NEW PODCAST: Spring sports spotlight and much more

5/10/2019 |  Ben Johnson

It's hardware galore as spring sports wind down. Michael and Ben dissect baseball, slowpitch softball, golf, track & soccer as teams and individuals enter the final weekend of competition for this athletic season.

Find out which performances this spring have impressed the guys the most, and listen in as they give props to the outstanding offensive performances at the slowpitch state tournaments that happened to close out the school year.

All that, plus some coaching moves to mention, including Justin Brown filling the shoes left by Larry Callison at Tahlequah Sequoyah. And also some football recruiting tidbits.

Thanks as always for listening.

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK! Have a topic you'd like discussed, or have any questions for us, feel free to contact the show at:

EMAIL: ben@skordle.com

@michaelswisher & @benjohnsontul

STATE TOURNAMENT PREDICTIONS!

3/6/2019 |  Ben Johnson

No introduction needed. Here are the "expert" picks for state tournaments taking place this weekend. (Oh, and listen to the podcast while you're at it!)

Class 6A

Boys

Ben Johnson - Edmond Memorial: There are so many players to love in this field -- Putnam City West’s Rondel Walker, Sapulpa’s Camryn Dennis, Putnam City North’s Micah Thomas, Booker T. Washington’s Bryce Thompson and so many more. But Shane Cowherd is bringing a team with talent across the board. There’s a reason the coaches in the state have the Bulldogs as the top-ranked team, so I’ll side with Cowherd and Co. over Booker T. Washington in the finals.

Michael Swisher - Edmond Memorial: The Bulldogs snuck in after losing to Midwest City and squeaking by rival Santa Fe. They’ll play better this week and bring the trophy down south.

Whitt Carter - Booker T Washington: This will be a fantastic tournament filled with teams that can win it. But I’ll take the Hornets, as they have the experience in big games and are hungry for a title. They had to watch Memorial win two in a row in Class 5A and this year their get one of their own. Another side note, BTW’s Seth Hurd is my favorite and the most underappreciated player in the state.

Girls

Ben - PC West: Reckless abandon is what the Patrios will play with this weekend, just like they’ve done all year. Not a ton of big-time scorers for PC West, but last year’s runner-up will hoist the gold ball this year.

Michael - Putnam City West: No. 1 in Oklahoma. Nationally-ranked. Haven’t lost to a team from Oklahoma. Won’t this weekend, either.

Whitt - Putnam City West: They were right there last year and had their title taken in the waning seconds by Owasso. All they’ve done this year is go 23-1 with a loss to Skyline, TX and dominate the teams inside the state of Oklahoma. Their relentless style of play and approach will be the difference, as they finish on Saturday this time and cut down the nets.

Class 5A

Boys

Ben - Memorial: Boone twins. It’s that simple. The Chargers have been a dynamo in 5A with two straight titles and now going for a third. Northwest Classen is good, but can Davion Warden and Co. make it to the title game and then take down the Chargers? I don’t see it.

Michael - Memorial: Lenny Hatchett has Del City playing so well, but I can’t pick against Memorial. Neither should you.

Whitt - Memorial: Let’s all be honest, this is the easiest pick from any of the classes. Bobby Allison and gang are just on another level. The Boone twins will, once again, wow the crowds at the Mabee Center with their athleticism and impact on both ends of the floor. The Chargers get another one, sending Kalib and Keylan out with a bang.

Girls

Ben - Piedmont: Per usual, the 5A girls field is pretty much anyone’s for the taking. Rogers is dangerous, but then so is El Reno with Ashlyn Evans-Thompson leading the charge. Coweta is young but talented, and East Central is always a threat. But for this year, I’ll go with the Wildcats, led by Delanie Crawford (14.8 points a game) and Maci Attalla (13.6).

Michael - Piedmont: El Reno beating Ardmore at area put the bracket in a funk as it appears loaded at the bottom. Coach Carr’s team will emerge from that and then claim gold on Saturday.

Whitt - Ardmore: They suffered a surprising and tough loss to El Reno at the area tournament last week, but I think that may work to the Lady Tigers advantage by waking them up. This team rolled through the first part of the season, losing their first game in late January. Ardmore cuts down the nets and gets its’ third gold ball.

Class 4A

Boys

Ben - Kingfisher: Some unbelievable talent in this field -- Broken Bow’s Josh Jones (20.4 points per game), Central’s B.J. Jefferson (16), Elgin’s Conner Slater (16.3), Kingfisher’s Trey Green (17) and Heritage Hall’s Trey Alexander (24.8). And what’s scary is a lot of these teams will return a lot of talent next season. But for now, I’m zeroing in on a Kingfisher-Heritage Hall title game for a second straight year. This time the gold ball goes to Jett Sternberger, Matt Stone, Bijan Cortes and Co.

Michael - Kingfisher: I live in Kingfisher. I have to pay my bills. I have to pick the Yellowjacket. Oh, and they’re really, really good. And hungry. If they get by dangerous Elgin in the quarters, look out.

