Jade Jones takes over reins at Burlington

5/29/2019 |  Michael Swisher

Basketball has been a part of Jade Jones’ life as long as she can remember.

That’s not going to change anytime soon.

The point guard who led Pond Creek-Hunter to a state championship and set records at Northwestern Oklahoma State University now has a program of her own.

Jones was hired Tuesday to become the new girls basketball coach at Burlington High School. Her assignment was approved unanimously by the board of education during a special meeting.

“She’s got four starters back and a lot to live up to,” said Randy Turney, a hall of fame coach and Burlington’s athletic director who made the hire.

“But we’re excited to have her. She’ll do a great job.”

Jones takes over a program that’s been to the Class B state tournament six straight years under Kirsten Pruett. 

Pruett recently resigned to coach girls basketball at Cherokee.

The beginning of Pruett’s string of state tournament appearances was the end of Jones’ high school career, one that culminated with her hoisting the Class A gold ball in 2014, giving Pond Creek-Hunter its only basketball title.

Lifting that trophy with her was her coach, Tasha Diesselhorst, also Turney’s daughter, who coached Jones since the sixth grade.

Standing nearby was Pond Creek boys coach Darin Jones, who just happens to be Jade’s dad and was her fifth grade coach after grooming her for the game all the years before.

In other words, she’s surrounded by basketball.

“I think I’ve had a couple of decent coaches to learn from along the way,” Jones said. “Without them, I wouldn’t think I’m ready to do this.

“But because of them, I think I’m ready.”

After guiding PC-H to a championship, Jones played two years under Kelsi Bond Musick at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

However, Diesselhorst was hired to turn around the NWOSU program and Jones knew she wanted to be a part of that with her and transferred.

After sitting out one season, Jones played two seasons for the Lady Rangers, wrapping up her career earlier this year.

All the while, Jones was absorbing the game from Diesselhorst.

“If I wasn’t playing or in practice, we were constantly talking basketball,” she said.

Turney, a mentor to his own daughter, was always nearby.

“After a game we’d talk about it,” Jones said. “Maybe you didn’t always want to hear what he was going to say, but you’d listen,” she said.

Jones said learning from those two and the staff at SWOSU, plus a lifetime of molding from her own father, will shape the kind of coach she plans to be.

“They all made an impact on me,” Jones said. “As I go into coaching, I’ll take different things from all those people.”

However, she didn’t know it would be this soon.

Jones was prepared to work with elementary teams at Drummond prior to the Burlington job opening up.

Turney, however, had different plans for her.

“If she’s paid attention to what she’s been taught since the sixth grade, she’ll be alright,” he said. “She’s been around it all her life. She’s done it all in high school and in college. Now it’s time for her to take the next step.”

Jones feels that step is the right one.

“I think Burlington is without a doubt a good fit,” he said. “I grew up in a small town playing basketball. Burlington is a small town and that’s all they do there.

“I like the fact that starting the first day, we can be playing basketball.”

* Photo credit Tim Billy.

PODCAST TIME! Wall to wall basketball and wrestling

2/28/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Medals and trophies have been handed out to wrestlers across the state. Now it’s time for basketball teams to start claiming hardware.

Ben and Michael dive into Class A & B state basketball tournaments on tap this week, and they guys also make their predictions in each class.

Ben breaks down what happened at the state wrestling tournament and some of the various highlights along the way. 

Also added a new segment where the guys named their MVPs of the week. Listen in and find out who they dubbed as last week’s MVPs.

All that leading up to Michael's interview with Okarche coach Ray West. You don't want to miss what West had to say.

Thanks for listening & enjoy!

Have any feedback? Email the show at ben@skordle.com

Burlington's girls look to forge a new ending to their postseason

Girls Basketball | 3/1/2018 | Bruce Campbell | Enid News & Eagle

BURLINGTON, Okla. — Burlington’s girls hope to put history aside today when the 26-4 and No. 7-ranked Lady Elks face No. 3 Hammon (24-6) at 3:30 p.m. in the first round of the Class B state tournament at Yukon High School.

The Lady Elks are going to state for a school record fifth-straight time, but are trying to break a streak of four straight losses in the first round.

