Sports

Union City High School’s girls basketball team slipped to the .500 mark in conference play, closing out the 2023 portion of its schedule with a 41-31 loss to Thomas/Fay-Custer.

The 10-point setback to the league’s newcomer left the Tigers with an 8-5 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the Washita Valley Conference standings.

The setback came on the heels of a 51-20 homecoming win over Mulhall-Orlando in non-conference action.

Calumet’s Hunter Arnold was honored recently for reaching the 1,000-point mark for career scoring.

Just a few games after teammate Hunter Arnold surpassed 1,000 career points, Calumet senior Dalton Belcher reached the milestone in the Chieftains win over Thomas/Fay-Custer in Washita Valley Conference action.

Jett Mueggenborg popped off a season-high 31 points as Okarche High School’s boys basketball team posted its best offensive night of the season to close out 2023.

The Warriors, ranked fifth in Class A, moved to 6-2 on the season with a 97-32 win over Watonga. It was Okarche’s highest point total of the season but the fifth game with more than 70 points and the second over 90 points.

The 65-point winning margin was the widest of the season, surpassing the 57-point decision (74-17) over Coyle and the 52-point win over Lomega (95-43).

Southwest

Pauline Black-Harmon continued her quest to become El Reno High School’s all-time leading female rebounder with her third double-double of the season in the Indians road game against Elgin.

The senior’s 18 points and 12 rebounds, both team highs, led El Reno to a 63-40 win over the Owls as the Indians head into the holiday break undefeated for the first time under head coach Jennifer Douglas.

With playoff seedings in the upper divisions resting solely on the outcome of league games, winning each night in District 5A-1 has become a critical factor - especially on the road.

“District road wins are tough,” said El Reno head coach Rodney Haydon.

El Reno seems to have winning away from Jenks Simmons Field House down to a science as the Indians picked up a 66-45 victory over Elgin. The 21-point decision moved EHS to 5-0 in road games this season, two of those in district play.

Calumet High School’s basketball teams split homecoming games with Corn Bible Academy last week.

See Saturday’s edition for county action wrap-up.

Riding a dominating first-period scoring blitz, El Reno High School’s girls basketball team took over sole possession of first place in the District 5A-1 standings with a 54-24 win over Crossings Christian School.

El Reno moved to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the 5A-1 standings and sit a half game ahead of Elgin, which the Indians were slated to visit Friday, for the lead.

“We have not been starting off games like we should and our first and third periods have been our worst. We’ve talked about the need to start games stronger and not gamble on things later on.

El Reno High School’s boys basketball team had an early-season upset bid derailed by a fourth-period shooting slump as Crossings Christian School escaped Jenks Simmons Field House with a 55-46 win.

The Knights, considered a top five team in Class 5A, had beaten their first three opponents by double digits, including a 14-point win over Carl Albert. The win over El Reno lifted Crossings Christian to 4-0 in the District 5A-1 standings and top of the league.