El Reno High School’s boys basketball team kicked off preseason work recently with a home scrimmage against Minco and Cashion.

The UC girls dropped to 1-1 on the season with a 50-21 loss to Calumet in a game which was called late in the fourth period due to a power outage. The Tigers also dropped to 1-1 on the season with an 81-38 setback to the Chieftains. Union City was slated to return to action Friday at Lookeba-Sickles in Washita Valley Conference play.

One week into the 2020-21 season, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced a Canadian County school to cancel basketball games.

Less than an hour before the scheduled tipoff of the girls game with cross-county rival Okarche, Calumet High School officials canceled the contest and the subsequent boys outing due to concerns over the virus.

“We had two girls on our team show signs and we were trying to do what was best to keep everyone safe,” said Calumet girls coach Kyle Axton.

Okarche was already at Calumet’s gym when the games were called off.

Nicholas (Nick) Thomas Annuschat, 59, of Okarche passed away Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City.

Nick was the seventh child of Arthur Frank and Ruth Janet (Brueggen) Annuschat and was born Dec. 21, 1960. Nick grew up on the family farm northeast of Okarche where he lived and worked until his death. Nick graduated from Okarche High School in 1979 and went on to earn his associates degree in Animal Science at El Reno Junior College.