Sports

Though it’s been more than three months since El Reno High School captured its first-ever state championship in girls basketball, the events of the 2023-24 season still seem fresh in the minds of players and coaches.

“No, it really hasn’t sunk in yet. I think about it all the time that we are state champs and we went undefeated but it still seems so surreal.

“It’s just a testament to everything we preach every day and all the hard work. I’m glad the girls got to experience it,” said El Reno head coach Jennifer Douglas.

Coming off an injury, Andrew Dennis was on a pitch count for the third-place game of the Union City Summer Wooden Bat Tournament.

However, his cap numbers never came into play as the Tigers southpaw carried the host team to an 8-3 win over rival Minco.

“Andrew was going to be limited since coming off a hamstring injury. Yet he worked well each inning and kept his pitch count low. He has a nice three years ahead of him, especially as a pitcher,” said Union City head coach Ludy Griggs.

Dennis threw five complete innings, allowing just two runs.

Spotting Elk City two runs in the first inning, El Reno High School’s summer baseball team’s rally efforts were hampered by untimely strikeouts.

The Indians slipped to 1-2 for the summer after dropping a 4-1 game to the Elks in which El Reno left four base runners stranded – all in scoring position.

Among the 15 outs for El Reno, 10 were by strikeouts and five of those came with runners on the paths.

CALUMET – In its biggest battle of the summer season, Calumet High School’s baseball team remains unbeaten with a sweep of Mustang in Red Dirt League action.

The Chieftains are now 5-0-1 on the summer and 3-0-1 in the RDL standings after beating the Broncos 3-0 in the first game of the doubleheader before taking the nightcap by a 4-3 margin.

In Red Dirt League play, the opening game of any set counts toward league standings.

The sweep of the Broncos was part of a four-game run for the Chieftains that included a pickup series with Okarche.

Though the basketball and baseball portions were played on the eastern side of the state, both El Reno and Calumet high schools were represented in the 2024 Oklahoma Native All-State Games.

Calumet had two players on the rosters as Dalton Belcher played in his second All-Star basketball game and his third elite contest of the summer.

He was on the White team which defeated the Blue squad 97-82.

Belcher was 1-of-3 from the 3-point arc for his only points of the game. He added five rebounds and four assists.

El Reno High School’s volleyball program held a three-day youth camp recently.

There were two sessions each day depending on player skill levels.

After an 18-year hiatus, the Oklahoma Native All-State Football Game was played last week in El Reno.

The halftime show at the 2024 Oklahoma Native All-State Football Game, held at El Reno’s Memorial Stadium, was a demonstration of different styles of Native American dances performed by women and men of all ages.
 

Dion Kaulaity spent his 19th birthday playing the sport he loves in front of his hometown friends and family.

However, the El Reno High School graduate had one birthday wish that he tried hard to make happen but just fell a little short of unwrapping.

“I really wanted to get this win. I was surprised the game was on my birthday and it’s a blessing to be out here. I thought the way we drove down and scored and then stopped them on both of their 2-point conversions that we were going to get the win,” said Kaulaity.

El Reno High School football coach Russell Cook had one simple comment to both the East and West squads following the nail-biting conclusion to the 2024 Oklahoma Native American All-State Football Game.

“After spending nearly a week with those kids, I told them I loved them for who they are and for what they do representing their tribes and communities,” said Cook, who is part Cherokee.