OBCA Announces Stellar Hall of Fame Class

5/3/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Five coaches with nearly 200 years experience and more than 3,800 victories make up the 2021 class of the Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The five – Larry Callison, Dan Hays, David Page, Bob Weckstein and the late Ray West – will be inducted during a luncheon in Edmond on June 5. Tim Bart, director of the OBCA Hall of Fame, revealed the roster of honorees this week.

The OBCA was formed in 1967 and the inaugural Hall of Fame induction was in 2002. The 2021 class brings the total of honorees to 115.

Ticket information and reservations may be obtained through Coach Bob Hoffman, University of Central Oklahoma, 580.478.9186 or bhoffman4@uco.edu.

The 2021 Hall of Fame selections:

Larry Callison. Coached boys and girls basketball during a 40-year career. Won state championships with boys at Ketchum (1995) and girls at Tahlequah Sequoyah (2015, ’17, ’18) and had three runners-up. Overall coaching record: 900-224 (552-117 in boys, 348-107 in girls), retiring in 2019. Coaching stops: Gore (1977-85), Ketchum (1985-97, 2010-12), Vian (1997-99), Stilwell (1999-01, 2005-06), Eufaula (2001-03, 2006-08), Boynton (2003-05), Tahlequah Sequoyah (2013-19). Member of Oklahoma Coaches Association and Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association halls of fame.

Dan Hays. During a 38-year collegiate career, compiled record of 724-470 at Northwestern Oklahoma State (five seasons, 71-68 record) and Oklahoma Christian University (33 seasons, 653-402). Holds record for most wins by men’s basketball coach at a four-year Oklahoma college. Spent three years as assistant at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Product of Albuquerque, N.M. Inducted into NAIA Hall of Fame, 1998.

David Page. 39 years as coach (36 as head coach). Ranks fifth all time among Oklahoma prep boys basketball coaches with 744 victories. Coached at Blackwell (1980-90), Hominy (1990-98), Yale (1998-2004), Pawnee (2004-current). Won state championships at Yale (1999, 2000) and Pawnee (2005, ’08-09-10) with two runner-up finishes. Product of Oklahoma’s cradle of coaches, Cleveland. Member of Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Bob Weckstein. Began coaching career with baseball (seven seasons) and girls basketball (four seasons) at Okarche before hitting his stride in boys basketball at Frontier in 1989. Has won six state championships at Frontier, the consolidated Red Rock-Marland schools, with a record of 650-240. Recently retired as superintendent at Frontier, but will remain as the head coach. Played for OBCA Hall of Fame coach J.V. Haney.

Ray West. Died in 2019 while in 45^th year as head coach. Ranks No. 2 all-time among Oklahoma boys basketball coaches with record of 853-391. Coaching stops: Fort Supply (1974-76), Gould (1976-77), Purcell (1977-78), Mountain View (1978-81), Mustang (1981-82), Cordell (1982-94), Okarche (1994-2019). President of OBCA 1992-93. Will be inducted into Oklahoma Coaches Association Hall of Fame in July.

Garber's Jones Passes Boys Basketball Torch to Reed

4/8/2021 |  Michael Swisher

Little did Fletcher Reed know that when he was coaching Snyder in the state basketball semifinals, he was also taking part in a job interview of sorts.

Reed on Wednesday night was named the new boys basketball coach at Garber High School when that district’s board of education unanimously approved the move.

He takes over for Will Jones, who coached the program for four seasons. 

His tenure culminated with the 2020 Class A state championship and a runner-up trophy in 2021.

Jones, also Garber’s superintendent, stepped down from his basketball job shortly after the season ended and Reed was someone he had his mind on to take his place.

And it was mostly from what he witnessed a couple weeks prior at The Big House.

“I didn’t know much about him before the season,” Jones admits about Reed.

For good reason.

Reed was just in his second year as head coach at Snyder. Prior to that, he spent one season as a graduate assistant at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Fletcher Reed

In the high school coaching landscape, he was still getting his feet wet.

“Then I started hearing some rumbles about maybe Snyder being a contender from down in that part of the state,” Jones added.

Snyder finished the regular season 14-2 and was ranked 11th.

The playoffs hit and, in the regional, the Cyclones beat No. 7 Caddo.

In the area final, they were even more impressive as they handily beat No. 1 Fort Cobb-Broxton to earn their first trip to state since 2015.

