Sports

Despite losing to Del City in the Class 5A West Region 2 Championship, El Reno High School’s girls basketball team remains in the hunt for a third straight state championship.

It’s just going to take a longer path to get back to state to defend that title.

El Reno, now 14-10 on the season, will have to battle through the consolation bracket in the area round of the playoffs.

The 43-24 loss to Del City came after El Reno entered into the double-elimination 5A playoff bracket with a 36-14 victory over Duncan in the regional semifinals.

MIDWEST CITY – Gabe Osburn’s last-ditch 3-pointer from half-court hit off the rim as El Reno High School’s boys basketball team had its season come to an end in the semifinals of the Class 5A West Region 3 Championship.

El Reno closes with a 9-16 overall record after the 58-56 loss to Bishop McGuinness. It’s been more than 12 years since the Indians have failed to advance out of the regional round.

“This doesn’t happen to us very often,” said El Reno head coach Rodney Haydon to his players about the first-round loss.

For the first time since 2009, Calumet and Okarche high schools have qualified both boys and girls teams to the Elite Eight brackets in their respective classes for the 2026 Oklahoma Basketball State Championships.

The feat, 17 years in the making, was set up after both boys teams won their area championships, while the girls squads earned state passes through the consolation side.

The Calumet boys claimed the Class B1, Area I title with a 79-39 victory over No.11 Hammon. The Chieftains, ranked second in the state, improved to 26-3 on the year.

El Reno High School’s soccer teams hosted 17 other schools Saturday for the EHS Spring Classic.

The preseason event was spread out over four different fields in Adams Park.

El Reno opens the regular season Tuesday at U.S. Grant.

El Reno High School senior Diesel Baker works the upper body of Claremore’s Kale Shultz during their 138-pound quarterfinal match at the 2026 Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s Wrestling State Championships.

Baker lost the match by a point.

See Saturday’s paper for a state wrap-up.

El Reno High School first baseman Garrett Moss reaches around a Shawnee base runner to try and grab a pickoff throw during the Indians preseason game with the Wolves at the Hub Reed Complex.

The ball got away from Moss, which allowed the runner to take second base.

El Reno was slated to kick off the 2026 spring season Monday against Midwest City.

Following runner-up finishes at Little Axe, Dibble and Bethel meets, El Reno High School’s boys powerlifting team placed six lifters in the top five at the recent Chickasha Invitational.

The effort, a tuneup for the Oklahoma Powerlifting Coaches Association’s regional meet, left El Reno in third place in the large school standings with 111 points.

Edmond North (165) and Ardmore (141) had the top two spots, while El Reno edged Woodward (104) and 19 other schools.

El Reno High School will have three lifters in the Oklahoma Girls Powerlifting Coaches Association’s State Championships, which start Monday in Durant.

Competing in the North Regional, Brailynn Pawnee (105) took third place to punch her state ticket with a total weight of 430 pounds. Her best was a 195-pound deadlift, followed by a 155-pound squat and an 80-pound bench.

Izzy Birdsong was fifth in the same weight class with a 370-pound total. The senior had a 155-pound deadlift, a 135-pound squat and an 80-pound bench.

NOBLE - Critical-moment points and an untimely injury kept El Reno High School’s boys wrestling team from adding to its list of qualifiers for this weekend’s Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association’s Class 5A Wrestling State Championships.

Competing in the 5A West Regional, El Reno collected 85 points to take 10th in the standings.

Three grapplers secured state passes, while three more will serve as alternates.

El Reno High School senior Izzy Birdsong (center) recently signed to play college softball for the Royals of Ecclesia College.

The program plays on the NCAA Division I level and is based in Springdale, Ark.