Sports

Late-season momentum is key to any program heading into the 2022 playoffs and there is no argument that El Reno High School’s football team is peaking at the right time.

El Reno’s 21-point win over Altus was the fourth in a row for the Indians and fifth in the last six games after an 0-4 start to the season.

“It was important to get this win (Altus) because we were not expected to win any games or very few at the start of the season and here we are on a four-game win streak,” said quarterback Elijah Fisher.

Yet it’s playoff time and records all reset to zero.

ALTUS – Applying lessons learned from two previous encounters with the flexbone offense, El Reno High School’s Blue Crush defense chained up the rushing attack of the Altus Bulldogs.

The defense recovered two fumbles in the second half and got an interception from senior Evan Roman Nose to help secure a 28-7 win over Altus in the final week of the regular season.

UNION CITY – Staunch defense by Calumet High School’s girls basketball team kept the Chieftains undefeated on the season following a 49-33 win over cross-county rival Union City.

The Chieftains moved to 2-0 on the year with the 16-point win, which was cut to as low as 10 points three times in the fourth period, but the Tigers could not trim the deficit into single digits.

UNION CITY – An 8-0 run to close the first period helped Calumet High School’s boys basketball team shake off an upset-minded Union City squad last week 77-55 in the rivalry between the two Canadian County programs.

The Chieftains moved to 2-0 on the season with the 22-point win after outscoring Union City 23-13 in the first period. Calumet’s lead was extended through the middle periods behind a 41-25 edge.

Union City, down 64-38 after three frames, went on a 17-13 run in the fourth period to cut into the final deficit. The Tigers fell to 1-1 on the season with the loss.

Overcoming two scoring droughts in the first half, Redlands Community Collegevs women's basketball team rallied from a 24-point deficit to open the 2022-23 season with a 68-62 win over Frank Phillips College.

“In the first half we had 15 turnovers and in the second half we had five. Then in the first half we shot zero for 10 in three-pointers but in the second half we were seven out of 11.

“Those were the two biggest keys to the turnaround for sure,” said Redlands head coach Jay Niehues.

After dropping its season opener in Kansas to Cowley County, Redlands Community College men’s basketball team earned its first win of the 2022-23 season at home.

The Cougars shot 43 percent from the field en route to a 84-79 victory over Nationwide Prep Academy based in Oklahoma City.

Added in Redlands 29-of-68 shooting effort was a 14-of-34 (41 percent) showing from the 3-point arc.

Redlands posted 12 points from the free-throw line off 80 percent shooting.

Redlands Community College’s cross country teams overcame the weather elements of the Quachita National Forest to turn in a pair of top three finishes at the 2022 NJCAA Region 2 Championships.

“It was chilly and pouring down rain, but that didn’t keep our runners from pouring out their hearts for this race. They all laid it on the line, some running through injuries.

“As their coach, I couldn’t be more proud of what they accomplished. The men finished second place as a team and the women finished third.

El Reno High School’s ground game is nearing the 2,000-yard mark for the fourth time in five years.

El Reno High School post player Pauline Black-Harmon pulls down a rebound over a Mustang player during a joint scrimmage, practice session with the Broncos last week at Jenks Simmons Field House.

Both Calumet and Union City high schools kicked off their 2022-23 girls basketball campaigns with their athletic directors on the bench as head coaches and each earning victories.

The Chieftains, under Sam Belcher, shot 69 percent from the free-throw line to highlight a 31-16 win over Binger-Oney. Calumet was 8-of-13 from the charity stripe to go along with five 2-point baskets and four 3-pointers.