Southmoore making positive strides

One year ago, Southmoore’s football team was in disarray.

Star players and leaders had suddenly moved. The result was a winless season.

But Monday morning, the SaberCats looked to be back to normal as practice opened.

Seventeen starters are back and determined to turn things around.

“I think it was a little bit more focused,” senior Donovan Gaines said. “Last year, I think we came out and felt sorry for ourselves. We just didn’t really buy into the program. But this year we’ve got some new coaches, new voices. It was pretty good for the first day.”

Gaines was a bright spot last season, providing stability on both sides of the ball in various positions.

This season, he’s moving to receiver and safety.

“I really don’t think too much of it because I’ve been doing it since I was a kid,” Gaines said. “It’s just go play football. Once you get your assignments down, it’s more of get to the ball. I do like playing at safety more because it gives me more of a motion.”

Southmoore also has more stability at quarterback. Gaines had split time there. But by the end of last season Jayden Scott had taken over. He’s back and improved. And so is Southmoore.

“We’ve got a lot of guys coming back with experience,” Southmoore coach Jeremy Stark said. “There’s not that learning curve we had last year with a bunch of inexperienced guys.”

Pierce hopes to continue McGuinness success

The way Bryan Pierce sees it, why change what’s working.

Pierce, who spent the past 14 years as an assistant and offensive coordinator at Bishop McGuinness, feels ready to take over as head coach this year.

"We are very excited," Pierce said of his staff and team. "We have really started to click."

Justin Jones was hired to take over Norman North in April after seven years with the Fighting Irish, and Pierce was named to the head spot on the same day.

McGuinness has finished as Class 5A state runner up twice as well as two semifinals finishes in the past six years.

Pierce said he doesn’t plan to fix what’s clearly not broken.

“We don’t need to change things here,” he said. “We like what we are doing.”

Fall media day Aug. 15

The Oklahoman’s annual Fall Sports Media Day is set for Wednesday, Aug. 15, at Bishop McGuinness High School.

The event will be held in the lobby of the gymnasium, beginning at 3:30 p.m. and ending at 7:30. The school is located at 801 Northwest 50th Street in Oklahoma City.

Visitors are asked to enter from the Interstate 44 service road off Western Avenue.

Each Oklahoma City-area high school participating in football, fall baseball, volleyball, cross country and fastpitch softball is encouraged to bring athletes to meet The Oklahoman’s high school coverage team for interviews, videos and photos that will be used throughout the upcoming season.

Knox to take over Edmond Memorial program

Legendary girls basketball coach Curt Knox is back.

Knox was named the coach at Edmond Memorial late Monday night, just one week after longtime Bulldogs coach Dandy Peeler resigned.

Knox did not coach last season, but he remains one of the state’s most respected coaches. He spent 23 years coaching at Harrah, winning 519 games and making 14 state tournament appearances as the boys and girls basketball coach. He led the girls team to a state title in 1998.

He coached Bethel’s girls basketball team during the 2016-17 season, going 11-15 before taking last season off.

Last season, Edmond Memorial was 20-8. It made the Class 6A state tournament. The Bulldogs are part of the Central Oklahoma Athletic Conference, which also features Moore. Knox’s son, Zac, is an assistant with the Lions and the teams meet Jan. 22, 2019.

Edmond North hires Bandy

Edmond North is bringing Gary Bandy back to Oklahoma.

Bandy was named the Huskies’ baseball coach Monday night after spending the past year at Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. He had spent the previous three years as the head coach at now-defunct St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee.

Bandy led St. Gregory’s to a school-record 33 wins.

He replaces Grant Ledbetter, who resigned after the spring to join Southern Nazarene’s coaching staff.