El Reno High School head coach Chuck Atchison knew the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the number of players coming out for football during the 2020 season.
His suspicions came true when he hosted the 15 other Class 5A coaches from the west side of the state to hammer out the new district alignments for the 2022-23 seasons.
Despite three close ball games, Calumet High School's baseball team managed only one win during season-opening play in the 2021 Arapaho-Butler Invitational.
The Chieftains defeated Sentinel 8-7 but dropped games to Sterling (8-2) and Navajo (7-3).
Calumet posted a 16-of-65 effort from the plate over the three games for a .246 average. The Chieftains logged 16 walks but struck out 19 times.
Calumet High School's softball team posted a 1-5 record in festival events at Elk City and Verden to kick off the 2021 season.
The Chieftains, under new coach Karly Murray, defeated Geary 10-0. The losses were to Alex (14-5), Fort Cobb-Broxton (10-0), Verden (15-3), Fort Supply-Fargo (12-0) and Woodward junior varsity (13-3).
While he admits it doesn’t feel like home just yet, El Reno High School football coach Chuck Atchison was pleased once again to have turf under his feet inside his home stadium.
“It was hot,” said Atchison.
El Reno kicked off preseason drills last week on Memorial Stadium’s newly installed turf field.
“It was great but it probably won’t feel like home until the first game and we run out there under the lights,” said Atchison.
Chenoa White never saw the bat hit the ball but the end product of her first official at bat helped set the tone for El Reno High School’s girls softball team’s season-opening win over Bishop McGuinness.
Hitting in the cleanup spot, White slapped her first pitch over the left field fence in the bottom of the first inning for a two-run homer.
It was part of a five-run frame as El Reno cruised to a 20-1 win over the Irish in the District 5A-2 opener for both teams.
Union City High School’s fast-pitch softball team bounced back from a season-opening loss to defeat Carnegie 10-2 for its first win of the 2021 campaign.
The Tigers, now 1-1, dropped a 20-8 game to Cashion.
Union City had five hits in the win over Carnegie as Oceanna Schranz went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Makinzie DeLong hit a home run, followed by singles from Makenna DeLong and Kylie McCoy.
Emily Griggs pitched six innings for the win with a line of six strikeouts, four hits and two runs.
Having been an upper echelon kicker in high school, college and then professionally, it didn't take A.J. Haglund long to figure out that his oldest son was a chip off the old block.
What took the El Reno native by surprise was the sport in which Brecken is excelling – golf.
“I couldn’t play a lot of golf in high school because of soccer. He (Brecken) started when he was 3 years old. I could tell he had a pretty good swing so we started getting him into tournaments when he was 5 and he’s already had two hole-in-ones since then.
El Reno High School assistant coach and equipment manager Fred Slaughter places a new helmet with the Indians 2021 season logo in a player’s locker Sunday in preparation for the start of preseason drills Monday.
Due to school starting later this week, head coach Chuck Atchison said the Indians would not have two-a-day drills but one longer session starting daily at 3:45 p.m.
El Reno High School’s softball team closed out the preseason last week with home scrimmages against Weatherford and Shawnee.
The Indians were set to open the 2021 season Tuesday at home against Bishop McGuinness.
With four scrimmages and just a three-week preseason window for practices, El Reno High School’s softball team is set to open its 2021 season Tuesday – and the Indians are eager to get started.
“I feel like we are ready. We have all the tools to get the job done and I think the girls feel the same way. They are in the right mindset to begin the season,” said El Reno head coach Kylee Webb.
