May 3, 2019 Issue, Page 13 of 14

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Perez dreams By William B. Carroll long-distance running better Sports Editor and focused solely on the longer events beginning her For Kimberly Perez, her ninth grade year. Two years high school experiences have ago, she decided to also com- made her want to share what pete in cross country and said she has learned and be a she really enjoys both styles coach herself. Her dream is to of events. one day own and operate her “My best friend kind of own dance studio. talked me into joining the Perez, who is a senior at track team in eighth grade,” EIk City High School, said she Perez said. “Now she isn’t started dancing originally as in track anymore and I just ayoung girl in kindergarten found I really liked it a lot while she was living in Cali- so Ihave been doing it since fornia. These days she gets to then.” work on her dance steps as a Perez credited ECHS track cheerleader with the ECHS coach Andy Peffer with her cheerleading squad. improvement as an athlete Recently, Perez was and noted that he has really selected to be part of the helped her to develop her academic all-state group in running. cheerleading. Perez has also Perez said she enjoys run- qualified for the state cross ning as a type of stress relief. country meet this year and She noted that when she ison she said she qualified for the along run it helps to clear her state meet in the 4x800m as a mind. sophomore in track. She said she also enjoyed This year Perez competed her leadership roles this year in cross country, and three as a senior. separate events in track: the “[just like motivating two mile, one mile and the people and pushing them to 800m run. be their best,” Perez said. Elk City High School senior Kim Perez during a recent training session. Perez, who started dancing in kindergarten Perez, who has been in- “This year I spent a lot of said her dream is to own her own dance studio someday. Submitted photo. volved in track and field since time working to encourage has a younger sister and two efforts have been a success, work that she has put in. She low classmate/track athlete the eighth grade, said she the younger runners.” she said one of her younger is the perfect combination of Matthew Stout have had a started out her eighth grade Perez is also shows leader- younger brothers that she year trying the sprinting ship qualities in her own fam- said she wants to be a good brothers has already decided avocal leader, as well as a running competition in high events but found she enjoyed ily. The oldest of four, Perez role model for. So far her to be involved in track and leader by example.” school to see who can win the her other siblings may also Perez is not only a leader school’s art award each year. follow in her footsteps in the out in the field, she is also a She said while it is a friendly near future. leader in the classroom. She competition she definitely Historical Sports Peffer agreed that Perez is is involved in several school- works her hardest to win each an important leader for his squad. based clubs including the Multicultural Club, Spanish year. Perez plans on attending 20 Elkettes Win Fifth Elkettes in 8th after Day “She has been one of the Club and Art Club. the University of Central Straight Regional One of State Golf Tourney toughest people I have ever For Perez arthas been a Oklahoma in the fall with the The Elk City Daily News The Elk City high school been around,” Peffer said. passion for along time. goal of becoming a coach her- May 1969 Writing yet another girl’s golf team shot a 419 on “Kim’s accomplishments in “Tove to draw,” Perez said. self, either in her own dance historic chapter in the rich Wednesday to put them in track are a testament to the She noted that she and fel- studio, or in a school. Elkettes Plan Spring tradition of Elk City tennis, eighth place after day one of Games the Elk City Elkettes rolled the Class 4A State Golf Tour- Elk City’s Elkettes will to their fifth straight regional nament at Lake Hefner. hold their annual Brown and White Spring Game ‘Thursday night with the ac- championship Tuesday af- ternoon at the ECHS Tennis Complex. Haley Gunkel led the Elkettes in the individual scoring with an 87. That puts oKC Thunder: Being tion scheduled to begin at 6 reactionary? In singles, Joni Jordan her in sixth place. Molly