Sports

UNION CITY – Camden Patterson’s first-ever win as a head coach will have to wait until another night as his Union City High School’s boys basketball team was held without a 3-pointer in a 59-29 season-opening loss to Verden.

The Tigers made 11 2-point baskets in the loss and went 7-of-13 from the charity stripe for 54 percent. Union City did not lead in the game, trailing 14-5 after one frame and 26-13 at the break.

Verden took a 43-21 advantage into the third period before outscoring the Tigers 16-8 over the final eight minutes to secure the 30-point blowout.

Due to early deadlines for Veterans Day, coverage of the Indians week 10 game with Western Heights will appear in Saturday's edition.

Redlands Community College had two runners qualify to compete in the NJCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships.

Freshmen Joseph Thompson of Anadarko and Oklahoma City’s Andres Iniguez secured their spots at the national meet with solid performances at last month’s regional qualifier. Both athletes met the national qualifying standard at 33 minutes, with Thompson running the 8-kilometer course (4.97-mile) with a time of 31:23, while Iniguez finished in 32:39.

EDMOND – One might expect a freshman with the fastest qualifying mark to get a case of the jitters when it came time to challenge all his chief rivals face to face for the first time.

Not to mention it was on the biggest stage of his young career – the OSSAA Class 5A State Cross Country Championships.

Yet El Reno High School’s Ethan Brooks met that challenge with a smile on his face and pushed those rivals stride for stride in a fast-paced 5-kilometer shootout.

Shooting a solid 37 percent from the 3-point arc, Redlands Community College women’s basketball team moved to 2-0 on the season with a lopsided 105-66 victory over the junior varsity team from Mid American Christian University.

The Cougars were 13-of-35 from the perimeter, led by Taryn Crawford with a 4-of-7 (57 percent) and Anni Heikkila at 3-of-5 (60 percent).

Mykyla Allen, Ellie Willard, Katelyn Harviston, Alaysia Burrough, Karlee Harviston and Alaura Pruitt added one 3-pointer each.

Logging its second highest single half scoring total of the young season, Redlands Community College men’s basketball team flew away from the Thunderducks of Dallas College Richland, 80-63.

The Cougars moved to 2-0 on the season despite hitting only 5-of-24 shots (21 percent) from the 3-point arc.

Redlands was 22-of-35 (63 percent) from inside the arc and closed the game shooting 46 percent overall.

At halftime of his 45th birthday, El Reno High School head football coach Russell Cook looked well on his way to opening up a gift in the form of a playoff berth.

Cook’s Indians had the momentum and a three-point lead after a late second-quarter field goal and would open the third period with the ball.

Unfortunately, that gift will have to stay on his wish list for another year.

For the second time in three weeks, El Reno squandered a halftime lead with no second-half points en route to a 20-10 loss to Noble. The setback dropped the Indians to 3-6 on the season.

See Saturday’s edition for a complete state wrapup.

Surviving five ties in the first half, Redlands Community College women’s basketball team outscored Lamar College 34-27 over the final two periods to polish off a 61-51 season-opening victory.

Redlands led 27-24 at the break, but outscored the Colorado visitors 25-12 in the third period to pull away.

The Cougars closed the game shooting 29 percent (19-of-65) from the field which included a 5-of-32 effort (16 percent) from the 3-point arc.

The Cougars were 18-of-23 (78 percent) from the free-throw line.