December 20, 2025 Issue, Page 3 of 10

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2025 • 3 Shawn Wilson - baseballer, wres- Lucy O'Hara Always Extra Practice! Bentley Coy Amanda Hunter - Kids Inc Director (Merritt) - Taytum Thiessen (Merritt) - Berklee Stout tler, golfer & friend of all! (Merritt) - Jemsyn Johson Check Kids Inc for Schedules You're not gettig this ball! - Hudson Tosh Elk City - Melodie Martinez Wrestling Elk CIty - Austin Box Wrestling College, High School & Local Sports By Alex Alvarez they would go down to 10th or 11th BASKETBALL Last three games: 2-1. Wins ver- 58-50. Loss versus Ft. Cobb/Brox- at best instead of remaining in the Oklahoma Sooners. Men. South- sus Sam Houston 93-83, Grand ton 44-71 ELK CITY. CLASS 4-4 BAS- COLLEGES FOOTBALL 9th position. Shouldn’t Dame be in eastern Conference Canyon 84-78. Loss versus OU 76- Coming up: Arapaho 12/16-(A), KETBALL PLAYOFFS of James Madison? Coach: Porter Moser 85. Duke 12/18 (H), Texoma 01/03 (H) Boys. Coach Tyler Foale. Record As you read this column, Ala- For the record, for Friday’s game, Record: 7-3 Coming up: Oklahoma, Kansas Girls. Coach Tatum Ridling. Re- 0-5 bama and Oklahoma played last both Alabama and Oklahoma re- Last three games: 2-1. Wins ver- City, Fullerton cord 7-1 Last 5: Losses vs Clinton 46-49, night in Norman, OK and Miami ported injuries in some of their sus Wake Forest 86-68 and Oklaho- Conference Position: Tied 4th Last Three 3-0: Wins vs Burns Holliday TX 36-47, Ropes 32-51, played at College Station against players: Alabama running backs ma State 85-76. Loss versus Arizona Conference Leader: Iowa State Flat/Dill City 80-4, Thomas Fay Idalou 49-54, Decatur 45-55 Texas A&M. The winner at Gaylord Jam Miller and Kevin Riley and St 70-86 Cyclones 11-0 Custer 61-15, Amber/Pocasset 49- Coming Up: 12/16 Childress (H), Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadi- tight end Josh Cuevas. For Okla- Coming up: Oklahoma St, Kan- #18 Oklahoma State Cowgirls. 36 12/18 Weatherford (H), 1/8 Weath- um will play Indiana the following homa, Jovantae Barnes (running sas City, Stetson, Miss Valley St.. Women. Big-12 Conference Coming up: 12/16 Arapaho/But- erford (A) week, and the winner at College Sta- back) and Jake Maikkula (offensive Conference Position: Tied 9th. Coach: Jacie Hoyt ler (A), Duke 12/18 (H), Texoma Girls. Coach Mason Jones. Re- tion will play Ohio State. Hopefully, lineman). Vanderbilt Commodores 10-0. Record: 11-2 01/03 (H) cord 5-1 all Oklahomans are happy today! Ohio State is in the hunt for sec- #9 Oklahoma Sooners. Women. Last three games: 2-1. Wins ver- Last 3: 2-1. Wins vs Lampasas 42- The other playoff games today are ond consecutive National Cham- Southeastern Conference (AKA – sus Miss Valley State 133-46, Tulsa MERRITT CLASS 2-A BAS- 26, Clinton 54-22. Loss vs Seminole Tulane at Ole Miss with the winner pionship, something that has not SEC) 90-58. Loss versus OU 70-92 KETBALL 31-76 earning a match against Georgia; happened since Georgia beat Texas Coach: Jennie Baranczyk Coming up: Cincinnati, Baylor, Boys. Coach Tyler Snowden. Re- Coming up: 12/16 Childress and James Madison at Oregon, with Christian University 65-7 in the Record: 11-1 Houston. cord 2-4 (H), 12/19 Weatherford (H), 1/6 the winner earning a date with Tex- 2023 Championship game, after Last three games: 3-0. Wins ver- Conference Position: 6th Last Four: 2-2. Wins vs Seiling Anadarko (H) as Tech. beating Alabama 33-18 the previous sus MD Eastern 90-37, Little Rock Conference Leader: Tied 1st Ar- 80-26, Fargo-Gage/Fort Supply 70- Sources: Local Sources, ESPN, In the Friday and Saturday