Almost to the finish: 2020-21 prep campaign wraps over three-day swing
May 13—The turn for home is here.
After an unprecedented season of dodging pandemic regulations, with some games falling as casualties to it but not seasons, we reach the final weekend of high school competition this weekend.
It all starts Thursday with the state baseball tournaments.
Oktaha (30-10) takes on Calera (32-5) at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Class 2A tournament. The game is set for Palmer Field at Dolese Park in Oklahoma City. That will be the site of both the quarterfinal and semifinal round.
Oktaha-Calera winner will get Cashion (27-6) or Silo (35-2) at 11 a.m. Friday. That winner will advance to an 11 a.m tilt at Shawnee High School against the survivor from the bottom half of the bracket — Hartshorne (34-6), Dale (26-3), Howe (30-6) or Christian Heritage (27-6).
Oktaha is 23-0 against 2A teams but hasn't faced but one team in the field, that being Dale in an 8-1 win on May 3. The Tigers have won eight consecutive games, dispatching of Porter in their regional final last Friday.
In 4A, District 4A-6 champ Fort Gibson (32-3) takes on Kingfisher (26-11) at 7 p.m. at Shawnee High School. Kingfisher was runner-up to Heritage Hall (25-5) in District 4A-1.
The winner goes to a 2 p.m. game Friday against the survivor between Verdigris (25-9) and Tuttle (35-3). The victor there goes against Heritage Hall, Poteau (27-11), Marlow (29-8) or Berryhill (25-13) at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Fort Gibson has won eight consecutive games and is 2-0 against the field, beating Marlow 6-0 on March 20 and Poteau 7-3 on April 17. Fort Gibson missed getting Verdigris in its own tournament as Oktaha beat Verdigris to reach the finals against the hosts.
On Friday at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center, Muskogee in 6A and Wagoner in 4A begin quests for gold. For Muskogee in regionals, Preston Callahan and Josh Garner were fourth in No. 1 doubles and Carter Hudspeth and Gavin Winn were fourth in No. 2 doubles.
For Wagoner, Austin Carter goes in as a regional runner-up in No. 2 singles, Zac Dailey fourth in No. 1 singles, Braden Drake and Logan Sterling second in No. 1 doubles and Kaden Charboneau and Collin Condict second in No. 2 doubles.
On Saturday, Muskogee track goes for gold at Edmond Santa Fe in five events.
Rakiya Lang, Mya Williams, Alexis Nicholson and Jakayla Swanson were third in the 400-meter relay. The same four in the 800 relay drew an at-large bid after coming in fourth. Lang was automatic in the 100, finishing third and Nicholson and Swanson got at-large entries in the 200, finishing fourth and fifth in regionals. Finally, DeRiayah Lee was an at-large in the 300 hurdles.
On the boys side, Michael Vann, Brandon Buchanan, Rahiem Payne and Kennedy McGee finished third in the 800 relay.
On Saturday, Fort Gibson (14-3) will go for a Class 4A girls soccer championship against Metro Christian (17-0). The game begins at noon at Rogers State University.
The two teams were 1-2 in District 4A-4, with Metro winning 1-0 on April 22.
