CHA’s Curtis named state player of year
CHA’s Curtis named Gatorade Player of Year
Christian Heritage Academy outside hitter Olivia Curtis was named the state’s volleyball Gatorade Player of the Year on Tuesday.
Curtis, a 5-foot-11 junior, led CHA to a fourth straight state championship with 602 kills, 419 digs, 42½ blocks and 31 service aces. She was also The Oklahoman’s All-City Player of the Year.
Through three seasons, Curtis has a total of 1,301 kills and 1,257 digs.
“Olivia Curtis is a stud,” Lincoln Christian coach Deidra Rader said in a release. “Christian Heritage is a solid program every year, but Olivia is their X-factor. She is effective from every part of the court.”
The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court. Curtis is now a finalist for National Player of the Year Award.
She will also select a national or local youth sports organization to receive a grant as part of Gatorade Play It Forward program.
Locust Grove’s Hennesy taking over Pawhuska
Matt Hennesy is returning to some of his roots while taking on another rebuilding project.
Hennesy was named the new football coach at Pawhuska during Monday’s school board meeting following six seasons at Locust Grove.
It’s a return to where he was a student-teacher and also a shot at turning a program around like he did at Locust Grove.
Pawhuska was winless last season and has just won four games the past three seasons. Since its last playoff victory in 2011, the program is just 14-45. Hennesy will also be the program’s sixth coach in eight years.
But Hennesy has seen this before.
In 2012, he took over Locust Grove, a program that had won twice in three previous seasons. He ultimately went 52-18 and led the team to the Class 3A state semifinals in 2014. He also coached Mason Fine, the state’s alltime leading passer, who is now starting at North Texas.
Fulgencio commits to Wyoming
•Sequoyah Claremore star athlete Miguel Fulgencio announced Tuesday he was committing to Wyoming.
A four-year starter who is also a baseball standout, Fulgencio caught attention this season when he scored six touchdowns and ran for more than 400 yards in a win over Verdigris.
•Owasso running back Bryce Cabrera, a first-team selection on The Oklahoman’s All-State team, announced his commitment to Division II Southwest Baptist University.
1,000-point club
Schools recently honored three local high school girls basketball players for passing 1,000 career points.:
•At Putnam City, senior guard Kelzie Orr passed the 1,000-point mark Friday against Lawton.
•At Harrah, star senior Erika Ankney and move-in Kiara Lovings were both honored. Ankney has signed with Oral Roberts. Lovings moved in from Jones.