Rattler is widely ray or Jalen Hurts. It wasn’t until Rattler’s ar- and prep levels have remained to the middle of a Thursday af- While there’s plenty of de- rival as the starter last sea- expected to enter the NFL steady. Look at the 2004-05 ac- ternoon. Lots of folks said that velopment yet to come for Since Austin Kendall be- Draft following this season came Lincoln Riley’s first quar- son that a quarterback Riley ademic year — the last before would kill the audience. Nelson before he ever arrives barring injury or other unfore- Nope. terback commit in April 2015, brought to Norman straight the IOC removed softball from in Norman — which doesn’t seen circumstances. the Olympic program — and “There’s a lot of people that OU’s recruiting at the position out of high school became the figure to happen until January went on a steady rise to where regular starter. Also, Nelson is the only 2023 you’ll see almost 365,000 girls like both baseball and softball,” quarterback the Sooners of- playing high school softball, Team USA pitcher Cat Oster- 2023 at the earliest — there’s it is today. Rattler’s development last man recently told reporters. also plenty of evidence show- Kendall, as part of the 2016 season — early flashes of bril- fered, waiting six months after according to the National Fed- eration of State High School “You get a lot that love our ing what type of quarterback class, was the first Rivals 100 liance mixed in with some that initial offer for Nelson’s Associations’ annual participa- game because it’s a little faster he is and will be. quarterback the Sooners had youthful mistakes though commitment. tion survey. than baseball. You don’t have In an abbreviated spring signed since Rhett Bomar in showing a steady growth path An early commitment Participation was higher in to sit through 3 1/2, four hours season in 2020-21, Nelson 2004. — showed Riley could do the doesn’t always mean a sure 10 of the next 14 years. to get an outcome.” threw for 1,513 yards and 23 Including Kendall, OU has same with young quarterbacks thing. The years it wasn’t higher, it Whatever the reasons, peo- signed four top 100 quarter- In the 2021 class, Brock Van- touchdowns with just four in- backs since, most recently Ca- and not rely on players at the was still above 360,000, so vir- ple have fallen for softball — dagriff committed to the Soon- tually a tie. and it has happened with soft- terceptions. leb Williams in the 2021 class. position having plenty of colle- He showed off a refined giate experience before landing ers at about the same point in (Statistics for 2019-20, by ball absent from the Olympics The rest of the Big 12 has throwing motion that looks just one — TCU’s Justin Rog- in Riley’s quarterback room. the process but reopened his the way, weren’t available be- stage for more than a decade. cause the pandemic knocked This isn’t to say I want soft- effortless at times, but with ers, who played in just one But Riley didn’t stray from recruitment about six months out spring sports seasons, ball kept out of the Games plenty of arm strength be- game with the Horned Frogs the course. later. Eventually, OU added He brought in transfers like Williams in the class and Wil- Murray and Hurts when he liams ultimately passed Van- deemed it beneficial but hasn’t dagriff, who eventually signed OU football: Cotton Bowl victory gives chased transfer experience just to have it. with Georgia, in Rivals’ team rankings, with Williams finish- Riley also hasn’t made it a ing No. 5 and Vandagriff No. 7. Sooners momentum heading into season necessity to sign a quarterback in every class. The pair were the top two quar- terbacks on the list. Williams is currently one In the 2020 class, immedi- ately after Rattler’s, the Soon- spot ahead of Arch Manning, Jesse Crittenden, The Nor- Auburn 35-19. The season af- a good show.” end their season. ers didn’t add a quarterback the nephew of Peyton and Eli man Transcript ter that, the Sooners made it Hall was likely referring to This season, they’re striving until signing three-star Chan- Manning and grandson of Ar- back to the four-team playoff. these comments when he dis- dler Morris late in the cycle. chie Manning, in the Rivals The last time the Sooners If they had to choose, most cussed that win at Big 12 Me- for the ultimate goal of ending “For me, for that room — for ranking while the other high- were on the field, they left with teams would likely prefer