Sports

After logging seven goals in the win over Tuttle, El Reno High School’s boys soccer team’s offense has dried up as far as shots finding the net.

El Reno slipped to 1-3 on the season with a 4-0 home loss to the Oklahoma City Storm. All four goals came in the first half as Indians goalkeeper Aldo De La Torre blocked a second-half shutout. The sophomore had more than 10 saves on the night.

El Reno has gone two matches without scoring following a 5-0 setback to Guymon in the District 5A-2 opener for both schools.

Kingfisher scored 13 runs in the first four innings, then held off a late rally by El Reno High School’s baseball team to hand the Indians their first loss of the 2024 spring season, 15-12.

El Reno slipped to 5-1 on the season with the non-district loss to the Yellowjackets.

The setback was part of a three-game home set over a 24-hour period as the Indians defeated Western Heights 17-2 and 25-6. The sweep of the Jets kept El Reno in first place in District 5A-1 standings at 4-0, tied with Carl Albert, Guthrie and Noble.

NORMAN – Three, two, one … GOLD.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, El Reno High School guard Nazhoni Sleeper let out a yell and bounced the ball high off the Lloyd Noble Center court.

The senior guard turned and was immediately swarmed by teammates celebrating El Reno’s 48-41 win over defending champion Sapulpa to win the 2024 Class 5A Oklahoma Girls State High School Basketball Championship.

Pauline Black-Harmon sat at the podium in the post-game press conference at Lloyd Noble Center with her cheek resting on the microphone as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

“It hasn’t hit me yet that that was my last game,” said Black-Harmon.

Her words were spoken through those happy tears which have been decades in the making. The last four years as a starter for El Reno on the state’s biggest stage, the Class 5A state tournament, all under head coach Jennifer Douglas.

NORMAN – A halftime pep talk woke up El Reno High School's defense over the final two periods as the Indians defeated Coweta 47-19 in the semifinals of the Class 5A Girls Oklahoma State High School Basketball Championships.

The 28-point victory, the second of the season over Coweta, moved El Reno to 27-0 on the season and into the championship game for the third time since 2019.

NORMAN – When it needed points to get going and baskets to maintain the lead in its closest game of the season, El Reno High School's girls basketball team went back to what it does best – attacking the paint.

El Reno senior post player Pauline Black-Harmon and junior Lilly Thomas combined for 37 points, 23 of those coming in the second half, as the Indians defeated Del City 54-48 in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Class 5A Girls Oklahoma State High School Basketball Championships.