games, year. 103-48, Oklahoma St 92-70 izona St Sun Devils, Iowa State and 53. Losses Cheyenne/Reydon 50-54, MSN, GOOGLE, OSSAA, Wikipe- three of the four host teams are fa- Putting aside my questions of Coming up: NC Central, Texas Texas Tech Lady Riders at 12-0 Texoma 41-48 dia, Other Internet Media vorites, the only host team not being who should be in the playoffs, I do A&M, Mississippi St. Coming Up: 12/16 Apache (H), a favorite? Oklahoma who is a 1.5 believe that the new playoff sys- Conference Position: Tie 6th ELK CITY BASKETBALL 1/6 Navajo (H), 1/13 Sayre (H) OTHER ELK CITY GOOD points “dog” against the only team tem makes it very exciting as well Conference Leader: Texas Long- CANUTE CLASS A - BASKET- Girls. Coach Jeff Daugherty. Re- NEWS! in the playoffs with three losses. Per- as a much fairer way to determine horns 12-0 BALL cord 3-0 Aubrie Pogue signed to play soft- sonally, the way the NCAA chooses a champion because the top four Oklahoma State Cowboys. Big- Boys. Coach Brock Steffes. Re- Wins vs Kingfisher 59-50, Canute ball at Rogers State University! the teams for playoffs is “above my teams are there for sure. 12 Conference cord 7-1 51-49, Cheyenne /Reydon 59-46 Jaxon McArthur signed to play paygrade”, but after Alabama losing Coach: Steve Lutz Last three games: 2-1. Wins ver- Coming Up: 12/16 Apache (H), with Barton City Community Col- to Georgia so redundantly, I thought OKLAHOMA COLLEGES Record: 9-1 sus Oklahoma Bible 93-47, Hobart Tournament 12/29 – 12/31 lege in Kansas. Professional Individual Sports By Alex Alvarez lead going into Sunday’s round is green in four shots, he made a dou- Wu on the last round. He had a pret- Ewart, Canada (-14), Adam Sven- though it was mainly 2-Man teams, indescribable: first, it is not only the ble bogey. It sent him to a tie for 8th ty good round of 67, but Dylan shot son, Canada (-12), Alejandro Tosti, there were some mixed teams. The GOLF difference between playing for tour- at the moment, just one shot out of one better at 66 and they had to play Argentina (-12) and Marcelo Roso, last two years, have been mixed cou- PGA Q-SHOOL naments with purses 8-10 bigger the top five. But nerves got to him, #18, a Par-4 hole for the fifth and Colombia (-12). ples No golf tournament delivers more than the Korn Ferry Tour, and sec- and he hit in the water on the next last player to earn a PGA Card. Wu The winner couple was Lauren excitement and disappointment ond, if you don’t place in the top 45 hole for another double bogey and made a birdie and Silverman a par. GRAND THORNTON INVITA- Coughlin/Andrew Novak who shot than the PGA “Q” School, where 176 (the next 40 after those who quali- ended up in 29th place, far from a One hole was the difference between TIONAL 57-68-63, or 28 under par for a golfers out of an initial field of about fied for the PGA Tour), you basically top five position. He ended up at 6 playing for $1,000,000 first place It is time to relax a bit, and play tournament record. Next were three 4,500 over several tournaments in don’t have a steady job the following under par, while fifth place was at 11 purses to $120,000 first place purses! unofficial events, like the Grand teams tied at 25 under par: Jennifer “Stage 1” and “Stage 2” get to play year. under par, five shots better. Those But earlier, one hole made the whole Thornton Invitational, an event for Kupcho/Chris Gotterup, Nelly Kor- 72 holes to determine 5 players Many hearts are broken in the four shots lost in those two holes, difference, hole #16, a Par-5 hole that mixed couples. The first day, they da/McCarthy and Charley Hull/ who will