STILLWATER – After having several qualifying events canceled due to weather, like bocce and track, El Reno High School’s team was left with only one sport for the 2025 Special Olympics Summer Games.
The Indians would make the most of the opportunity.
All eight athletes making the trip medaled for El Reno in cornhole, which first debuted in the Special Olympics lineup in 2022.
Better late than never.
El Reno High School’s football program kicked off spring drills last week, nearly two weeks later than normal, due to the extended spring athletic schedule used by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.
“The OSSAA has some rules and we abide by those rules,” said El Reno head coach Russell Cook.
According to the OSSAA manual, football-playing schools cannot conduct spring padded drills until after the last state championship for spring sports has been contested.
Both Calumet and El Reno sent three players each to last week’s Western Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association’s All-Star Games in Weatherford.
See Wednesday’s paper for a recap of the Small and Large School games.
OKLAHOMA CITY – While his quest to win a high medal in the Class 5A Oklahoma State Track and Field Championships fell short, El Reno High School freshman Ethan Brooks made the podium in one of his three events.
Running at Western Heights, Brooks collected five team points after top 10 efforts in the mile and two-mile events.
He also took part in the 800-meter run.
Despite shooting its lowest round of the tourney, eighth-ranked Redlands Community College was unable to pass two Texas programs for a spot in the top 10 at the 2025 NJCAA Women’s Division 1 National Golf Championships.
Playing at Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Garden City, Kan., Redlands took 11th place with a 72-hole total of 1,264 after carding a 311 team score over the final 18 holes.
The Cougars other rounds were 322/314/317.
In what is considered a first-ever for both programs, El Reno and Okarche high schools have had players tabbed by the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association as the best in their respective classes.
Senior Carter Roman Nose was named the OBCA’s Player of the Year for Class 5A, while Okarche junior Jett Mueggenborg earned the same honor for Class A.
There were six POY honors handed out by the association.
“Callen (Haydon) was the Region 1 Player of the Year but I don’t think we have ever had an OBCA Player of the Year,” said El Reno head coach Rodney Haydon.
While organizers are keeping a close eye on Sunday’s weather forecast, the plan for the 13th Annual Mustache Bash at the Denny-Crump Arena is to ride come rain or shine.
“It would have to be some pretty severe stuff for us to postpone it. The parking lot is concrete and the arena is covered so it’s a rain or shine event. As long as there is not a tornado in El Reno, the show will go on,” said organizer Nathan Tull.
The event, which starts at 2 p.m., comes to El Reno for a fourth year and Tull feels the Mustache Bash has found its permanent home.
Redlands Community College is in position to make a run at the top 10 over the final 18 holes at the 2025 NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Golf Championships.
Playing the Buffalo Dunes Golf Course in Kansas, Redlands was sitting in 11th place after 54 holes. The Cougars posted rounds of 322/314/317 for a 953 tally.
That mark puts the eighth-ranked Cougars five shots out of 10th place, which is held by Texas-based Tyler Junior College.
McLennan Junior College out of Texas is ninth - 12 shots ahead of Redlands.
ELGIN – Out of the four regional sites on the west side of the state, El Reno High School’s baseball team played the host school the closest, only to fall in the championship round for a second straight year.
El Reno reached the title series of the Class 5A West Region 4 Championship needing to beat Elgin twice but suffered a 7-0 loss to the Owls to end its season with a 17-12-2 record.
El Reno High School runner Ethan Brooks saved his best individual effort of the season for the most important day of his freshman season to date – the Class 5A West Region 2 Championships.
Brooks earned three state passes to this weekend’s Class 5A Oklahoma State High School Track and Field Championships with one gold and two silver regional finishes in battles with some old foes – Guymon’s Adam Sium and Tesfaye Lire.
