March 14, 2026 Issue, Page 3 of 14

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2026 • 3 Shawn Wilson - Always calling plays Coach Ridling celebrating Waiting to celebrate for KECO Reilly Polensky and Lily Woodson Kynli Carlson Emotional players with family Coach Tatum Ridling doing a cham- Kendall Schuster Destiny Jackson in action pion's interview Jayle Gray - Thank you Jesus! Destiny Jackson Jaylee Gray Jaylee Gray MVP in action Kynli Carlson in action Kendall Schuster Jaylee Gray - One last 3 pointer Kinley Pruett Basketball By Alex Alvarez in Phoenix, AZ. (Mortgage Matchup Gamecocks’ streak of three straight sites for 2026 are Fort Worth, Tex- Carolina, Texas, Vanderbilt, LSU, Coach Tatum Ridling. Record 28-1. Center). conference titles. Other key results as (Dickies Arena) and Sacramento, Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa, TCU. State Champions! ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR: The selection follows all of the included West Virginia defeating California (Golden 1 Center), with Note: Louisville fell from #10 to The selection for the NCAA Bas- Conferences championships, and top-seeded TCU 62-53 for the Big 12 two regions competing at each loca- #13. MERRITT CLASS 2-A BOYS. ketball Championship teams will be that is where the surprises (or “mad- title and Ole Miss defeating #5 Van- tion. Latest reports tell us that Okla- Coach Tyler Snowden. Record 9-16 Sunday, March 15, both for men and ness”) begins because there are sev- derbilt. The men’s #1 seeds in each region homa Sooners, who are 11th in the women’s championship. In each cat- eral upsets, this year highlighted by The four regions of the NCAA have not been determined, the wom- SEC are in the mix for a spot on the #4 MERRITT CLASS 2-A Girls. egory there will be 68 teams chosen, Marquette stunning No. 4 UConn men’s basketball tournament are en’s #1 seeds in the four regions will final 64. Coach Jeff Daugherty. Record 24-3. 62 of which will be seeded in the dif- in the Big East and Northern Iowa the East, West, Midwest, and South. be: UConn, UCLA, Texas and South Won Area Championship against ferent regions, and four teams who (UNI) overcoming top-seeded Bel- Each region consists of 16 teams Carolina, with the Oklahoma Soon- AREA BASKETBALL FINAL Riverside 57-51 and begin State will have a final qualifying game, mont to reach the Missouri Valley seeded 1–16, with winners advanc- ers most likely playing in Norman, RECORDS Championship on Wednesday where two will make it to the final 64. Conference (MVC) championship. ing to the Final Four. These regions OK in a group that includes Michi- Two girls teams qualified for their March 11. The annual tournament, bet- Other notable February/March 2026 are used to split the 64-team bracket gan State, Murray State and UNLV. respective State Tournament: Can- ter known as “March Madness”, is upsets include\ Portland over No. 8 and are assigned to specific locations The latest Rankings as of Monday ute, who won the tournament, and ELK CITY CLASS 4-A BOYS. played in four different regions, and Gonzaga and West Virginia over No. for the regional semifinals and finals. March 9: Merritt who begins State Tourna- Coach Tyler Foale. Record 2-22 the winner of each region will make 19 BYU. All of these will affect the fi- For the 2026 NCAA Division I MEN: #1Duke, #2Arizona, ment on Wednesday march 11. the famous “Final Four”: two semi- nal seedings of each region. women’s basketball tournament, the #3Michigan, #4 UConn, #5Florida, #20 ELK CITY CLASS 4-A final games and one final game. The On the women’s side, “madness” four regions for the Sweet 16 and #6Iowa State, #7 Houston, #8 Mich- #11 CANUTE CLASS A BOYS: GIRLS. Coach Mason Jones. Record men will play their final four in In- begun with top-seeded South Car- Elite Eight rounds are designated by igan Stata, #9 Nebraska, #10 Texas Coach Brock Steffes. Record 16-11 16-10 dianapolis, Indiana (Lucas Oil Stadi- olina who was upset by Texas 78-61 their host cities rather than tradition- Tech. Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, OS- um) and the women will play theirs in the SEC title game, ending the al geographic labels. The regional WOMEN: UConn, UCLA, South #1 CANUTE CLASS A GIRLS: SAA, On-Line media sports. Sports Tidbits By Alex Alvarez ie” in the senior tour pays off (there No. 21 St. Mary’s 71: The Bron- sas in the Big 12 Tournament; Penn think they were right in cancelling have been 17 debut winners in the cos defeated the Gaels in the West State overcame a 14-point deficit to since it was in partnership with a BASEBALL GOLF: tour for over-50 golfers) Coast Conference tournament defeat No. 12 Illinois. strip club. Team USA advanced to the 2026 Jon Rahm, a two-tie major win- Bay Hill’s “dead” greens pushed semifinals, with Sash Gavalyugov World Baseball Classic quarterfi- ner, wins his first individual title in golfers to the edge. One notable scoring 23 points off the bench; NBA NFL nals after defeating Mexico 5-3, led 539 days at the HSBC Hong Kong golfer said the greens were dead: Arizona 73, Houston 66. Arizona Lebron James surpasses Kareem Free agency action is dominat- by Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes. LIV event. He also made the news Scottie Scheffler! A “Straight Car- broke Houston’s long home win- Abdul-Jabbar in field goals with ing NFL headlines as of March 10, by sending a private jet to Dubai to nage”. ning streak. Portland 89, No. 10 15,838 versus Kareems 15,837. 2026, with major moves includ- TENNIS rescue seven golfers who got stuck The trend continues: the 54 hole Gonzaga 78 which a massive upset Closest next is Kevin Durant with ing QB Tua Tagovailoa moving to Indian Wells Masters going on there after Iran bombed Dubai and leader can’t close the tournament. over the Bulldogs 11,075. That’s a “WOW” the Falcons on a one year contract with the round of 32. Several of all commercial flights were can- NCAA BASKETBALL LATEST Women: Texas defeated top- NBA cancels Atlanta Hawks and Malik Willis to the Dolphins. the stars are there including, No- celled. Great Gesture Jon! SURPRISES ranked South Carolina to win the Magic City Promotion Night. Luke Travis Kelce: Agrees to a deal to vak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Zack Johnson wins his debut Men: Marquette 68, No. 4 SEC Tournament; Ole Miss (No. Kornet from the San Antonio Spurs return to the Chiefs for the 2026 American Ben Shelton who is ris- in the Champions Tour (AKA Se- UConn 62: The Golden Eagles 7 seed) stunned No. 5 Vanderbilt wrote: “it would reflect poorly on us season. ing in the rankings. nior Tour). He joins Don January, stunned the Huskies on senior day, in the SEC Tournament; Oregon as an NBA community, specifically Steelers: Trading for WR Mi- Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil breaking UConn’s three-game win- State (No. 4 seed) upset top-seeded in being complicit in the potential chael Pittman Jr. and signing him Sources: ESPN , Personal Library, Mickelson, Gary Player and Rocco ning streak and affecting their No. Loyola Marymount in the WCC objectification and mistreatment of to a 3-year, $59M extension, while Google, MSN Sports, On-Line me- Mediate. Obviously being a “rook- 1 seed potential. Santa Clara 76, semifinals; Colorado defeated Kan- women in our society”. Well, most also adding RB Rico Dowdle. dia. Professional Team Sports By Alex Alvarez three-pointer to win: “He busted New York Knicks 41-25, Cleveland Spurts 47-17; Minnesota Timber- NHL- Western Conference: Colora- my butt tonight. That last game, I Cavaliers 40-25; Toronto Raptors wolves 40-24, Houston Rockets 39- CONFERENCE STANDINGS do Avalanche 95-points, Dallas 88 NBA NEWS AND STANDINGS knew I played well and got a block 36-27; Orlando Magic 35-28; Mi- 24; Los Angeles Lakers 39-25; Den- ARE AS FOLLOWS: points, Minnesota Wild 85-points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ties in a big moment. Tonight, he made ami Heat 36-29; Philadelphia 76ers ver Nuggets 39-26; Phoenix Sun Eastern Conference: Carolina Anaheim Ducks and Utah Ma- Wilt Chamberlain NBA record the shot in a big moment. He made 34-30; Atlanta Hawks 33-31; Char- 37-27; L.A. Clippers 32-32; Golden Hurricanes 88 points, Buffalo Sa- mooth 73-points, Vegas Golden for consecutive 20-point games at a couple of them. I know that I’m lote Hornets 32-33 Best 10 game State Warriors 32-32; Portland Trail bres 84 points , Tampa Bay Light- Knights 72-points, Edmonton 126 games! Denver Nuggets guard gonna play him again. I’m gon- streak: Boston Celtics and Miami Blazers31-34. Best 10 game streak: ing 82 points, Detroit Red Wings Oilers 70-points, Seattle Kraken Christian Braun gave an honest na play him in the playoffs,” said Heat at 8-2. Worst streak: Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder and San 79 points, Montreal Canadiens 67-points. assessment after their loss to the Braun. Nets and Wizards at 2-8. Antonio Spurs at 9-1. Worst