“When I saw they beat Fort Cobb, I thought, ‘OK, there’s another bully on the block now’ and I really perked up,” Jones said.

He got some film on Snyder and was immediately struck by what he saw.

“I loved the edge his team played with,” Jones said. “They came out swinging every night.”

As Jones was coaching Garber through the Class A state bracket, he spent his time scouting future foes.

That included the semifinal matchup between Snyder and Hydro-Eakly.

Hydro-Eakly won - just as it did the next night against Garber - but not without being taken into overtime.

Jones was sold by what he saw on the court and on Snyder’s sideline.

“There was this really well-dressed, young guy,” Jones said. “But beneath that surface of those nice clothes was a fighter.

“He’s a young coach, but he doesn’t coach young.”

A Hobart native, Reed said he struggled with the choice to leave Snyder, but called Garber “the right fit.”

“Just watching Garber the last two or three years and seeing how they compete at a high level every night really intrigued me,” Reed said. “Their kids seem coachable and they’re very competitive and I know the community support is outstanding.

“And also, in getting to know Coach Jones, I knew he’d be great to work for.”

As he was coaching at the state tournament, Reed was quite unaware that Jones might have had some future plans for him.

“We were just in the midst of a playoff run and trying to do the best job to put ourselves in a position to win,” he said. “So I didn’t think of it that way, but when you put it that way, it’s cool to think about.”

Now Reed gets to think about taking from Jones the torch of a program that’s been to state three years in a row and won 84 percent of its games during that stretch.

Jones is confident he’s found the coach to do it.

“A goal of mine was to make sure the program didn’t take a step back,” he said. “We’ve built a good foundation here. I’m excited to see how high he can take it.”

BROKEN ARROW FIRES DAVID ALEXANDER

11/30/2020 |  Ben Johnson

BROKEN ARROW -- Some results over the weekend were stunning. But none near as shocking as the news from Broken Arrow to start the week.

In a release from the school on Monday morning, Broken Arrow announced it was stripping David Alexander of his head coaching duties. A move no one saw coming, including Alexander himself.

Two years after leading the Tigers to their first state championship, Alexander, 56, now finds himself without a head coaching gig. He went 60-23 in seven seasons and finished with a state runner-up finish in 2015.

“We appreciate and thank coach Alexander for his dedication and time with the program," said Chuck Perry, associate superintendent of student services, in a statement released by the district.

"His legacy has been cemented in the fact that he came home to his high school alma mater and was the first coach to take the program to the top of the mountain. After much consideration, though, we feel the timing is right and is in the best interest of the district to move in a new direction.”

Alexander gradated from Broken Arrow in 1982.

The district said the search for the next head coach begins immediately.

Playoff Picks - Nov. 27

11/27/2020 |  Korry Rogers

We are back! A good week for Whitt last week, who is still too far behind to matter.

We are one week closer to handing out gold balls, so let’s fire off some more picks for the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds!

Last week (overall):

Whitt: 16-3 (87-36)

Swish: 13-6 (91-32)

Ben: 13-6 (95-28)

WEEK 3 - PLAYOFF GAMES & PICKS

Playoff picks - Nov. 20

11/20/2020 |  Ben Johnson

PLAYOFF GAMES - WEEK 2 - PICKS

Broken Arrow @ Union
Westmoore @ Santa Fe

2020 Playoff Preview

11/20/2020 |  Ben Johnson

What we saw last week was technically the playoffs. Now it starts for real and we have some thoughts to share...

Quick playoff snapshot from the Skordle guys…

Ben Johnson

Most dangerous team

- Bixby (Class 6AII) - Duh! Most likely the best team in the state, regardless of class. Braylin Presley is the real deal. Good luck to anyone playing the Spartans.

Breakout player

Class 4A: Emmanuel Crawford (Grove) - Sophomore running back should start catching eyeballs real quick. Grove has a tough path through Hilldale and potentially Weatherford, but the Ridgerunners are a team to keep an eye on moving forward.

Upset alert

- Kind of taking this the opposite direction because I’ve heard chatter about some thinking Central will beat Lincoln Christian. I don’t see it. KT Owens and Co. are good but not good enough to take down the Bulldogs.

