March 21, 2026 Issue, Page 3 of 14

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 2026 • 3 Trey Rios Pete Drouhard Heath Martin - 3rd in Driving Geary Don Burrows Drew Spitzer Chris Venegas Blake Ramirez - Long Hitter with 301 Barry Christian 'Hawk' Basketball and More By Alex Alvarez participate in the 64 top teams the women will play theirs Two girls’ teams qualified in college basketball was done in Phoenix, AZ. (Mortgage for their respective State Tour- HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL MERRITT Softball. Season TO ALL SPORTS’ FANS: last Sunday, and there were no Matchup Center). nament: Canute, who won the AND SOFTBALL starts in 10 days Starting with last weeks noticeable surprises: The latest Rankings as of tournament, and Merritt who ELK CITY H.S. Baseball Re- golf tournament and ending In the Men’s Bracket, the Tuesday March 17, changed begins State Tournament on cord: 4-4 CANUTE Baseball. Record with the NBA and NHL play- top, leading the East, West, little: Wednesday march 11. The Elks current record is 5-0 offs, you have lots of TV to Midwest, and South regions 4-4: Wins vs Woodward 18-8, Wins vs Woodward 8-7, watch for about 90 days: Play- in order are: Duke, Arizona, MEN: #1Duke, #2Arizo- #1 CANUTE CLASS A and 104; Western Heights 11-0 Frederick 17-1, Granite 16-6, ers Championship, The Final Michigan and Florida. #2 seeds na, #3Michigan, #4 Florida, GIRLS: Coach Tatum Ridling. and Victory Christian 9-4. Weatherford 11-0, Leedy 11-9 4, The Masters, NHL playoffs, in each of the above in order #5 Houston, #6Iowa State, #7 Record 28-1. State Champions! Losses vs Chickasha 6-7, New NBA Playoffs, and the begin- are UConn. Purdue, Iowa State UConn , #8 Purdue Castle 8-21, Tuttle 0-16, and CANUTE Slow Pitch Soft- ning of major League baseball. and Houston. #4 MERRITT CLASS 2-A Shawnee 6-7. ball. Record 3-3. So get your DVR ready! Add In the Women’s Bracket, the WOMEN: #1 UConn, #2 Girls. Coach Jeff Daugherty. Wins vs Sterling 15-5, Paragon TV with Big Elk TV, top, leading the for regions are UCLA, #3 South Carolina, #4 Record 24-3. Won Area Cham- ELK CITY Softball Macarthur 18-4 and Ft. Cobb/ and you have a lot of local UConn, UCLA, South Caroli- Texas, #5 LSU, #6 Vanderbilt, pionship against Riverside 57- Starts in 10 days Broxton 22-13. Losses vs Mus- games to watch. na and Texas. #’2 are Vander- #7 Iowa, #8 Duke. Oklahoma 51 and begin State Champion- tang 1-13, Rof 10-11, Arapaho/ bilt, LSU, Iowa and Michigan. Sooners is #10. ship on Wednesday March 11. MERRITT Baseball. Record Butler 14-25. MARCH MADNESS HAS The men will play their fi- Lost their first game in quar- 1-1 Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, ARRIVED! nal four in Indianapolis, Indi- FINAL AREA BASKETBALL terfinals of State Tournament Win vs Burns Flat/Dill City OSSAA, On-Line media sports. The selection of the teams to ana (Lucas Oil Stadium) and RECORDS against #8 Latta 41-49. 24-6; Loss vs Hobart 21-23 Sports Tidbits By Alex Alvarez Commissioner, has been floating in annual revenue. 126. Alexander now has 128. How- ing against Federer every round” activities that are overlapping with some really good ideas for the PGA ever, remember that the 3-Point - He lost to Daniil Medvedev in the worlds, and also I don’t have much GOLF: Tour. One is that “elevated events” NCAA BASKETBALL basket did not start until 1979, six semifinals, and Daniil lost to Jannik time training,” Alysa Liu said. “So, I I’m always asked, “Who is Going go from 70 players to 120. No ques- March Madness begins later in years after Chamberlain retired. Sinner in the final who had beat Al- can’t be doing worlds. I don’t think to Win this Weekend”? I copied my tion new ideas were needed. the week! exander Zverev. I’d put out my best performance.” answer from a quote of Ben Hogan: Scottie Scheffler is human! He Only the ladies of Oklahoma NFL Alexander Zverev revealed that United State shined on the Win- “I don’t know, that’s why they’re finished at -5 made it to the NCAA Final Tourna- Sam Howell was brought as an he and Carlos Alcaraz play golf ‘al- ter Paralympics in Italy with 20 playing, to see who wins”. Last This was the highest cut score in ment: the Oklahoma Sooner wom- additional quarterback for the Dal- most every’ every day when they medals total, 10 of them gold. weekend Ludvig Averg, the great 2026: everyone who had +2, made en are seeded #4 in their group, and las Cowboys, and they released Will are away from tennis…. But he did Mike Schultz 44 and friend and young player from Sweden and the