play the PGA Tour and 40 last round! Take for instance Ben meant more than one shot from fifth most of the field made birdie on. Sil- play alternate shots, the second day Michael Brennan. Tied for fifth at who will qualify for the Korn-Ferry Kohles. He was tied for the lead on place, as his momentum was totally verman made par and Wu made an a scramble and the third day, “mod- 23 under were Rose Zhang/Michael Tour. If you tie for 5th place, there is Sunday when he incurred a penalty dead. You have to keep your concen- eagle for a two-shot difference that ified” low ball. The tournament was Kim and Brooke Henderson/Corey a playoff, as only five will go to the on the 7th hole for causing his ball tration for the full round! in the end sent Silverman to Korn played at Tiburon Golf Club, in Conners PGA Tour, as was the case last week- to move as he was removing leaves How about the “almost” fifth Ferry, and Wu to the PGA Tour. Naples FL, which was designed by Sources: ESPN, PGA Tour.com, end. around it. After punching out from place? Ben Silverman from Canada The other four players who Greg Norman. The tournament was LPGA.com, AP Tennis, Personal Li- The stress of those close to the under the trees, and reaching the shot 67 started one ahead of Dylan earned a PGA Tour Card were A.J. originally called QBE Shootout and brary, MSN Sports, On-Line media. Professional Team Sports Sports Tidbits By Alex Alvarez game. BUFFALO 10-4, Miami 6-8, NY By Alex Alvarez Nelson Award was Jackson Bu- talks as much as performance, In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys Jets 3-11. chanan from Illinois (70.9). and a few players, either for mon- NFL: are not mathematically eliminated North: PITTSBURGH 8-6, Bal- NBA ey, location or any reason, found Kansas City Chiefs who had not but might as well as they dropped timore 7-7, Cincinnati 4-10, Cleve- Oklahoma City Thunder drops NFL new homes last weekend: Quinn lost a trip to the playoffs in about a the last two games but many things land 3-11 a close game to the San Antonio Denver Broncos and Los Ange- Hughes, Tristan Jarry and Stuart dozen years, have been eliminated need to happen for the Cowboys to West: DENVER 12-2, LOS AN- Spurs 111-109… what’s wrong les Rams clinched a playoff spot. Skinner. Expect more trades, but from the 2025-2026 playoffs. On have a playoff spot: they can’t lose GELES 10-4, Kansas City 6-8, Las with you guys? It means there’s only a few weeks don’t expect Connor McDavid top of that, quarterback Patrick any of the final games and need Vegas 2-12 Bad “divorce”?: The Los Ange- left for regular season play. Exactly (Oilers) or Alex Ovechkin (Wash- Mahomes suffered a bad knee inju- help from either Philadelphia (un- South: JACKSONVILLE 10-4, les Clippers parted ways with the three! ington Capitals) to be traded any ry in the last game against the Los likely) and the Detroit Lions (also HOUSTON 9-5, Indianapolis 8-6, best player in franchise history by Last Sunday, Lamar Jackson time soon. Angeles Chargers who won 16-13. unlikely). Tennessee 2-12 sending Chris Paul home after a and the Ravens (7-7 and one game Which teams started with a bet- Mahomes knee injury seems In the NFC there are many sce- NFC: 5-16 start by the Clippers. One of behind the Steelers) looked like a ter percentage chance of making to be of a serious nature, and it is narios because the records are re- East: PHILADELPHIA 8-5, Dal- Oklahoma’s best ever, and the best playoff team again. Prior to the trip the playoffs than they have now? unlikely that he will return for the ally close: Chicago Bears (10-4) are las 6-7-1, Washington 4-10, NY