Best mascot

Class 2A - Atoka Wampus Cats - That’s too easy! Eufaula Ironheads is always solid, too.

Don't count this team out

Class 2A - Kellyville - Trevor Jones is rock solid at running back and Colton Ayres is solid at QB. Ponies take on a quality OCS team, and the winner should like its chances in that quadrant of the 2A bracket.

Class predictions

6AI - Owasso

6AII - Bixby

5A - Carl Albert

4A - Wagoner

3A - Holland Hall

2A - Vian

A - Cashion

B - Dewar

C - Timberlake

Michael Swisher

Most dangerous team - Choctaw (6AII) - Yes, Bixby is the best team. We all know that. Nobody’s arguing it. But Choctaw has just enough talent to be that dangerous sleeper. Not upset alert…but dangerous enough. Bixby has blown out everyone this year except Jenks (not a bad 6AI team if you weren’t aware) and….Choctaw. The Yellow Jackets played them within 11 in the regular season. 

Best first-round matchup - Newcastle at Tuttle (4A) - Piedmont and El Reno is intriguing. So is Booker T. and Midwest City. However, this matchup between friendly(?) neighbors is Week 2 rematch that saw the Tigers escape 24-21. 

Upset alert - OSSAA - Yeah, I took the easy way out and didn’t pick a team. But, in all seriousness, if we are able to get through this season and these playoffs, it will be an upset of sorts for it to have been pulled off. I took an unofficial poll prior to the season starting asking some fellow media members if they felt a football season would even take place. It ranged from “no” to “probably shouldn’t, but it’s possible.” There were no straight up “yes” answers. God bless anyone who has been affected directly or indirectly by COVID, and I mean that, but we needed football.

Don’t count this team out - Shattuck (B) - Yes, the Indians got BLASTED by Laverne in the final week of the regular season. Sure, maybe it’s not all “sunshine and rainbows” way out west. However, it’s still Shattuck. The three-time defending state champs have pulled off the improbable before. Am I saying it’s going to happen again? No, but don’t count them out.

Dream matchup - Pawhuska vs. Cashion (A) - Pawhuska is putting up numbers this year that would make most basketball coaches envious. Led by Bryce Drummond, the Huskies average 69.5 - YES, 70! (rounded up of course) - points a game. Cashion, meanwhile, prefers to not surrender points and only gives up 8.5 a game. It’s strength vs. strength if these two meets - as we suspect - in the Class A semifinals. The opposite units aren’t bad either. Cashion scores 48.6 a game while the Huskies give up 15.3. It has all the makings of a matchup classic. Of course, a win only puts you in the finals. The victor could very well get defending champ Ringling the next week.

Class predictions

6AI - Owasso

6AII - Bixby

5A - Carl Albert

4A - Weatherford

3A - Holland Hall

2A - Vian

A - Cashion

B - Laverne

C - Timberlake

Whitt Carter

Most dangerous team

Sulphur’s Smith ahead of the pack in 2020

11/12/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Story by Whitt Carter

Sulphur’s Logan Smith showed early on in his career that he had a chance to be a special player.

The 6-foot-1, 200 lb. senior always possessed elite speed and good size for a running back at the Class 3A level.

But did he ever think he would join the conversation as one of the best ever at Sulphur?

“Being in that category with some studs is crazy to think about,” he said. “Those are the guys I looked up to as a kid.”

Crazy as it sounds, Smith certainly has a seat at the table, as he currently leads the entire state – all classes – in rushing through the end of the regular season.

Smith has carried 173 times for 2,018 yards and 27 touchdowns, which are eye popping numbers at any level.

He is 304 yards ahead of Luke Tarman from Bishop McGuinness, the closest rusher to the distant Bulldog leader.

For Smith, his success this season can be attributed to a multitude of things, especially the guys he has around him and the creative play-calling from the Sulphur coaches.

“I have a lot of trust in my offensive line,” he said. “And the rest of the offense, too. And believing in coach (Corey) Cole to put us in the best spot for success on that specific down.”

Many that watch Sulphur each year and each week have seen Smith improve each year, but especially this season, where he took a huge jump from being very good to great.

“I just tried to stay dedicated in the weight room and have a focused mindset on what I wanted to accomplish in football and this season,” he said.

