January 3, 2026 Issue, Page 3 of 10

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2026 • 3 Turner Batie Jeron Seymur & Max Murray Jasper Wootten Jaden Seymur Embree McConnell Bree McConnell Abigail Beals Practicing Dribbling Cale & Harlee McConnell Cale McConnell - Nothing but Net! Cade McConnell Harlee McConnell Jolee Wootten College, High School & Local Sports By Alex Alvarez for Alabama to take “revenge” on sus Oklahoma State 85-76, Kansas Coach: Jacie Hoyt the Crimson Tide, some will be City 89-67, Stetson 107-54 Record: 12-2 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAY- rooting for Alabama, probably all Coming up: Miss Valley St. Last three games: 2-1. Wins OFFS the way to the final if they won yes- (12/29), Ole Miss (01/03), Missis- Tulsa 90-58 and Cincinnati 91-63; Oklahomans are “football crazy”. terday to be able to say, “at least we sippi St (01/07) Loss versus OU 70-92 I know, I worked in the golf busi- lost to the eventual champions”. Be- Conference Position: Tied 5th. Coming up: Baylor (12/31), ness for a “short” 50 years (they lieve me, I’ve heard that. And some Vanderbilt Commodores 12-0. Houston (1/3), TCU now seem short, “where did they football fans, will be just watching #9 Oklahoma Sooners. Women. Conference Position: 6th go?”) and once football season the games because they love college Southeastern Conference (AKA – Conference Leader: Tied 1st started, especially college football, football, especially watching great SEC) Arizona St Sun Devils, Texas Tech golf course lost half of the business teams. That’d be me. Coach: Jennie Baranczyk Lady Riders at 14-0 on Saturdays and Sundays. Sure, Semifinal games will be on Jan- Record: 12-1 once fall comes and temperatures uary 8th, one at the Fiesta Ball, in Last three games: 3-0. Wins ver- ELK CITY BASKETBALL – drop, sometimes too much, there Glendale, AZ and the other one on sus Oklahoma St 92-70, NC Cen- IDLE CHRISTMAS WEEK won’t be too much golf, but even on the east side of the USA in Atlanta, tral 126-54, Little Rock 103-48 CANUTE CLASS A BOYS: nice days, you see it. That is proba- GA at the Peach Bowl. Then the fi- Coming up: Texas A&M, Missis- Coach Brock Steffes. Record 8-2 Joe Wynn & Keaton Finnel enjoying a warm winter afternoon. bly once of the reasons the board of nal will be on January 19 at Miami sippi St., Ole Miss Last three games: 1-2. Win ver- 80-26, Fargo-Gage/Fort Supply 70- Coming Up: Anadarko 1/6, TBA the country club installed 10-12 tv’s Gardens FL, at the Hard Rock Sta- Conference Position: Tie 6th sus Duke 60-57; losses versus Fort 53, Apache 57/51 at Weatherford 1/8, 1/13 Weather- around the clubhouse. But let’s not dium, which also hosted the Or- Conference Leader: Texas Long- Cobb/Broxton 44-71, Arapaho/ Coming Up: Navajo 1/6; Sayre ford get distracted from what is going ange Ball between Texas Tech Red horns and Alabama 14-0 Butler 30/43 1/13, Burns Flat/Dill City 1/13 ELK CITY CLASS 4-A GIRLS on now: THE COLLEGE FOOT- Riders and the Oregon Ducks. Oklahoma State Cowboys. Big- Coming up: Texoma 1/3), Arnett MERRITT CLASS 2-A Girls Coach Mason Jones. Record 6-2 BALL PLAYOFFS. After January 19, we turn 100% 12 Conference 1/6, Tournament in Merritt Coach Jeff Daugherty. Record Last 3: 2-1. Wins vs Clinton 54- As you read this issue on Satur- to basketball and road to the “Final Coach: Steve Lutz CANUTE CLASS A GIRLS: 4-0 22, Childress 44-40. Loss versus day January 2nd, you already know Four” in Lucas Oil Stadium (men) Record: 11-1 Coach Tatum Ridling. Record Last Three: 3-0. Wins vs Canute Weatherford 25-39 the results of the quarterfinal games