August 2024
Cook feels Indians have the talent to extend run
While he expects outsiders to cast clouds of doubt over his El Reno High School football team as far as being a playoff contender, head coach Russell Cook knows his team has the ability to prove those naysayers wrong.
El Reno kicks off the 2024 season Thursday night at home in the annual U.S. Battle with Chickasha. The Indians begin their third season under Cook’s watch looking to extend their string of playoff appearances.
Behind every good line
It may not be as dramatic as Lt. Col. William Travis drawing a line in the sand at the Alamo, but El Reno High School head coach Russell Cook feels strongly that winning or losing rests with his young men on the line.
El Reno’s offense is coming off a record-breaking 2023 season in which a veteran group of linemen blocked for Malachi Nicholson’s school records for the most yards in a single game, season and career.
Blue Crush ‘D’ looks to stop the ball early
Much like the offense, El Reno High School head coach Russell Cook says the success of the Indians Blue Crush defense in 2024 will rest with the efforts of the players in the trenches.
Keeping those linemen healthy will be the hurdle since many will be two-way starters.
“We’ve got a lot of guys back from last year but many of them are the same ones that are on offense. They are going to have to go both ways, so we’re going to have to have some young kids step up and give them breaks.
Nila Michalicka
Services for Nila P. Michalicka will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 at St. Joseph Church in Union City with Rev. Lance Warren and Deacon Lloyd Menz officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.
Nila was born June 19, 1936, in Comanche to Burl R. and Mattie C. (Ledford) Riddles. She graduated from Comanche High School. In 1959, she married Cyrill Michalicka and raised four sons, while residing on a farm in Union City where she raised various breeds of birds and bottle-fed many baby calves.
Report says Lucas seeks “forever” resolution on Fort Reno
A national online news organization is reporting Congressman Frank Lucas is pushing legislation that would forever keep Fort Reno in the possession of the federal government.
The Hill published a story recently that said “the decades-long battle over nearly 9,500 acres in Oklahoma is coming to a head in Washington, D.C.”
Opening night of the fair
The 70th Annual Canadian County Free Fair had a large crowd on hand for opening night.
The Farmhand Olympics drew hundreds of students competing in fun games such as egg and water carrying, sack races, calf roping and wheelbarrow course.
The fair, which runs through Saturday, was the perfect place for a mix of food and fun on the midway.
District 2 voters to pick new commissioner
For the first time in 16 years, voters in Canadian County’s District 2 will be represented by a county commissioner other than Mustang’s Dave Anderson.
It will be District 2 voters casting ballots in the Tuesday, Aug. 27 Republican primary runoff election who will decide who that person will be.
The choice is between two Canadian County employees, Union City’s Lacey Dawson and Mustang’s Josh Davis, who were the top two vote-getters among three candidates in the June 18 GOP primary.
