October 25, 2019 Issue, Page 8 of 12

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Page 8 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Friday, October 25, 2019 Elk City cross-country teams look to shine at state Girls and boys cross-country teams from Elk g at state Saturday after their pi erformance at the regional meet. Girls team members are, from left, Savannah Kauk, Brooklyn Howard, Caylin Burton, Juanita Valadez, Brett Barnett, Paige Lane and Brynn Armstrong. Boys runners are, from left, Kye Keyes, Alex Waters, Andrew Valadez, Harrison Mayfield, Ethan Banks and Mason Smith. Not pictured is Mitch- ell Robinson. Submitted photos. By Don Munsch, Editor meet amounts to meeting a find a different course than corners to cut, and it’ll have —not a lot, but we back it off of the year, Elk City will be Elk City High School goal. what they ran on in Enid for some small hills but nothing somewhat ~ so their legs are in the top 10, Taylor said. boys and girls cross-country “We've practiced all year the regionals. big. It’s just a little differ- fresh,” Taylor said. “We're just going to go teams will head to Shawnee to be able to do this event, “The course at OBA was ent.” Runners are at the point, enjoy it, basically,” Taylor Saturday for the state meet. and fortunately, we made it,” big loops and flat,” Tay- Runners are in their in obviously, where they are said about the state meet. The harriers’ event begins he said. lor said about the regional the 12th week of practicing supposed to be at their best. “It’s just going to be some- at 9 a.m. at Gordon Cooper The second step now is for course at Oklahoma Bible in preparation for the state “You shoot for the end and thing at the end we worked Technology Center. runners to do the best they Academy. “And at Shawnee, meet. try to do the best at the end,” for and accomplished and so Cross-country coach Jim can when Saturday arrives. it will have a little more ter- “So, in the 12th meet, we Taylor said. now we're going to take ad- Taylor said reaching the At Shawnee, runners will rain to it. They'll have some try to back it off somewhat If boys run their best times vantage of our opportunity.” Merritt girls take second at regionals MHS boys finish Merritt High School boys on Oct. 19 and will move Herndon can get a get top sixth and girls cross-country team on to state meet Saturday at five or top 10 finish, adding By Don Munsch, Editor placed in the top seven at the Shawnee. he hopes Tyson Rose can 2A Waurika Regional meet MHS freshman boys run- make it to the top 10. ner Riley Herndon posted “But as far as our team the top overall time of 17:25. goes, I don’t think we’ll be Merritt girls competed able to pull out a top three in the 3200 and finished in finish and get a medal or second with 71 points, 13 plaque,” he said. “So for the points behind _ first-place boys, we’re just kind of hop- winner Ryan, which post- ing tat we get some individ- ed 58 points. Merritt boys ual awards, and for the girls, competed in the 5k and ac- we’re hoping we pull out cumulated 164 points, good that third place finish.” enough for a sixth place. MHS girls’ finishes at re- The first place winner was gion: Oklahoma Christian with 61 4, Payten Fite, 13:13. 14. points. Breegan Barnett, 13:41. Bryce Abbe, Merritt cross- 21. Joshlyn Tomlin Sand- country coach, said if his girls team passes Ryan at ers, 13:56. 22. Dailee Tay- state then Merritt should fin- lor, 14:00. 43. Ashlee Sosa, ish third or fourth. 14:52. 69. Dayli Pollard, “I hope our girls can pull 16:03. 81. Taylor Ford, out a top three finish,” Abbe 16:40. said. “We have to beat Ryan MHS boys’ times and and probably Cherokee places in addition to Hern- to get a third spot, but we don at region: match up pretty well against 7. Tyson Rose, 18:42. 28. them, so I hope we can pull Bryce Lagunas, 20:09. 97. that out.” Case Carlson, 26:40. 