YEAR IN REVIEW 

It was another banner year in sports in 2024 not only across the country, but especially right here in Western Oklahoma. The final four team college football playoff was won in January by the Michigan Wolverines. For the second straight year, Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs were Super Bowl Champs win an OT win against San Francisco. March around here is for State Tournament hoops inside the Big House. Western Oklahoma was well represented in the Class A and B tournaments. Class B Girls had Arnett, L-S, Hammon, and MVG. Class A Girls had Seiling. Class B Boys was Leedey, Granite, and Duke. Class A Boys had Sentinel and Seiling. Leedey’s boys and Hammon’s girls were semifinalist. Class B Girls champ was Lomega for the 16th time in school history. Seiling’s Lady Cats won Class a Girls for the 3rd straight year, 9th time overall. Wilson (Henryetta) claimed their first Class B boys state championship. Okarche won their 2nd Class A boys title. The following week saw 4A-2A inside the Big House. For the second straight season, the Weatherford Eagles suffered a heartbreaking state finals loss to Douglass. The 2A girls final was a rock fight between the Merritt Oilerettes and Dale Lady Pirates. Neither team reached 30 points but that didn’t matter. As the 4th quarter wound down, Merritt Soph Marlie Mong sent a lightning bolt through the crowd at Ron Norrick Arena.....  The Oilerettes claimed their 3rd title in school history with a 25-23 win over Dale. The spring brought a phenomenon not seen around Elk City high school. Kash Mayfield dominated on the mound like no one ever has in the brown and white. Mayfield led the Elks to their 3rd straight Class 4A baseball state tournament. He pitched 44 innings giving up 4 hits, 2 runs/1 earned, walked 8, struck out 115 with a .159 era and a .030 batting avg against. Ridiculous numbers for Mayfield who was later taken in the first round with the 25th pick in the Major League baseball draft by the San Diego Padres. Another former high school baseball star in Western Oklahoma was drafted as well. Clinton’s Caden Powell went in the 6th round to the Astros after a fantastic year at SEminole St. The more some things changed in 2024, the more some of them stayed the same. Cordell’s Megan Brown helped lead the SWOSU women’s golf team to Nationals. Megan was named SWOSU athlete of the year for her accomplishments on the course for the Lady Dawgs. For the 4th straight season, Patty Gasso’s Oklahoma Sooners softball team were crowned National Champs. It was Oklahoma’s 8th Natty of Patty this century. The Ok City Thunder reappeared on the National stage in 2024. OKC had the best record in the western conf and won a series by sweeping New Orleans before bowing out of the playoffs in the second round. OKC’s started this season 26-5 and look to be poised for a special 2025. Optimism abounded when the school year started meaning fast pitch softball. I-40 rivals Elk City and Weatherford brought back loaded squads. Elk City went to North Rock Creek for the second straight year for Super Regionals trying to qualify for the state tournament..... It was the second time in school history the brown and white were in the fast pitch tournament. It was Wford that made the noise at Hall of Fame though. After shutting out Elk city in round 1, the Lady Eagles knocked off Tuttle and Purcell en route to their first ever fast pitch state title. Another state title was won in boys cross country. The Sweetwater Bulldogs, after having to wait a couple days due to a weather delay, won the Class B Boys cross country state championship. Another local star made it big on the national stage. The Beckahm Co 4-H shooting sports stars won 13 times, 7 of those were state titles. Wford’s Quade Cummins earned his PGA Tour card by finishing 11th on the KOrn Ferry Tour year long points list. Quade will begin the season in Hawaii in a couple weeks. Last but not least, I went to the Masters in April. It was an absolute bucket list trip that any sports fan needs to do once. Augusta National and the Masters is a trip you cannot overhype in your mind. It will exceed your expectations if you ever get the chance to attend. With that we look forward to the many sports memories that will be made in 2025. Happy New Years everyone