Kiowa completes undefeated season to win first ever title
Kiowa coach Keith Quaid couldn’t stop himself.
“We will be putting up a No. 1,” Quaid said as he lined up beside his team for a picture. “That’s legit.”
He waited a second and continued as cheers erupted.
“I like gold rings. Does anybody else like gold rings?”
The small community southwest of McAlester could finally celebrate a state championship Friday night. It’s likely the party will continue for a long time, too.
No. 1 Kiowa rallied to beat No. 2 Varnum 4-1 in the Class B state championship game at The Ball Fields at Firelake to complete an undefeated season and win the school’s first state championship in any OSSAA event.
“It means history,” junior catcher Karlie McCormick said. “Just more and more history. It’s the best feeling ever. We’ve had our eye on it for a few years now.”
Tied at 1 in the sixth, McCormick singled in the go-ahead run and then scored on Cadence Howard’s triple. Chloe Crawley followed with another triple.
That was enough for the young squad that did not have a senior and went 35-0.
“It’s going to be just unreal for a long time,” Quaid said.
Amber-Pocasset brings home first softball title
The hat had a green bill with a white front and a brown back. The words “Lady Panthers State Champions” were embroidered on the front.
Amber-Pocasset’s parents planned ahead.
The second-ranked Panthers each donned their new hat and gold medals for a picture following a 5-1 win over No. 5 Ripley for the school’s first softball title.
“We’re just really happy to be here,” sophomore pitcher Bailey Kite said as she wiped tears from her eyes. “We’ve never been this far before. We just made school history.”
Amber-Pocasset’s last state championship came 33 years ago in girls basketball.
Kite threw seven strong innings, allowing a run on three hits and three walks. It was her go-ahead single in the Panthers’ three-run sixth that led the way to the title.
Sequoyah Tahlequah routs Washington
Squeaking out a one-run win in nine innings during the Class 3A state semifinals only gave more power to Sequoyah Tahlequah’s offense.
Sequoyah Tahlequah collected 12 hits and scored in all but one inning during a six-inning 11-1 victory over Washington to win the state championship for the first time ever in fast-pitch.
The program’s lone softball title came in the 2012 slowpitch season.
Sequoyah Tahlequah scored four runs in the first on five hits and scored twice in the next two innings. Amia Galcatcher eventually ended the game in the sixth with a two-run triple. She also doubled in two earlier.
Washington’s lone run came on a solo home run by Brooke Logan.