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ANADARKO – Reagan Bugaj’s one-handed 3-pointer at half-court sailed wide left as El Reno High School’s girls basketball team suffered a 51-50 loss to Class 5A’s 12th-ranked Lawton MacArthur in the finals of the 2023 Anadarko Warriors Classic.

El Reno, ranked fifth in Class 5A, was making its second tournament championship game this season but settled for runner-up again with the one-point loss. The Indians are now 7-3 on the year after beating Capitol Hill (64-15) and Chickasha (52-42) to make the finals.

El Reno High School’s wrestling team passed its biggest classification test of the season last week, defeating fourth-ranked Guthrie Bluejays 51-27.

The Indians, who hold the top spot in the same Class 5A poll, earned their first win of the year against a team on the same classification and fourth against a top 15 squad in five tries.

Guthrie led only once with a 5-0 win over EHS’ Terry Guzman (106) before El Reno got a forfeit win at 113 pounds from Foxx Kurtz.

Kylar Kurtz (120) followed with a 1:06 fall over Allyn Orndoff.

For the fifth time in six years, Calumet High School’s boys basketball team returned from the Alex Longhorn Classic with the championship trophy after defeating Class A’s 15th-ranked Cyril 58-48.

Calumet, ranked seventh in Class B, improved to 14-1 on the year with its 12th straight win. The Chieftains defeated Riverside Indian School’s junior varsity (90-28) and Mountain View-Gotebo (74-34) to reach the finals.

Over the three-game set, Calumet scored 222 points, 74 per game, while allowing 110 total or 36.6 per outing.

The Three Rivers Conference Championship will remain in the hands of the Okarche High School’s girls basketball team for a fourth straight year following a 61-54 win over Oklahoma Bible Academy.

Okarche, on a four-game win streak, beat Crescent (67-29) and Cashion (54-29) to reach the title game. The Class A’s ninth-ranked Warriors are 11-4 on the season.

For the three games, Okarche had 182 points on offense, 60.6 per game, and allowed 112 points or 37 per outing.

El Reno police arrested a 22-year-old Kansas man on several complaints including firing a gun and assault with a dangerous weapon on Jan. 1, reports said.

Assistant Police Chief Maj. Kirk Dickerson said police were called to the area of Choctaw and Elm just before 2 p.m. after receiving reports that a man in a vehicle was firing a gun.

Police said callers reported the man was firing from a maroon four-door sedan and left the scene headed north on Rock Island.

As 2022 entered its final quarter, changes continued. More honors were bestowed on those who served the community and plans were announced to honor more, especially those who “gave all.” New leaders were chosen and events continued to keep area people moving about.

September

Having served as both an educator and coach for more than five decades at El Reno Public Schools, very few things could catch Ken Posey off guard.

Two new Canadian County elected leaders ushered in 2023 with new four-year terms.

An official swearing-in ceremony for county elected officials was held Jan. 3 inside Courtroom 1 at the Canadian County Judicial Building.

District Judge Paul Hesse administered the oath of office to new District 1 Commissioner Tom Manske of Yukon and District 3 Commissioner Tracey Rider of El Reno.

After helping lead a Canadian County nonprofit ministry through a period of strong growth, Joanne Riley believes she’s right where she belongs.

Having stepped down in late November after 5 1/2 years with Compassionate Hands, Riley is the new executive director at the Child Abuse Response Team House in El Reno.

“Helping children through trauma has been very, very close to my heart,” Riley said.

“I knew that child advocacy centers existed, but I never got to watch it work until I came here. I am just amazed.”