Sports

Overcoming two scoring droughts in the first half, Redlands Community Collegevs women's basketball team rallied from a 24-point deficit to open the 2022-23 season with a 68-62 win over Frank Phillips College.

“In the first half we had 15 turnovers and in the second half we had five. Then in the first half we shot zero for 10 in three-pointers but in the second half we were seven out of 11.

“Those were the two biggest keys to the turnaround for sure,” said Redlands head coach Jay Niehues.

After dropping its season opener in Kansas to Cowley County, Redlands Community College men’s basketball team earned its first win of the 2022-23 season at home.

The Cougars shot 43 percent from the field en route to a 84-79 victory over Nationwide Prep Academy based in Oklahoma City.

Added in Redlands 29-of-68 shooting effort was a 14-of-34 (41 percent) showing from the 3-point arc.

Redlands posted 12 points from the free-throw line off 80 percent shooting.

Redlands Community College’s cross country teams overcame the weather elements of the Quachita National Forest to turn in a pair of top three finishes at the 2022 NJCAA Region 2 Championships.

“It was chilly and pouring down rain, but that didn’t keep our runners from pouring out their hearts for this race. They all laid it on the line, some running through injuries.

“As their coach, I couldn’t be more proud of what they accomplished. The men finished second place as a team and the women finished third.

El Reno High School’s ground game is nearing the 2,000-yard mark for the fourth time in five years.

El Reno High School post player Pauline Black-Harmon pulls down a rebound over a Mustang player during a joint scrimmage, practice session with the Broncos last week at Jenks Simmons Field House.

Both Calumet and Union City high schools kicked off their 2022-23 girls basketball campaigns with their athletic directors on the bench as head coaches and each earning victories.

The Chieftains, under Sam Belcher, shot 69 percent from the free-throw line to highlight a 31-16 win over Binger-Oney. Calumet was 8-of-13 from the charity stripe to go along with five 2-point baskets and four 3-pointers.

Riding a mix of interior and perimeter baskets, Union City High School’s boys basketball team opened up the 2022-23 season with a 55-42 home win over Verden.

Union City scored 17 baskets from 2-point range and tossed in six made 3-pointers en route to the 13-point win. The Tigers struggled at the free-throw line with a 3-of-9 effort (33.3 percent).

Colson Combs logged six 2-point baskets to make up his team-high 12 points. J.D. Riley swished a 3-pointer to highlight his 10 points, while Laven Zeier knocked down two 3-pointers en route to his 10 points.

Momentum is the cornerstone of El Reno High School’s game plan this week.

The Indians make the long journey to the southwest corner of the state to close out the regular season against Altus.

El Reno locked up a playoff berth for a fifth straight season with last week’s 29-7 win over Duncan, which eliminated the Demons from postseason contention.

The win was the third in a row for El Reno and the fourth in the last five games.

Five weeks ago the thought of making the playoffs seemed far-fetched at best after El Reno High School’s football team opened up District 5A-1 play with a 41-point loss.

Not any more.

El Reno got two rushing touchdowns from quarterback Elijah Fisher and one each from running backs Malachi Nicholson and Latin Everheart as the Indians battled through a steady rain to defeat the Duncan Demons 29-7.

The win was the fourth in the past five games for El Reno and secured the Indians a spot in the Class 5A playoffs for a fifth straight year.

El Reno High School’s softball team was competitive in each of its 14 league games during the 2022 season and it left a lasting impression on member coaches.

Nine El Reno players were named to the 2022 All-District 5A-2 team selected last week, one of those being elevated to a superlative award. Senior Kira Taber was named the Co-Defensive Player of the Year.

Taber was joined by first team selections Micah Woods (first base), Chenoa White (third base) and Iliana Ashford at shortstop.