99, Ri- For the boys, Abbe hopes ley White, 27:25. Thomas Aquinas alum -- has OU prides itself on be- OU benefited from a South ing a national brand, but Florida talent pool so much must weigh costs and ben- ina short span. efits when choosing to travel Left, Merritt High School cross-country runner Riley Herndon nears the finish line in the boys In a way, Bonitto and Da- coast-to-coast, considering 5k at the regional meet. Herndon finished first overall. Right, Merritt's Payten Fite finishes a vis were parting gifts from the abundance of Texas tal- few strides in front of Lilybet Harmon of Ryan. Photos courtesy of The Cordell Beacon. former OU defensive co- ent available nearby. ordinator Mike Stoops. He When possible the Soon- is credited with making in- ers venture to new territory, Elk City Historical Sports OU football roads in Fort Lauderdale be- fore he and the Sooners went and it can pay off. Davis and Bonitto are right in the mid- By Tyler Palmateer, The separate ways in 2018. dle of the defensive renais- 10 years ago People were crying. The Big results Norman Transcript, Okla. Infiltrating new recruiting sance under new coordinator The Elk City Daily News Elk players were crying. The The Elk City girls cross- NORMAN -- Nik Bo- circles isn't always easy. Re- Alex Grinch. October 2009 coach was all choked up.” country team took third in nitto was a landmark verbal lationships take time -- and Stoops was at the ground The day after the game, the team scoring at the regional commitment for Oklahoma multiple trips -- to build. floor as OU courted them. Elk City wins emotional paper reported, Davis asked meet in Norman and advanced when he pledged to the Travel budgets have limits Davis is off to a quick start game oyer Woodward teammate Michael Fisher to state. The boys team fin- Sooners in January of 2018. even at high-profile athletic despite not enrolling early The Elks rallied to beat whether he cried. Fisher ished 15th and did not qualify He's believed to be the first departments. last spring. Woodward 16-14 at Big Elk replied he “cried like a baby,” for state. St. Thomas Aquinas High Stadium on Oct. 23 to move and Davis said he wept, too. “Overall it was a great School recruit to attend OU their record to 4-4 overall and Elk City coach Dave Foster effort,” Elk City coach Jim in more than two decades, or 4-1 in district play. liked how his team responded Taylor said. “We need to hook maybe ever. Quarterback Will Davis, on in the late-going. The tradition-rich Fort it up and do that again this Lauderdale, Florida school ‘an injured ankle, hit receiver “can’t say enough about week. We have an opportunity has been around for 80 years, Zach Mattox on 36-yard the heart of our kids down the to make a run at number one.” building one of the high- touchdown pass with 1:06 stretch,” he said. Finishing first overall for est enrollment rates among left in the game to give Elk The Elks play Weatherford Catholic schools in America. Elk City was Sierra Howell City what was eventually the next week, and if the Elks win It has one of the nation's with a time of 12:55 in the game-winning margin. On the their remaining two games, biggest alumni bases in the night, Davis completed 20 of they will be district champi- 2-mile race, good for fourth NFL. 29 passes for 223 yards and ons. overall. Nicole Lamar finished Now a redshirt freshman, Adults $10, had two touchdowns and one “We just need to go play 11th overall with a time of Bonitto made his first start s Students Free; interception. the game and prepare to win,” 13:16, and Candy Longoria collegiate start last weekend. “The stadium went crazy,” Foster said finished two spots behind her So did the second St. Thom- News sports editor John In other high school football at 13 with a time of 13:18. as Aquinas prospect to at- tend OU in decades -- fresh- Cannon described in his Oct. action, Merritt lost to Chero- Other finishers; 32. Carissa man Jaden Davis was in the 25 story, after the go-ahead kee, 48-0, and Sayre beat Gholston, 14:01. 35, Faith lineup at cornerback. score occurred, “The Elks held Burns Flat-Dill City, 47-32. Merrifield, 14:13. 37. Rylee Maybe not since 1998 off the Boomers in the final Wilson, 14:15. 44. McKenna when hiring athletic director minute and sealed the victory. Cross-country regional Kelly, 14:48. Joe Castiglione -- another St.