and Mortgage Matchup Center in Last three games: 2-1. Wins ver- 9-1 51-49, Cheyenne /Reydon 59-46, Coming up: Anadarko 1/6, TBA between #1 Indiana Hoosiers and Phoenix, AZ (women). sus Kansas City 91-79, and Fuller- Last Three 3-0: Wins vs Amber/ Apache 78-32 1/8-1/10 Tournament at Anadarko #9 Alabama Crimson Tide, and the ton 94-89. Loss versus OU 76-85. Pocasset 49-36, Arapaho/Butler 58- Coming Up: Mid American other three games, Texas Tech vs OKLAHOMA COLLEGES BAS- Coming up: Bethune (12/29), 23, Duke 97-19 Tournament 12/29 – 12/31 Sources: Local Sources, ESPN, Oregon, Ole Miss vs Georgia and KETBALL Texas Tech (1/3) and UCF (1/6) Coming up: Texoma 1/3, Arnett ELK CITY CLASS 4-A BOYS MSN, GOOGLE, OSSAA, Wikipe- Ohio St vs Miami. Oklahoma Sooners. Men. South- Conference Position: Tied 4th 1/6, Cheyenne/Reydon 1/13 Coach Tyler Foale. Record 0-7 dia, Other Internet Media The first game mentioned is eastern Conference Conference Leader: Iowa State MERRITT CLASS 2-A BOYS Last Three: 0-3. Losses vs Deca- probably of the most interest to Coach: Porter Moser Cyclones 12-0 Coach Tyler Snowden. Record tur 45-55, Childress 48-52, Weath- Oklahoma, since Alabama beat Record: 9-3 #18 Oklahoma State Cowgirls. 3-4 erford 31-65 the Sooners. Some will be rooting Last three games: 3-0. Wins ver- Women. Big-12 Conference Last Three: 3-0. Wins vs Seiling Professional Individual Sports By Alex Alvarez will be the first time since 1958, the world, there were many, many round. Rori would win his first ma- would reduce the age of a senior to earned an exemption at the tourna- that the PGA Tour will not have very good players, but not enough jor the following year at Congres- 50. It could have been the best deci- ment because he won three times in GOLF a ”Tournament of Champions” room for the PGA Tour at the time, sional C.C. and his last, so far, at the sion the USGA has had in the last the PGA Tour Americas. Now he is All main Golf Tours, PGA which was “watered down” when thus a secondary tour was neces- 2025 Masters, when he completed 50 years! Arnold Palmer won his exempt for two years. TOUR, DP WORLD TOUR, not only champions from the last 12 sary. It still is. Players like Brooks his career Grand Slam. It began as first senior event at the 1980 PGA LPGA’s first event will be on ASIAN TOUR, KORN FERRY months were invited, but also play- Koepka and Scotty Scheffler first the European Tour, but Dubai Ports Seniors Championship (a tourna- January 29-Feb 1 with the Hilton TOUR were idle on Christmas and ers who had not won in those 12 played in this “secondary” tour and bought the Tour and now it is all ment that evaded him in his histor- Grand Vacations Tournament of New year’s weeks. months. The tournament was held developed into major champion- over the world. ic career in the regular tour), then Champions at Lake Nona Golf & The PGA Tour will resume with in Las Vegas NV, then La Costa, CA ship winners. The 2026 PGA Tour Champions, won the 1981 U.S. Senior Open C.C. It continues on February 19-22 the Sony Open (Hawaii) on January and moved to Maui in 1999. The 2026 DP World Tour will former named “Senior Tour”, will Championship. in Thailand on Feb 19-22. Then Sin- 15-18. No Tournament of Cham- The Korn Ferry Tour will resume begin with the Dubai Invitation- begin with the Mitsubishi Electric The 2026 PGA Tour Americas gapore and China. It doesn’t return pions (Sentry) due to the course January 11-14 with the Bahama al on January 15-18. This is where Championship on January 22-24. will begin in April in the 71st Bra- to the USA until March 26 for the conditions and