cut. the Oklahoma State Cowgirls are Griar. Will Grier and John Milton not reveal who is better! Sources say “coach” of Noah Elliot, earned a Texas Tech graduate, could not do For the record: the PGA Tour ac- seeded 8 in their group/ will back up Dak Prescott. that they are both around 8 hand- bronze medal in his last ever ap- anything wrong for three rounds, quired 415 acres of Florida swamp- Many ask “when will the Cow- icap. pearance in the games, but was very and led by three after 54 holes, but land for just $1 in 1979, thanks to NBA boys release Jerry Jones from man- happy that his friend Noah won the couldn’t do much right on Sunday, Deane Beman. The Tour then used Shai-Gilgeous Alexander of agement? The answer is NEVER! OTHER gold medal! (Schultz makes artifi- shot 76 and Cameron Young, with that land to build TPC Sawgrass, Oklahoma City Thunder, broke the Alysa Liu, Olympic Champion, cial limbs for athletes). a 68, came from four behind to win host of The Players Championship, record for most consecutive games TENNIS withdrew from the World Cham- Sources: ESPN , Personal Library, The Players Championship. kickstarting a real estate business of 20 points or more that stood for Indian Wells Open: Carlos Al- pionships and lamented, “There’s Google, MSN Sports, On-Line me- Brian Rolap, the new PGA Tour that now generates ~$150 million years by Wilt Chamberlain who had caraz quoted: “I feel like I’m play- so many commitments I have and dia. Professional Team Sports By Alex Alvarez (Brooklyn Nets) being ques- Timberwolves. They are begin- geles Lakers 43-25; Houston 2-4 weeks) and Joel Eriksson Eastern Conference: Caroli- tionable for upcoming games. ning a road trip through Orlan- Rockets 41-26, Denver Nug- Ek (MIN), while Seth Jones na Hurricanes 90 points, Buf- NBA NEWS AND STAND- Meanwhile, as of March 17, do, Brooklyn, Washington, and gets41-27, Minnesota Tim- returns for the Panthers. Also, falo Sabres 88 points , Tampa INGS Oklahoma City Thunder star Philadelphia. berwolves 41-27, Phoenix Sun as of March 17, 2026, major Bay Lighting 84 points, Pitts- Less than 20 games are left in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is CONFERENCE STANDINGS: 39-29; L.A. Clippers 34-34; NHL news includes Edmon- burgh Penguins 83, Detroit the NBA’s regular season. Not dominating the NBA, recently Eastern Conference: Detroit Golden State Warriors 33-35; ton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl Red Wings 82 points, Montreal much has changed in the stand- extending his record-break- Pistons 48-19; Boston Celtics Portland Trail Blazers33-36. being ruled out for the rest of Canadiens 82-points, Boston ings in either conference. Re- ing streak to 128 consecutive 45-23; New York Knicks 44- Best 10 game streak: Oklahoma the regular season with a low- Bruins and New York Islanders cent NBA stories feature Max games with 20+ points. He is 25; Cleveland Cavaliers 41-27; City Thunder and Los Angeles er-body injury. The LA Kings 81 points. Strus (Cleveland Cavaliers) a top contender for the 2026 Orlando Magic 38-29; Toronto Lakers 9-1Worst streak: Utah fired coach Jim Hiller follow- Western Conference: Colo- making his season debut after MVP award and has led the Raptors 38-29; Miami Heat 38- Jazz and Dallas Maverick at 2-8 ing a slump, while the Chicago rado Avalanche 97-points, Dal- a 67-game absence, Joel Embiid Thunder to an 8-game winning 30; Atlanta Hawks 37-31; Phil- Blackhawks signed 2024 first- las 95-points, Minnesota Wild (Philadelphia 76’ers) returning streak, despite facing recent adelphia 76ers 37-31; Charlote NHL round pick Sacha Boisvert to 88-points, Anaheim Ducks to basketball activities after a criticism over his free-throw Hornets 34-34. Best 10 game As of March 17, major NHL an entry-level contract. The 77-points; and Utah Mammoth nine-game absence, and Luka rate. streak: Atlanta Hawks 10-0. news includes Radko Gudas Edmonton Oilers faces a play- 7-points, Vegas Golden Knights Dončić (Luka Doncic) earning The Oklahoma City Thun- Boston Celtics and Miami Heat (ANA) receiving a five-game off push without Leon Drai- and Utah Mammoth 76-points, Western Conference Player of der (53-15) are currently the at 8-2. Worst streak: Washing- suspension for kneeing, and saitl, significantly impacting Edmonton Oilers 75-points, the Week honors. Key inju- top team in the NBA, riding a ton and Indiana 0-10. Auston Matthews (TOR) deal- their offense. Seattle Kraken 71-points. ry updates include Stephen 7-game home winning streak Western Conference: Okla- ing with a Grade 3 MCL