January 2026

In just his second game back from emergency appendectomy surgery, Bradley Island scored a season-high 19 points in a losing effort as El Reno High School’s boys basketball team dropped a 64-51 road game at Midwest City.

The 13-point loss gave the league-leading Bombers the sweep of El Reno in District 5A-2 play. Midwest City beat the Indians by 25 points inside Jenks Simmons Field House.

El Reno, winner of three straight going into the 2026 opener, slipped to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the league. The Indians are tied for fourth with Lawton in the 5A-2 win column at 2-4.

Our beloved matriarch Geraldine Frances Niehues passed away peacefully on December 29, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. Our “G,” known as “Jerry” to her friends, was born in June 1943 while her father was serving in WWII. She was the only daughter of Maxine and Lawrence Brockhaus. Lawrence was stationed in Alaska during that time, and therefore Jerry was 2 years old before she met her father at his military homecoming. 

The first tournament outing of the new year had two El Reno High School wrestlers fall a win shy of placing at the 2026 SuperGirl 64 in Tulsa.

Seeley Chronister (135) won her final four matches en route to a 4-2 mark. The run included an 11-0 shutout of Adyson Nida of Perry and a 1:38 fall over Kyra Duncan of Rogers, Ark.

Her other wins were by a combined 12 points including an 8-0 shutout of Piedmont’s Natalie Lindo.

Bentley Sharp (235) was the other near-placer after posting a 4-3 mark that included two falls - the fastest being a 1:15 pin of Catoosa’s Rylan Elerick.

OKARCHE – Down by a point and the momentum favoring Tonkawa, Okarche High School’s boys basketball team showed the visiting Buccaneers how a top-ranked team responds.

They flipped the on switch.

Okarche went from a 7-6 deficit early in the first period to a 22-9 lead in a matter of two minutes en route to a 99-46 victory over Tonkawa to snap a three-game losing streak.

The Warriors move to 11-3 on the season.

OKARCHE – Converting six second-period turnovers from its pressure defense into 11 points, Okarche High School’s girls basketball team pulled away from a pesky Tonkawa squad en route to a 55-30 victory.

Okarche, ranked No.5 in Class A, moves to 9-2 on the season with its sixth straight victory.

The Warriors led 18-11 after one period but used three of those turnovers to spark a 9-2 break to open the second period. Logan White, Katie Parham and Callie Cramer scored from the paint before Emory West’s 3-pointer (4:22) made it a 27-13 game.

Kenneth Lee Boevers died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. Kenneth was born May 23, 1934, in Banner, Oklahoma, at the home of his parents, Cloyce Boevers and Blanche (Heitzman) Boevers. 

Kenneth’s early childhood was that of a farm boy who would learn how to care for the animals and would know about growing and harvesting wheat and hay. He would learn to appreciate the value of hard work but would also learn that it was important to take time for a visit with family and friends. 

Nine players scored at least three points to spark Redlands Community College women’s basketball team to a 70-51 road win over Connors State College to open NJCAA Region 2 action.

The Cougars move to 14-1 on the season with the 19-point victory and pushed its current win streak to 14 straight games.

Redlands shot 22-of-58 (38 percent) from the floor including five 3-pointers off a 28 percent effort from behind the arc.

The Cougars were 21-of-32 (66 percent) from the free-throw line.

Redlands Community College men’s basketball team kicked off NJCAA Region 2 action on the wrong foot last week, suffering a 106-81 road setback to Connors State College.

The 25-point loss, the worst of the season for RCC, extended its current losing streak to three games.

The Cougars are now 6-9 on the season.

Redlands shot 45 percent from the field (28-of-62) but made only six 3-point baskets off 29 percent shooting. The team was 19-of-29 (66 percent) from the free-throw line.

Mass of Christian Burial for Janet Gail Hornberger will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 17 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Rev. Lance Warren officiating. Services are under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home. 

Jan was born Jan. 21, 1956, in Orange County, Calif. She died at her home in El Reno on Dec. 30, 2025.

Jan graduated high school in California before moving to Oklahoma where her family was originally from. She attended El Reno Junior College (Redlands Community College) and worked at Ross Seed and other businesses in El Reno. 

Wake for Wilma Ruth Jackson will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9 at Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 10 at the Geary Emergency Response Center with burial following at the Greenfield Indian Cemetery.