o'clock. won both of her matches in Starbuck shot 102. Kalyn Playing on the white squad straight sets. Fuchs shot 110. Lacey Mul- for the high school will be Darenda Robinson also lican shot 120 and Celeste forwards Maxlyn Johnson, won in straight sets, beat- Hutson shot 127. By Jenni Carlson his longtime trainer and the Paul Millsap. On and on. Kay Wayne, Ronda Shelton, ing Rhonda Cunningham of The Oklahoman, Oklahoma team's performance coach ‘They didn't make huge roster Kathy Smith and Jim Lou Anadarko (6-0, 6-0) in the lyear ago City ayear ago. They decided changes, but those guys made Birch with guards Janetta semis and Weatherford’s Lillard’s range needed to be huge strides. Mike Malone, Wright, Teresa Maxwell, Leslie Taylor (6-2, 6-1) in the The Elk City News Sam Presti preached a extended. He hadn't been able the coach, talked earlier this Sandy Plowman, Patti Burch finals. May 2018 measured approach the to shoot deep enough consis- season about how disappoint- and Linda Kenner. The No. 1 doubles team of other day. When the Thun- tently enough against New ment motivated players to The brown squad will be Gina Curtis and Jamie Gal- der general manager had Orleans in last year's playoffs. buy in. They committed to forwards Jeannie Maxwell, loway cruised to a (6-2, 6-1) Track and Field headed to his end-of-the-season press He hadn't been able to extend playing better defense. Run- Cindy Ward, Penny Hestand, state conference, he talked of how the defense and exploit the ning better offense. Making win in the semi-finals over Elk City qualified three helll approach these coming Pelicans' points. That, above better decisions. The result: Tonya Pinkston with guards Amy Moran and Jodie Settle relay teams and a handful of weeks. Conversations with allelse, had to change. the same bunch that missed Vicki Cariker, Reta Long, of Weatherford, then had a individuals for the Class 4A Billy Donovan and Clay Ben- Mission accomplished. the playoffs last year had the Lana Mahl, Karen Martin, tough 3-setter against Amy state track and field champi- nett. Collaboration with the The Nuggets also made second-best record in the Debbie Combs and Kerri Costner and Ceann Martinex onships. analytics experts and number decisions last offseason that West this year. So, how will Rivers. of Beaver in the champion- Jolean Simmerman, Anna crunchers. Then development impacted this season. another first-round exit mo- ship. The Elk City duo won ofa plan for this franchise Denver, remember, missed tivate the Thunder? How will (7-5, 3-6, 6-0). Kerr, Moe Southard and ran on both the girls 4x100, moving forward. "We're not the playoffs a year ago on athird consecutive blowout Four Elk Tracksters Head looking to be fast," Presti said. the final day of the regular bow out impact this group? 4x200 and 4x400 relays. Sim- "We're not looking to be quick. season. It was the Nuggets’ Tasked Dennis Schroder For State Meet Two Elk City individuals Big Elks State Bound merman, Southard and Kerr We're looking to be rigorous. fifth consecutive season miss- during exit interviews. were part of the 4x400 relay "We just don't have the ing the postseason, but worse, will be entering Class B state Justin Smith, Bob liberty to be ... momentary "Iremember before train- track competition Saturday Wechsler and Justin Schrick with help from Mattie Jones. problem solvers." In other it was the second season in a ing camp (last fall), Russell along with the mile relay each hita home run and Southard qualified in the words, the Thunder can't be row they finished ninth. ‘was saying, ‘It can't hap- team following the regional Cade Harris thre a3-hitter high jump; Mattie Jones knee jerk. Not being reaction- The Nuggets didn't make pen no more," the Thunder in Cordell Friday. thorough six innings and re- and Hailey Earle in the pole ary is a good policy. But make abunch of changes to their guard said. "I think now ... Willie Mack qualified in vault. no mistake -- in the coming personnel. They have the everybody's got to get better mained unbeaten on the hill Distance runner Brooklyn weeks and months, the Thun- same coach and essentially individually and then come both the 100 yard dash and as the Elk City High School Howard qualified in both the the same core as a year ago. back here and get to work. the 220 as he finished second baseball team beat Plainview 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter der must react. It must be driven by its crash and burn Nikola Jokic. Jamal Murray. Just getting on the same page in both events behind calfy of 10-1 here Friday afternoon runs. Olivia Jones advanced out of the playoffs. It must Gary Harris. Will Barton. ... that's a big key." Walters. in the regional championship in the 100-meter dash. be motivated by yet another Gary Collins also qualified game at Gibb Stone Park. For the Elk boys, it was first-round exit in which "we as he took second in the 880 similar. Braiden Scott ran got our a-- kicked," Presti 50% yard run behind Western said. While lots of Thunder Heights’ Randall Pennington 10 legs on the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. He also qualified in fans were put off by the way BIG OF who finished with a 2:02.2. Presti talked about how well the long jump. the team played for 70 per- Collins finished with a 2:03.4. Elk City’s mile relay team The Elk City Daily News May 2009 Scott, Tate Crouch, Dylan cent of the season -- no one wants to hear that right now, 1/2 price rent! is made up of Jimmy Ellis, Abla and Caden Rogers qual- even if it's true -- he didn't Alan Mincher, Willie Mack Big Elk Golf Team Quali- ified in the 4x200 relay. Abla, deny the poor performance We are almost full! and Gary Collins. fies for State Williams, Scott and Rogers in the mile relay. The Elk City against the Blazers in the The Elk City high school boy’s golf team took third relay team of Jacob Wilson, playoffs. He owned it. Every- one in the Thunder organiza- The Estates of Weatherford, LP. Spring Golf Tourney Draws 144 Entries at the region tournament in Weatherford on Monday to Jason Olaker, Ben Hender- son and Cole Hull made it to tion needs to do the same. We can see, after all, Senior Community Rain was not enough to qualify for the state tourna- state in the 4x800. what happens when a team 3601 Centurion, Weatherford, OK dampen the spirits of 144 ment. The Elks shot 325 in Caden Rogers and Mat- uses disappointment as a springboard. We need look 913.856.4107 golfers Sunday in the Elk the first round and 314 in the thew Stout qualifed in the City Golf and Country Club second round fora total of pole vault. Tavon Williams no further than the Denver- Spring One-Day Invitational 639. Only the top three teams made it to state in the Portland playoff series. www.wheatlandinvestmentsgroup.com tournament as 15 winners for each region advance to 300-meter intermediate Folks in our neck of the shared one-quarter ofa mil- hurdles. woods know well how these [email protected] State. Blazers were motivated by lion S&H Green Stamps. Big Elk Tyler Russell took spring setbacks. Through- ‘One Bedroom Jack Elder of Elk City won first place in the individual out the series against the Starting at $453 to $560 C flight with an 81 and was scoring with a two-round Elk City boys golf headed Thunder, the Blazers ac- followed by Clarence Redden total of 142. He shot 70 in to state knowledged their recent his- of Cheyenne with and 82. Jim the first round and 72 in the tory. Getting bounced in the Keith of Elk City took third second round. Keegan Hall Freshman Tres Hill shot first-round sweeps in back- with an 84. shot 148 for third place. He a career-low 150 on Mon- to-back years. But here's the Cooper West of Elk City shot 78 in the first round and day and placed second in thing -- their disappointment was leading the C flight pack 70 in the second round. the Class 4A regional golf wasn't just voiced during the Kaleb Hutton shot 85 and tournament at Riverside Golf postseason. It was used in the Two Bedroom at the turn with a remarkable offseason. It directed deci- Starting at $543 to $649 37 but took a 54 on the back 85 for a two round total of Course. sions. It guided plans. nine to place 11th. 25 years ago 170. Cody Lake shot 93 and 91 for atwo round total of 184. Bobby Babcock shot 92 Hill led the way for Elk City, which was somewhat off its game. Senior Conner Take Damian Lillard. You know the 37-foot, buzzer- beating, series-ending dagger $99.00 and 87 for a two round total DeWitt, who dominated the he hit? Of course you do. That The Elk City Daily News of 179. field at Clinton in a tourna- was the product of a year May 1994 ment last week, carded of work. According to the rounds of 81 and 83 for a 164. Washington Post, the Blazers No Application Fees superstar made a plan with