player as a sophomore in NCAA, to Cincinnati, Lamar almost did St. Louis Blues, started with 66% last three regular season games. leading the North by ½ game over Giants 2-12 Blake Griffin was probably the not make the flight due to traffic… chance to 15% now! New York The injury occurred in the last few the Green Bay Packers (9-4-1); in North: CHICAGO 10-4, best to understand and sent a gen- “Lamar was the one we would cer- Rangers 62% as season’s start, now minutes of the game when Ma- the South, Tampa Bay Buccaneers GREEN BAY 9-4-1, Detroit 8-6, tleman’s text to Paul on the day he tainly hold the plane for,” Ravens 42%. Toronto Maple Leafs from homes was taking the Chiefs for a and Carolina Panthers are tied at Minnesota 6-8 was dismissed. Nice! coach John Harbaugh said with a 74% to 51%. Question: how do possible field goal to tie the game the top with a 7-7 record; in the West: LOS ANGELES 11-3, SE- smile. You bet! they calculate that? or a touchdown to win it. He had west, three teams are going very ATTLE 11-3, SAN FRANCISCO GOLF: The power rankings for the not gotten to field goal range when well: Los Angeles Rams and Seattle 10-4, Arizona 3-11 Scottie Scheffler wins Nicklaus NBA draft have changed, with TENNIS he got hurt. He was replaced by the Seahawks are at 11-3, with the San South: TAMPA BAY 7-7, Caro- Award for fourth year in a row! the biggest forward jump coming Tennis is using a rule that Rafel veteran quarterback Gardner Min- Francisco 49ers at 10-4. In short, in lina 7-7, Atlanta 5-9, New Orleans The Nicklaus award is for Player of from Kingston Flemmings for Nadal always spoke against, a 25 shew, who took the Chiefs to the most divisions, nothing is written 4-10 the Year. Whose name did you ex- the University of Houston, who second clock to hit your first serve. 34 Chargers yard-line, but was in- yet as far as who will be in or out. pect on the trophy? Tiger? Come jumped from 37th in the rankings He says, “conditions are different, it tercepted in the next play with less Other news, Steve Wilks was NBA: on! to 6th! is not the same playing in 105-de- than a minute to go. It was a sad exit fired as defensive coordinator of Oklahoma City Thunder Aldrich Potgieter, the long hit- Jerry Jones: “I didn’t expect to gree weather than on 65. You tend for the past Super Bowl champions the New York Jets after the Jets al- dropped their second game of the ting young man from South Africa be behind the eight ball the way to take your time the hotter it is”. and last season’s AFC Champions. lowed 48 points in their loss of 20- season to the San Antonio Spurs, won the Rookie of the Year Award. we are”. What can we say? You got Makes sense. Meanwhile, the Chargers at 10- 48 to the Jaguars. 111-109 and are at 24-2 for the sea- That’s the Arnold Palmer Award rid of two great coaches that could 4, are pretty much in the hunt for Standings by Division: (CAPS son, but continue to lead the West- The Byron Nelson Award (low- have meant an unmatched dynas- OTHER a playoff spot. For now, two games ARE TEAMS THAT WOULD BE ern Conference by five games over est scoring average of the year) ty! HEART OF A CHAMPION! behind the Denver Broncos at 12-2. IN PLAYOFFS IF SEASON END- the Denver Nuggets. went to Scottie Scheffler as well, In a sport where “twenty-some- Also in the AFC, Buffalo Bills (10- ED NOW): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from who had a 68.13 average! NHL 4) and Houston Texans (9-5) are AFC: College player with the Byron In professional sports, money in a good position for a wild card East: NEW ENGLAND 11-3, See TEAM page X See TIDBITS page X