Southmoore’s Smith shines

Diagnosed with scoliosis in the fourth grade, Southmoore golfer Madison Smith hasn’t let her condition slow her down and the senior is in striking distance entering the final day of the Class 6A state tournament.

YUKON — Southwest Covenant baseball coach Jeff Deckard likes to tell people his team will play anywhere or anytime.

A cow pasture? Sure, make it happen.

A random field? Why not.

“It makes no difference,” Deckard said.

Southwest Covenant, a small school located in Yukon, has no home field.

It practices on a quarter-century old church softball field on campus.

The school rents Dolese Park for home games.

But that has only made the program stronger in just the third year of existence.

Southwest Covenant opens the Class B state tournament at 6:30 p.m. Thursday against defending champion and top-ranked Leedey on Edmond Memorial’s baseball field.

It’s the first state tournament appearance in program history.

The team is 20-11 overall, but undefeated in the postseason.

Led by multi-sport star Sam Webb, Southwest Covenant making the tournament is the culmination of a fiveyear plan Deckard created when hired.

"It's been a process for sure," Webb said. "Just to see the development of the program with guys who have never played baseball before, it's been something that has been difficult but it's brought us together as a team and as a school.

"Our goal has always been to win state. To have that opportunity to eventually get there is pretty neat. We've talked about the vision and having the right people in place."

A former coach in Texas who had starred at Yukon High School during his playing days, Deckard returned to Yukon 20 years ago looking to coach only his children’s teams.

But Southwest Covenant headmaster Steve Lessman approached Deckard with the idea of starting the program. Southwest Covenant had been allowing players to co-op with nearby Union City.

But the school wanted its own team. Deckard hesitated. But then he realized he could build something special.

He started with just a junior high team as high school players remained at Union City.

Three years ago, a varsity team was formed.

Webb and his classmates returned after playing their freshman year with Union City.

Parents worked on the softball field, creating baselines and a mound. A backstop was put up. They built mounds in foul territory for extra work.

Southwest Covenant has improved ever since, no matter where it plays.

“It’s been a remarkable ride,” Deckard said. “Our field is no cow pasture, but it’s not immaculate. Our kids never complain.”