not enough time to Golf Classic and the Bahamas Great Rory McIlroy won his first profes- This tour began in 1980 after the zil Open. For today’s purses, this is Ford Championship in Chandler schedule to another golf course. Ex- Abaco Classic the following week sional tournament and where the massive popularity of the “Legends pretty low compared to even the AZ. Gone are the days when the pect a “light” field of top 10 golfers, (January 18-21). The Korn Ferry great Irish Golf Story began. Tiger Golf Tournament” where teams of 2 Korn Ferry Tour, but, do expect LPGA was exclusively in the USA. but a heavy field of golfers on 51- Tour began as the “Hogan Tour”, had won the same tournament the seniors competed. Arnold Palmer, to get some very good players to We will publish the ATP Tennis 100 positions expecting to play well then the Nike Tour, then Buy Dot previous year. Rory would then win who turned 50 in 1979, was a great come out of it to the Korn Ferry schedule in our next issue. and get entry in the big “Signature” Com Tour, and now the present his first PGA Tour event at the for- addition to golf for people over 50, or the PGA Tour, just as Michael events. The first “signature” event name, was begun as a development mer Quail Hollow Championship his popularity was so great, that the Brennan did in October, where he Sources: ESPN, PGA Tour.com, will be the AT&T Pebble Beach circuit and a path to the PGA Tour. (now Wells Fargo Championship) USGA, which had “seniors’ as 55 won his first start as a professional LPGA.com, AP Tennis, Personal Li- Pro-Am in February 12-15. This With golf growing so much around in 2010 by shooting a 62 in the last and over, announced in 1978 that it in the Utah Championship. He had brary, MSN Sports, On-Line media. Professional Team Sports Sports Tidbits By Alex Alvarez er goes home. Many in Oklahoma (z) = Clinched Division By Alex Alvarez in LIV, while Brooks Koepka is BASEBALL are rooting for Baker Mayfield and (y) = Clinched Wild Card now a “free agent”. He quit LIV Kiké Hernández declined to NFL: the Buccaneers! (*) = Played Monday after this NBA after the 2025 season and the give his most memorable piece One game left in the regular sea- Standings by Division: (CAPS week’s article deadline Oklahoma City Thunder future of the 5-major champion of equipment to the Baseball son after last weekend, and some ARE TEAMS IN PLAYOFFS IF Note: The last game of week 17 drops 4 of the last five games! is undecided. Hall of Fame: his viral pitch- divisions are still not decided, nor SEASON ENDED NOW): between Los Angeles Rams and Do we need to worry? Hall of Famer Jumbo Ozaki, er’s helmet. He rather have it at every playoff spot, so week 18 is AFC: Atlanta Falcons, have significance the winningest Japanese play- home, that in Coopertown! crucial for several teams and of East: (z) NEW ENGLAND 13- only for the Rams, who are already GOLF: er in history, died Last week at course, their fans! 3, (y) BUFFALO 11-5, Miami 7-9, in the playoffs and their last two The headline was, “John Daly age 78. He was an inspiration to OTHER Key games are: NY Jets 3-13. games will determine their posi- Sends Strong Ryder Cup Mes- Isao Aoki, who was the first Jap- At 16, she became the fast- AFC North: Two-time Super North: PITTSBURGH 9-7, Bal- tion. sage to Tiger Woods”. No, it is anese to win on the PGA Tour, est woman alive: In 1928 after Bowl champions, Baltimore Ra- timore 8-8 Cincinnati 6-10, Cleve- a strong message to the PGA and later to Hideki Matsuyama, only three races in her life, she vens (8-8) will play at Pittsburgh land 4-12 NBA: of America