Sports

OKLAHOMA CITY - While the rematch was closer than one might have expected, El Reno High School’s girls basketball team swept the season series from Bishop McGuinness behind a clutch third-period run.

El Reno, the No.2 seed on the West, improved to 17-4 on the season with a 58-48 non-conference win over the Irish. It was the Indians sixth win out of the past seven games.

The two schools could meet for a third time as Bishop McGuinness, the West’s 10th seed, will play in the upcoming Class 5A, Region 4 Championships at El Reno if both teams advance to the finals.

OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second time this season, El Reno High School’s boys basketball team needed extra time to settle the outcome of a top 10 matchup with Bishop McGuinness.

And for a second time it was the home team that emerged with a loss.

El Reno went into McCarthy Gymnasium and outscored the Irish 12-7 in overtime for a 69-64 victory.

The win avenged an earlier double overtime home loss to McGuinness - the East’s third seed for the upcoming playoffs.

Getting balanced scoring from 11 different players, Darlington School’s boys basketball team extended its run of titles at the recent 2022 Oklahoma Rural Elementary Schools State Championships.

Competing out of Division III, the Chiefs defeated Hodgen 47-29 in the quarterfinals and then won 55-27 over Peggs in the semifinals.

Darlington defeated Oak Grove 42-18 in the championship game for a sixth straight state championship.

The Chiefs won the Division III title in 2016 and again a year later, before taking the Division II championship in 2018 and again in 2019.

Despite making it a two-possession game twice in the third period, Redlands Community College women’s basketball team could not overcome a disastrous opening period against Murray State College.

Redlands gave up the game’s first 11 points and did not score on back-to-back possessions the entire first period en route to a 70-58 setback to the Aggies.

The loss dropped the Cougars to 5-6 in the NJCAA Region 2 standings and into sixth place. Redlands is 11-8 on the year.

Nine Redlands Community College players chipped in points for a sweet Valentine’s Day treat for head coach Jose Molina as the Cougars defeated Murray State College 72-56.

The win was the second in a row for the Cougars, who improved to 6-6 in the NJCAA Region 2 standings and into sixth place. Molina’s team is now 14-12 on the year.

“This is the best team I’ve had here in five years as head coach of the program,” said Molina.

Redlands shot 51 percent from the floor (30-of-59) despite making just 4-of-18 shots from the 3-point line for 22 percent.

El Reno High School’s girls basketball team was doubled up in the scoring department through the middle periods of a key showdown with Carl Albert for the outright lead in the Suburban Conference title chase.

The Titans outscored El Reno by a combined 37-16 margin in the second and third periods en route to a 62-54 win over El Reno. Carl Albert (18-2), the West’s top-ranked team, moved to 5-0 in the league standings.

In a possible preview of the upcoming regional playoff championships, El Reno High School’s boys basketball team outscored second-ranked Carl Albert 5-0 in the final 1:33 to upset the Titans 49-47.

The win was the eighth of the season for El Reno over a ranked team and the second against a school in the top three of its respective polls. The Indians, ranked seventh on the West side, improved to 11-9 on the year and 6-2 in the Suburban Conference title chase – second behind Del City.

El Reno High School’s girls powerlifting team placed three out of the 10 lifters participating in the recent Catoosa Invitational.

Maria Espinoza placed third in her weight class with a total of 645 pounds.

She had a 300-pound deadlift, followed by a 235-pound squat and a 110-pound bench press.

Claudia Garcia was third in her division with a 605-pound total after clearing a 275-pound deadlift, a 230-pound squat and a 100-pound bench. Raley Hartley was third with a team-high 690-pound total, including a 290-pound deadlift, a 280-pound squat and a 120-pound bench.

Post player Lilly Thomas shot 63 percent from the field as Calumet High School’s girls basketball team steamrolled over Marlow Central to win the Class A, Area III District 8 Championship.

The unranked Chieftains improved to 16-10 on the season and will play seventh-ranked Oklahoma Christian Academy in the Region C winners bracket semifinals on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Thomas was 12-of-19 from the floor and added two free throws en route to her line of 26 points, four steals, three rebounds and a blocked shot.

P.K. Harris turned in a double-double effort as Okarche High School’s boys basketball team moved into the regional round of the Class A playoffs with a 73-55 win over Yale.

The Warriors, ranked 17th in the state, moved to 17-7 on the season with the 28-point victory which came in the Area II, District 2 Championship game.

Okarche moves into the semifinals of the Region A winners bracket and will play Wellston Thursday.

Harris was one of three Okarche players in double digits with 27 points to go along with 13 rebounds, two steals and a pair of assists.