Smith thinks the weight room has been his biggest friend and key to his success, as it is something he has gone all-in on each day.

“Getting in there and working will eventually play a tremendous role in your success,” he said. “It is a big part of my everyday life and has made the biggest impact on the field for me.”

Strength and conditioning, along with track, has helped the senior develop top-level speed and agility, something he puts on display seemingly each week, as he is truly a big-play waiting to happen.

Smith has 18 touchdowns this year of 40 yards or more, including 11 in the last four games.

He has also rushed for over 300 yards in back-to-back games, including a 312-yard, six touchdown performance last Friday night in the win over Lone Grove, which followed a win over Plainview in which Smith racked up 351 yards and four scores.

“I think my strengths as a runner are my size, speed and vision,” he said. “And having the awareness to know when to cut or not.”

He also is a big-time weapon in the passing game, catching 15 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns this season. Smith also has a 53-yard punt return for a score.

The senior also has the luxury of having an offensive line that is experienced, and also, improving each week, helping pave the way for over 320 rushing yards per game as a team.

“I’d say the offensive line is the main reason why I have every yard I do,” Smith said. “They have done a great job and without them I wouldn’t have a single yard.”

Spoken like a true leader, which is something Sulphur head coach Jim Dixon has praised Smith for adopting as he has gotten older, developing into the leader for the 2020 Bulldogs.

“I try to focus on being a leader on an off the field and working hard no matter what happens that day,” he said. “I was fortunate enough to see guys like Trey (Kiser) lead us when I was younger and that’s just what I try to do.”

That’s how Smith wants to leave his legacy among the Sulphur greats, for leading the way and continuing to lead by example.

“I want to be remembered for my work ethic and leadership and honestly, how I impacted our team’s success,” he said.

What that success becomes is still yet to be determined, as the Dogs now shift focus to the playoffs.

But for Smith and his teammates, there is only one goal in mind.

“We want to win a state championship,” he said. “When you are at Sulphur, that’s the goal every year.”

How Smith envisions his team giving themselves a chance at accomplishing their ultimate goal is really no surprise.

“We have to stay true to what we do and trust in what we have been doing all year,” he said. “And we know if we keep working hard, we will give ourselves a shot.”

Photo credit: DeJay Arms

Week 10 picks

11/6/2020 |  Ben Johnson

Games

Jenks @ Westmoore

PC North @ Stillwater

Booker T @ Bixby

Lawton Mac @ Ardmore

Tahlequah @ Collinsville

Tuttle @ Blanchard

Poteau @ Broken Bow

Wagoner @ Skiatook

Lincoln @ Stigler

Kingfisher @ Anadarko

Sulphur @ Lone Grove

Vinita @ Verdigris

Adair @ Claremore Seq.

Christian Heritage @ Washington

Prague @ Chandler

Crescent @ Cashion

Thomas @ Texoma

Shattuck @ Laverne

Regent Prep @ Davenport

Midway @ Sasakwa

Whitt Carter

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Ardmore

Collinsville

Tuttle

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln

Kingfisher

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Sasakwa

Michael Swisher

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Lawton Mac

Collinsville

Tuttle

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln Christian

Anadarko

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Sasakwa

Ben Johnson

Jenks

Stillwater

Bixby

Ardmore

Collinsville

Tuttle 

Poteau

Wagoner

Lincoln

Kingfisher

Sulphur

Verdigris

Adair

Washington

Chandler

Cashion

Thomas

Shattuck

Davenport

Midway

SKORDLE SAMPLER - Week 10 (2020)

11/5/2020 |  Michael Swisher

By John Hardaway - I Even Eat BBQ on Pizza

Someplace I like to eat – Jo’s Famous Pizza

Jo’s Famous Pizza is one of my favorite pizza places in Oklahoma.

I visit the Edmond location regularly and will continue to do so forever. It’s a great place with awesome staff and service who will go beyond and above to continue earning your business. 

I have also been to the original Jo’s in Purcell a handful of times and it’s never disappointed either. 

What makes Jo’s so great in my opinion is the incredible crust that’s flaky and buttery every time. They also only use fresh ingredients for toppings. 

They have all the classic pizzas. If you like Pepperoni Pizza, you probably won’t find a better one around!