who snubbed John the only player who has won a stood in the podium with the Steelers (9-8). If Baltimore wins, West: (z) DENVER 13-3, (y) After a 25-1 start, and going Daly at least twice when he major (2021 Masters). Olympic gold medal for 100 both teams will finish 9-8 but Ra- LOS ANGELES 11-5, Kansas City into a 1-4 streak, the Oklahoma should have qualified for the meters. At 19 they put her body vens will win the division because 6-10, Las Vegas 2-14 City Thunder came back strong Ryder Cup team. He won the NFL in a car-trunk thinking she was of tie breaker rules, and 6-time Su- South: (x) JACKSONVILLE 12- and had their 26th season victory PGA Championship in 1991 Bo Nix, Denver Broncos, be- dead after an airplane accident per Bowl champion Steelers are out 4, (x) HOUSTON 11-5, Indianap- by beating the Philadelphia 76ers and the Open Championship in comes the 10th quarterback in near Chicago, doctors said she of the playoffs this time around. If olis 8-8, Tennessee 3-13 129-104. Chet Holmgren had 29 1995, both Ryder Cup years and history to reach 7,500+ yards in would never walk again. In Pittsburgh wins, they win the divi- NFC: points and 9 rebounds. The chance he was not selected. his first two career seasons. Not 1932 she wished she was on the sion and Baltimore goes home. East: (z) PHILADELPHIA 11- of the Thunder winning as many as Did you know that the first even predecessor Johnn Elway Olympic team, but wasn’t. But NFC West: Division leader, Se- 5, Dallas 7-8-1, Washington 4-12, the Golden State Warriors in 2015- U.S. Open ever, in 1895 was did that! (but another Denver her heart was bigger than the attle Seahawks (13-3) will play at NY Giants 3-13 2016 improved from 37% to 38% played at the nine-hole New- QB, Payton Manning did it) doctors’ predictions and made San Francisco 40ers (12-4). Both North: (z) CHICAGO 115, (y) (how do they calculate those pre- port Country Club, in Rhode Cleveland Browns have made the team in 1936, standing in have qualified for the playoffs, but GREEN BAY 9-6-1, Detroit 8-8, dictions?). Nevertheless, the OKC Island, and only 11 players par- a decision on their $230,000,000 the podium, once more, with a only one will win the division, the Minnesota 8-8 Tunder has the best record overall ticipated? It was a one day go- quarterback Deshaun Watson: gold medal in the 400 meter re- winner of this game! West: (x) SEATTLE SEA- in 2025. Shai Gilgeous- Alexander ing event, going around 4 times He will not be activated to the lay. In 1996, at 84 years old, she NFC South: just like the AFC HAWKS 13-3, (x) SAN FRANCIS- had 27 points and continues in sec- on the track. The winner was Active Roster. They have extra carried the Olympic torch for North, one team goes home, the CO 12-4, (y) L.A. RAMS 11-4 (*), ond place overall in the NBA scor- Horace Rawlins with a score dough! the Olympic games in Atlanta. other one wins the division. Divi- Arizona 3-13 ing stats behind Luka Doncic. of 173. He won $150 (approxi- Taylor Swift showed up to Her name was Betty Robinson, sion leader Carolina Panthers (8- South: CAROLINA PAN- Standings as of Monday: mately $5,800 on today’s mon- “what could be” the last Travis the youngest ever woman to 8) plays at Tampa Bay Buccaneers THERS 8-8, Tampa Bay 7-9, Atlan- Eastern Conference: Detroit ey) and a gold medal. Kelcee home game. Is he retir- win the 100 meters. Her gold (7-9). The winner wins the division ta 6-9 (*), New Orleans 6-10 Dustin Johnson signed up ing? with a losing record of 8-9, the los- (x) = Clinched Playoff berth See TEAM page 7 for at least two more seasons See TIDBITS page 7