tear. Sources: ESPN, MSN Sports, Curry’s continued evaluation and an 8-game winning streak homa City Thunder 53-15; San Key player movements involve CONFERENCE STANDINGS Google, On-Line media sports. and Ben Saraf/Nolan Traoré overall, recently defeating the Atonio Spurts 50-18; Los An- injuries to Kirby Dach (MTL, ARE AS FOLLOWS: Professional Individual Sports By Alex Alvarez a distant 8 shots from the win- runner up places. It was Cam- a very difficult shot. He hit his An interesting story: Camer- at 8 under, and Patrick Rogers ner, and Rory McIlroy finished eron’s biggest win ever and his third shot just short of the green on is obviously used to pressure. and Brian Harman at 7 under. PGA TOUR: PLAYERS at even par, 13 shots behind and second win on the PGA Tour. and did not get up and down, so Before qualifying for the main Thomas surprised everyone CHAMPIONSHIP in a tie for 46th. The Ryder Cup best player in the his bogey cost him a chance for Tour, he qualified for his first since the previous week was It is nearly impossible to pre- For three rounds it looked as USA team last year in the Ryder a playoff. Korn Ferry Tour event through a dead last with 79-79 and miss- dict the winner of a tournament if Ludvig Aberg, a Texas Tech Cup battled one on one with Two-time major champion Monday qualifying tournament, ing the cut. on Tour because the courses graduate (the first college golfer Matt Fizpatrick, a former U.S. who is coming to form, Xander he placed 11th in the tourna- are so different. EVERYONE, to qualify for the tour via college Open Champion all day long. Schauffele birdied the last hole ment which qualified him for INDIAN WELLS OPEN: again, everyone on Tour can hit finishes in 2023) was going to Cameron was behind Matt since to finish 11 under par and in the following week, where he The top two players in the the ball great, not everyone has take the title as he had rounds hole #15, but made a courageous third place. And feisty Scottish placed 6th, which again, quali- world made the semifinals, the ability to score consistently. of 69-63-71 and was leading by birdie on the island green of #17 player, Robert McIntyre fought fied him for the following week, Jannik Sinner faced Alexander Players who hit their irons clos- 3 over Michael Thorbjornsen, to pull even. to the end but a costly bogey on where he placed 2nd. Those Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz faced er and can putt a little better, 4 over Cameron Young and 5 If he was nervous on #18, on the par 5 16th instead of a bird- three finishes qualified him for Daniil Medvedev. Sinner and are the consistent winners. So, over several golfers at 8 under which he made a double bogey ie, sent him too far back. the rest of the year, then he won Medvedev won their matches, if a player gets hot with the flat- par. But the tournament is to 72 to finish on Saturday, it didn’t The surprise of the tourna- a couple and made the main and then Sinner won the final stick, he will be in contention. holes, not to 54, or 63 for that show, as he hit a drive like a laser ment was 24 year-old from Can- Tour, where he has been a con- against Medved in straight sets If you would have placed a bet matter, and the nerves got to to only 98 yards from the hole, ada, who learned to play from sistent threat to first, and almost 7-6, 7-6. Sinner is still #2 in the on the #1 player in the world or Ludvig and finished with a fat that measures 475 yards. His 375 YouTube lessons and the Players won the Open Championship world. the defending champion who is 40 for the last nine holes and a yards drive was in the fairway of Championship was only his 8th in 2022, When Cameron Smith Coming up: Player Champi- #2 in the world now, you would 76 that took him to a tie for fifth the toughest hole in the tour- start on the tour, finishing in beat him by one. He will be one onship have been disappointed: Scottie with Sudarshan Yellamaraju and nament that played well over a tie for 5th and a paycheck of of the favorites to win the Mas- Sources: ESPN, PGA Tour. Scheffler could not find the bot- Jacob Bridgeman. While Camer- par. Matt followed with a drive $925,000 which surpassed his ters next month. com, LPGA.com, AP Tennis, tom of the hole and finished at 5 on Young and Matt Fitzpatrick to the right rough, avoiding the total winnings up to that point Other high finishers were: MSN Sports, On-Line media. under par and in a tie for 22nd, shot 68’s for the winning and water on the left, which left him of $850,000 and change. Sepp Straka and Justin Thomas