los- dia Days. their season with a national any room — it’s about do you profile quarterback in the class, a 55-20 Cotton Bowl victory ing in the playoff than not The social media that was championship win. feel like you have what you Dante Moore, is ranked No. 30. over Florida. making it at all. But by all ac- surrounded by that game, I That victory at AT&T sta- counts, ending last season still got a chip on my shoulder dium in Arlington punctuated with a victory, even if it came about it,” Hall said. “But any- a season that was capped off with eight straight victories, outside the playoff, has given the Sooners much-needed pos- ways, it was a great way for us to go out on top and I think Host an Exchange none bigger than that bowl win over the No. 6 ranked Ga- tors squad. During Big 12 Me- itive energy this offseason. Senior linebacker Nik Bo- nitto alluded to this during the that it built momentum for us to continue into this coming season. It’s always great to end Student Today ! dia Days last week, the Sooners Big 12 Media Days. your last game of the season (for 3, 5 or 10 months) found themselves back on the “It was a real big win, espe- with a win.” same field again. cially since the last couple of It’s possible that win had an Make a lifelong “I think it was a great way for years we haven’t had a win to impact on the Sooners recent friend from abroad. us to end the season,” H-back end the season,” Bonitto said. recruiting efforts, too. Accord- Jeremiah Hall said, referring to “Just having that W, just seeing ing to Rivals.com, the team Enrich your family with the Cotton Bowl. the confidence after that game currently has the No. 1 ranked another culture. Now you It’s hard to overstate how and going into the spring and 2023 class in the nation after can host a high school important that win was for a going into the summer, you receiving commitments from exchange student (girl or Sooners team that has lacked can tell the confidence of that 5-star quarterback Malachi boy) from France, Germany, bowl victories among its suc- game has definitely boosted Nelson and 4-star running Scandinavia, Spain, cesses in recent years. our team. We’re just excited back Treyaun Webb over the Australia, Japan, Brazil, Italy It was Lincoln Riley’s first to build off of that and go into weekend. Rivals also has the Victoria from Australia, 17 yrs. or other countries. Single Giorgio from Italy, 16 yrs. bowl victory with the Soon- this season.” Sooners’ 2022 class ranked at Enjoys spending time with her parents, as well as couples Loves to play baseball and spend ers, ending a three-game bowl That victory also gave the No. 6. family and younger siblings. with or without children, time with his dogs. Giorgio also losing streak. All three losses Sooners a postseason win Webb told SoonerScoop.com Victoria plays volleyball and is may host. Contact us ASAP plays the guitar, and his dream came in the College Football against the SEC, the confer- that the win was a factor in of- excited to learn new sports for more information or to is to join a drama club at his while in America. American high school. Playoff. ence responsible for ending the ficially committing. select your student. Since 2012, the Sooners team’s previous three seasons. “It was great. Their offense have gone 3-6 in bowl games, with none of those losses more The Big 12/SEC rivalry was a topic heading into the game, is elite,” Webb told Sooner- Scoop. “Coach Riley’s a great Amy at 1-800-733-2773 (Toll Free) heartbreaking than the 54-48 defeat the Sooners suffered in particularly after comments were made by Florida lineback- offensive mind. He knows how to put the ball in his playmak- host.asse.com or email [email protected] the 2017 Rose Bowl against er James Houston IV. ers’ hands. Me and (Riley) had Georgia. “Oklahoma is a good match- a talk and me and him feel like INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAMS The last bowl victory for the up, but they’re not on our lev- I can do big things.” Founded in 1976 Sooners before 2020’s Cotton el,” he told ESPN. “They’re not After recent disappoint- ASSE International Student Exchange Program is a Public Benefit, Non-Profit Organization. Bowl? The 2016 Sugar Bowl, the SEC. They’re not the Flori- ments in the playoff, the Soon- For privacy reasons, photos above are not photos of actual students where the Sooners defeated da Gators. So we should put on ers bounced back with a win to