January 2024

Marilyn Estes Clark, 86, of La Canada and Newport Beach, Calif., passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Jan. 5, 2024.

Marilyn was born in El Reno on Dec. 10, 1937, to Eugene Earl Estes and Idamae Florence Russ Estes. Her family lived on a farm in El Reno where Marilyn developed a love for animals and learned the value of hard work.

Her father died suddenly of a heart attack when she was 16 years old, leaving Marilyn, her mother and her younger brother, Jerry to keep the farm running.

Okarche High School December Students of the Month are Kera Avilez and Gabe Vogt.

Okarche High School December Lion and Lioness honorees are Caden Schieber and Jill Glazier.

Cassie Brunkhurst Hardin, born Feb. 5, 1936, died peacefully surrounded by family on Jan. 5, 2024.

She attended El Reno High School, married and raised her family in El Reno for over 30 years.

She was preceded in death by her son, Ray Brunkhurst Jr..

Cassie is survived by her daughters, Linda Presley and husband, Glenn, and Connie Carnott and husband, James, along with several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Per her wishes, Cassie’s body was donated to science.

For just the second time in the past 24 years, El Reno High School has elevated a player to the Oklahoma Coaches Association’s All-State Football Game in back-to-back seasons.

Senior Malachi Nicholson was named to the Large West offense last week after his record-breaking season.

The running back becomes the school’s 47th All-State selection since 1942 and follows in the footsteps of last year’s selections Ryan Sigler and Evan Roman Nose.

In one of its longest-running rivalries, El Reno High School’s girls basketball team capped off a four-game road stretch with a 53-43 win over Carl Albert in its return to District 5A-1 play.

The 10-point decision was the closet margin of victory this season for El Reno, which improved to 16-0. All wins have been by double digits including a 13-point victory in the first league meeting with the Titans.

El Reno High School’s boys basketball team suffered its second double-digit loss of the season, both at the hands of Carl Albert, following a 75-57 road setback to the Titans last week.

The 18-point loss dropped El Reno to 11-5 overall and 0-2 against the Titans this season. Carl Albert defeated the Indians by 17 points in the 2023-24 opener in December.

By sweeping the season series, the Titans improve to 4-3 over El Reno in the past seven meetings dating back to the 2018-2019 season.

CALUMET – In its biggest test of the season, Calumet High School’s boys basketball team used a 19-0 run in the second period to rally past Southwest Covenant School for a 73-53 win.

The victory was the fourth in six days for the Chieftains, ranked No.1 in Class B, following a three-game sweep in the West Central Tournament to defend that title.

Calumet improved to 21-0 on the season with the four victories.

CALUMET – A late run of baskets proved too little too late for Calumet High School’s girls basketball team in a 57-26 loss to Southwest Covenant School in the Chieftains final home game of the regular season.

The loss dropped Calumet to 1-16 on the season and extended its current losing streak to four games after dropping outings in the West Central Tournament. Calumet fell to Class A’s ninth-ranked Canute (63-16) and Corn Bible Academy (52-13).

A two-game offensive explosion has lifted Redlands Community College women’s basketball team into a tie for second place in the NJCAA Region 2 standings.

The Cougars improved to 13-3 on the season and 3-1 in the region standings with wins over Western Oklahoma State College (78-57) and Seminole State College (80-68).

Redlands is now tied with Eastern Oklahoma, one game back of Connors State College for first place in the region.

El Reno native Ashlyn Evans-Thompson led the Cougars in scoring with a line of 52 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and four steals.

Deazhon Perkins scored a squad-high 22 points as Redlands Community College men’s basketball team jumped back into the win column with a 78-74 decision over Seminole State College.

The victory came on the heels of a 103-98 setback to Western Oklahoma State College. The split left the Cougars with a 10-8 overall record and a 2-2 mark in the NJCAA Region 2 standings.

Redlands is sitting alone in fifth place.

Perkins led all Redlands scorers for the two-game set with 57 points after scoring 35 in the loss to WOSC. He had five rebounds, three steals and two assists.