Mustang introduces new football coach
Lee Blankenship was introduced as Mustang’s new football coach on Tuesday.
Lee Blankenship was flattered, but unwilling to consider a move.
He felt he had started something special in his first year at Bartlesville, and the prospect of moving his young family again was too much.
So, he turned down an interview with Mustang athletic director Robert Foreman last month. But Foreman never quite let Blankenship go.
As interviews completed last week, Foreman tried Blankenship one more time. Tuesday, Foreman introduced the 32-year-old Blankenship as Mustang’s new football coach.
It was the result of a near monthlong courtship Foreman hopes will put the West’s largest school and state’s fourth largest on a path to competing with the East powers.
“The schools in the east, they’ve been cultivated, they’re established,” Blankenship said. “A school like Mustang, a one-high school town that is just exploding with growth, the facilities are phenomenal ... for me it’s a great opportunity to come in here and build something really special here.
“For it to be a one-high school town is really special over here. I think it gives us a great shot to be competitive with some of those guys in the east.”
Mustang went 4-6 last season and missed the playoffs for a second straight season.
But Blankenship has missed the playoffs just once — last season at Bartlesville. At Gore and Beggs, the playoffs were expected. It’ll be that way in Mustang.
District 2A-3 coaches honor Toliver
District 2A-3 coaches gave one more honor to Beggs running back Kayson Toliver, who was shot and killed more than a month ago.
Toliver was named the Impact Player of the Year.
At the time of his death, he was the team’s leading rusher.
Beggs won the district championship a night later against Sperry and made the Class 2A state championship game, losing last week to Sperry.
Beggs coach David Tenison was also named Coach of the Year. Beggs' double-amputee Joe Martel III received the Inspirational Athlete Award.
Sperry quarterback Beau Teel was named the district MVP.
Edmond Santa Fe’s Love commits to Navy
Edmond Santa Fe star defensive back Kamron Love has found a college home again.
Love committed to Navy on Tuesday, weeks after he announced he was no longer committed to Charlotte.
A 6-foot, 150-pound senior and son of former Oklahoma State and John Marshall receiver Sean Love, Kamron is No. 28 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 rankings.
Mustang’s Wardlaw commits to Missouri State
Mustang defensive tackle Justin Wardlaw’s breakout season has led him to Missouri State.
Wardlaw committed to Missouri State on Saturday, choosing the Bears over Army and multiple Division II scholarship offers.
A 6-foot-2, 275-pound senior, Wardlaw had 65 tackles — 13 for a loss — four sacks and two interceptions last season.
Tonkawa's Hampton wins poll
Tonkawa quarterback
Braydon Hampton won The Oklahoman's Fans' Choice Player of the Week poll after leading the Buccaneers to a state title in Class A.
Hampton earned 1,147 votes out of 2,110 total votes. Here are the full results of this week's fan poll:
Braydon Hampton, QB, Tonkawa: 1,147 votes (54.36 percent)
Beau Teel, QB, Sperry: 788 votes (37.35 percent)
Gatlin Goodson, QB, Shattuck: 175 votes (8.29 percent)