streak: and Pittsburgh Penguins 78 points, Oklahoma City Thunder on Mon- Eastern Conference: Detroit Pis- Western Conference: Oklahoma Utah Jazz at 2-8. New York Islanders 77 points, Bos- Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, day, when SGA made a last second tons 45-18; Boston Celtics 43-21; City Thunder 51-15; San Atonio ton Bruins 76 points Google, On-Line media sports. Professional Individual Sports By Alex Alvarez majors, which more than triples Ar- Last year, Collin Morikawa lost They both made par on #18 which -16, Hennie Du Plessis -14, David Zach Johnson, a former Masters nie’s take of 7, but no other golfer in the lead and the tournament on the forced a playoff. Young Akshay won Ravetoo -13, and four golfers at -12. and Open Championship winner, PGA TOUR: ARNOLD PALMER the last 75 years has impacted golf 16th hole of the last round, to Russell on the first playoff hole with a par on Dan Bradbury climbed to 4th in the who turned 50 two weeks ago, won INVITATIONAL like Arnie, way on top of Nicklaus Henley, this year, the winner Akshay the toughest hole of the tournament, Race to Dubai contest, trailing #1 his Champions Tour debut with Outside the majors, there are and Tiger Woods. He was, and will Bhatia caught Daniel Berger on the #18, which played a little over 4.5 Patrick Reed. #3 Jayden Schaper and a score of -11 at the Old Course some specific tournaments the tour continue to be, “The King”. His cha- 16th hole with an eagle and took the strokes over the tournament. #3 Casey Jarvis. at Broken Sound in Boca Raton, players would like to win, and on the risma, his influence are like no other. lead with a par on the difficult #17 Other top players were: Ludvig Florida. He was followed by the top of the list is the Arnold Palmer Just ask any of Arnie’s Army people, (only one birdie all day in the hole Aberg and Cameron Young at -12, LPGA TOUR: BLUE BAY IN 2025 Charles Schwab Cup winner Invitational. The name says it all. who still exist after his passing in by none other that #1 World ranked Collin Morikawa at -11, and Sahith CHINA. Stewart Cink and Geroge McNeil From the 50’s to the mid-teens of 2016. Along with Nicklaus, Palmer player, Scottie Scheffler). Theegala, Russell Henly and Min Mi Hyang Lee won the Blue Bay at -7, Padraig Harrington Jamie the 21st century, there was no other was recognized with the Congres- Berger opened the tournament Woo Lee at -10. Two other players LPGA in China with a total score DonaldsonAlex Cejka, Steve Flesch jacket, other than the “green jack- sional Gold Medal (Palmer in 2012, with a 63 nine-under par and led tied at -8. of -11. She was followed by Weiwei and Steve Allan at -6. Stewart Cink et” from the Masters, that players Nicklaus in 2015) and the Presiden- by three. His 68 on the second day, Coming up: Player Champion- Zhang at -10, American Auston and Padraig Harrington are for- would love to wear, and that is the tial Medal of Freedom (Palmer in opened a weekend lead of five over ship Kim and Aditi Ashok at -8, and four mer major winners, Cink won the one earned by the winner of the Ar- 2004, Nicklaus in 2005). Akshay and six over five other golf- players at -7. Next on the LPGA 2009 Open Championship and nold Palmer Invitational at Palmar’s Thus, winning any of the two ers, but was only one ahead of Ak- DP WORLD TOUR: JOBURG Tour, coming home to the USA to be Harrington won the 2007 and 2008 backyard in Orlando. You not only tournaments left who are hosted by shay after 3 rounds, when Berger OPEN, IN SOUTH AFRICA. played at the Fortinet Founders Cup Open Championship and the 2008 won a big check, and a trophy, you former PGA Tour players (the sec- shot 72 and Bhatia’s 68. On Sunday, Dan Bradbury won his sec- in Californian march 19-22. PGA Championship. got a hug from the King himself on ond is the Memorial Tournament no one else got close to the lead, and ond Joburg Open in South Afri- the 18th green. That was worth a lot. hosted by Jack Nicklaus), is an honor Bhatia’s eagle on #16 tied got him ca with a total of 17 under par. He CHAMPIONS TOUR: JAMES Sources: ESPN, PGA Tour.com, Jack Nicklaus is the ultimate for the players, especially those who within one of Berger, and a bogey on was followed by Brandon Robin- HARDIE PRO FOOTBALL HALL LPGA.com, AP Tennis, Personal Li- champion of champions with 18 met Arnie in person. #17 gave Bhatia a share of the lead. son-Thompson and Casey Jarvis at OF FAME INVITATIONAL brary, MSN Sports, On-Line media.