May 10, 2019 Issue, Page 14 of 14

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By William B. Carroll Sports Editor Four members of the Elk City boys tennis team quali- fied Monday for the Class 4A state tournament to begin today at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center. In boys number two sin- gles, freshman Grant Graham placed third in his division and earned a spot in the state tournament. Only the top four competitors in each division earn a spot to the state tour- nament. In boys number one doubles, the team of freshmen Carter and Evan Senger took second. The Senger broth- ers lost out to a strong Pauls softh ? Valley team consisting of two Members of the Elk at the today Oklahoma qualified whosenior team are tennisCenter CityCityboys Tennis forthestatemeettobegin Will Thompson (number2 Cay hoysnumbertwosinglesteamsen =Fpase ber tive sina rliorsDillan coh _senior players. The Sengers S doubles), freshman Grant Graham 2 singles), freshmen Carter and Evan (number a ( ecrom an baba peti a ( kero ) fought hard but lost in three Senger (number one doubles) and senior Dillan Patel (number2 doubles). Photo luringa recent match at the ma City Tennis sets according to their coach submitted. Center. Photo submitted. Gina Curtis. The Sengers were until recently competing in boys number two doubles, but their domination of that division prompted Curtis to move them up into the num- ber one slot. In boys number two doubles, the team of seniors Will Thompson and Dillan Patel placed second. Curtis said that as the final tournament nears the boys team is looking great. “We have high hopes for placement at state,” Curtis said. Brackets in each division will consist of 16 places, only the top 8 in each division will earn a place and points for Elk City number one doubles player freshman Carter thelrreapective teams: ‘Senger prepares to serve during a recent match at the Last year the Elks finished OklahomaCity Tennis Center. Carter, along with his 14" in the state tournament, Elk City number one doubles player freshman Evan Senger readies a return during a brother Evan have the Elks thinking medals in this year’s Curtis hopes to improve upon recent match at the OklahomaCity Tennis Center. Photo submitted. Class 4A state tournament. Photo submitted. that performance this season. Short perseveres through adversity seldom, they (other teams) do get past her, I grow gray hairs real fast. She secures us. They have to basically knock her down or foul her to get through.” Short said that stopping people is one of her favorite aspects of playing soccer. “T really like how shocked people get when I stop them,” she said. While it may seem to any- ‘one who has watched her that Short has played all her life, she said her father was the inspiration that got her Elk City senior sprinter Tate Crouch (second from left) is with his family as he signs a track started just a few years ago. and field scholarship with Oklahoma Baptist University Wednesday at the Elk City High She noted that he was coach- School Library. Pictured with Crouch are father Cody Crouch, Lou Ford, Kanlee Crouch ing her siblings in soccer and and mother Toye Crouch. Staff photo by William B. Carroll it got her interested in trying the sport. “T have always loved run- ning,” Short said. “I just tried it out and found I liked it.” Crouch signs to run at OBU Short said in earning all- Elk City senior soccer player Hope Short prepares a kick state honors she feels she did during an earlier game this season at Weatherford. Staff her father proud. photo by William B. Carroll In the fall, Short plans on attending Southwest Okla- By William B. Carroll helped me get in.” healthy this season, He said By William B. Carroll the sideline for medical atten- homa State University and Sports Editor Peffer said Crouch always Crouch ran through the pain Sports Editor tion, During her entire time majoring in biology. Short had a desire to go to OBU is already a member of the during previous seasons due on the sideline she kept tell- Elk City High School track and that Peffer merely made to his competitive nature. Over the last few games of ing Merrifield she was ready Oklahoma Army National athlete Tate Crouch signed a few calls. Peffer noted Guard and also recently “That is the kind of young the Elk City High School girls to go back out and play, even on the dotted line to a track though that the scholarship man heis,” Peffer said. soccer season senior Hope as she held a towel to her obtained her commercial scholarship at Oklahoma was all Crouch’s doing. Short took just about every nose and upper lip to keep driving license. If those en- Baptist University Wednes- “He really wanted to go Peffer added that the knock imaginable on a soccer them from bleeding. deavors weren't enough she day at the school’s library there,” Peffer said. “OBU coaches at OBU were im- also graduated from a cos- field and kept battling back in In the Elkettes’ last game metology program and has with his parents and several is a great school for track. I pressed with Crouch’s times support of her team. against Newcastle, Short took that certification if the need dozen supporters on hand. helped out by starting to talk and felt that with additional Head coach Rhonda Mer- anasty blow to the ribs when arises. Crouch said he will be to the coaches there for him weight training they could rifield perhaps said it best aNewcastle player went air- An avid reader, Short said asprinter for the Bison. butit really came down to the develop him into and even when she defined Short as a borne and crashed directly ‘one of the things she enjoys Crouch’s primary events meet at OBU.” better sprinter. machine. This season Short into Short’s midsection and doing when she isn’t stop- have been the 100 meter and Peffer noted that OBU was Peffer also touted Crouch’s honored her coach’s praise by leg, causing injury to Short’s ping attacking forwards on 200 meter sprint as well as still considering whether leadership qualities espe- being named as an all-state ribs and requiring her to the soccer field is to read the 4x100m and 4x200m relays they wanted to take Crouch, cially the role he played this selection for the Elkettes as a wear a brace. Through it all, works of Cassandra Clare, and he said he hopes to pur- but Peffer said his perfor- season in getting the track defender. though Short showed her will- Becca Fitzpatrick and Sarah sue those events at OBU. mance during the OBU meet team focused and prepared Over the last few games, ingness and determination to J. Mass. Crouch gave alot of credit sold the Bison coaching staff Short definitely earned those continue to fight. Short noted that while she to his landing at OBU to his on Crouch’s potential. for meets. accolades. In the district “When I started my all- will miss her time with her coach Andy Peffer, himself Peffer said Crouch suf- Crouch said he hopes to clinching game against state speech on her, I basi- teammates, she plans on an OBU alum. fered through a fairly severe study kinesiology at OBU and Weatherford Short took a cally said she’s a machine,” coming back and rooting on “It was really due to coach quadriceps injury his sopho- said he was excited for the nasty knock to the nose that Merrifield said. “She holds the Elkettes when she is in Peffer,” Crouch said. “He more and junior year and opportunity to continue as an caused her to have to go to our back line. When, very college. kind of sent me that way and was really just getting fully athlete at the university.