Whitt - Kingfisher: The class that everyone is excited for will take center stage at the Fairgrounds for all three days. Heritage Hall beat the Yellowjackets in the title game last year and are 26-0 this year. But the star-studded Kingfisher remembers that loss last March and will want revenge. They get it and send out their seniors with a second gold ball.

Girls

Ben - Anadarko: Top half of the bracket -- Holland Hall, Muldrow, Elgin and Classen SAS -- is STACKED. Again, STACKED. That’s part of the reason I went with Anadarko. The Warriors still have their work cut out for them, but I’m rolling the dice with Kaylee Borden (12 points a game), Averi Zinn and the rest of the Anadarko team to win its third gold ball.

Michael - Muldrow: Coaches tell me Classen SAS is as talented as they’ve seen in 4A in a while. And they’re young as they start three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior. That said, I’m going with Muldrow. Taylen Collins can match up with Littlepage-Buggs and Hannah Boyett can handle the pressure. And that’s just a semifinal. Don’t overlook Anadarko, either (it appears I am).

Whitt - Anadarko: A fairly wide open class, there are a handful of teams I could see winning it. I’ll go with the tradition-rich Anadarko, who beat one of the favorites, Classen, last Friday in the area finals. When the Lady Warriors get the press up and running, you better handle the pressure or things can unravel quickly.

Class 3A

Boys

Ben - Millwood: Kingston’s Jacob Germany is as good as it gets in this field, but I’ll side with the athleticism of the Falcons here. Give me Justin Wilson and Isaiah Williams and the rest of the Falcons.

Michael - Here’s hoping for a Kingston-Millwood final (all apologies to you other six). I’ve got personal ties to Millwood, so the fan in me is pulling for the Falcons all the way. The business side in me says Kingston won’t be denied.

Whitt - Millwood: I’ll take the Falcons to win the gold ball here. Several really good teams that you can pick here, including Kingston or Sequoyah on the other side. Ultimately, I think Millwood gets the winner of that eventual semifinal and beats them. Millwood has not lost inside the class this year and that won’t change this weekend.

Girls

Ben - Christian Heritage: Up from 2A, the Crusaders are still loaded. Tahlequah Sequoyah is probably the favorite, but I’ll side with Olivia Curtis and Rylee Langerman.

Michael - Sequoyah-Tahlequah: CHA has won the last two 2A crowns and is a sleeper, but this isn’t 2A and the Lady Crusaders aren’t as deep as they have been. Larry Callison rides into the sunset with another state championship.

Whitt - Christian Heritage: Another class with some big time teams, but I’ll take CHA to win another title as it took the jump up a class this season. They know how to win and ultimately get past Sequoyah in what would be an awesome semifinal. Side note, I am really picking my alma mater, the Sulphur Lady Bulldogs - in Toby Todd we trust.

Class 2A

Boys

Ben - Hennessey: Total guess here, so I’m siding with Hennessey, who -- along with Hooker -- has only lost twice this season.

Michael - Hooker: This is the most wide-open bracket in OKC, in my opinion. Any number of teams can win…and also get beat Thursday. Hooker is one of them.

Whitt - Dale: They are coming off a big win over Hooker last week to punch their ticket to the state tourney. They have played well inside the class this year, going 12-2, only losing to Cashion a month ago and Rock Creek back in January.

Girls

Ben - Dale: I’m programmed to believe that Dale wins everything when its in any state tournament field. Pirates win again.

Michael - Howe: No Cashion and no CHA this year, which have been Howe’s kryptonite the last three years. Dale is in the way, but Jalei Oglesby caps her stellar career with the gold ball.

Whitt - Latta: I’ll go with what many would consider a sleeper pick here, but give me the Lady Panthers. They are a long team and present a bunch of problems defensively. They will have to get past top-ranked Dale in the semis and it would be the rubbermatch between the two.

PODCAST: More basketball on tap this week

3/6/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Made a big podcast addition this week. Ben & Swisher are joined by the Oklahoman's Jacob Unruh.

Jacob & Swisher recap the highlights and the championship moments from the Class A & Class B state tournaments.

Then the guys break down the state tournaments from 2A through 6A. And of course, PREDICTIONS! (Most sure to go wrong, in Ben's case).

Have feedback for the show? Tweet at us - @michaelswisher or @benjohnsontul | Or email us at ben@skordle.com

And as always, thanks for listening!

Latta blanks Byng, edges host Tigers

Baseball | 3/24/2018 | Brian Johnson | The Ada News

TUTTLE – Randis Gray fired a five-inning, one-hit shutout and Tyler Dean went 3-for-3 from the plate with two runs batted in, four runs scored and a walk Thursday as the Latta Panthers shut out the Byng Lady Pirates 10-0 in the Tuttle Tournament. Latta then clipped host Tuttle 7-6 in a come-from-behind win. The Panthers, ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, improved to 7-0 on the year, while Byng dipped to 5-6. Latta played Bethany Friday for a berth in today’s 7 p.m. championship game. Byng battled host Tuttle and Lawton Ike on Friday.

Vanoss becomes Latta's third shutout victim

Baseball | 3/17/2018 | Jeff Cali | The Ada News

The Latta High School baseball team is off to an impressive start to the 2018 spring season. Kyle Rogers pitched a four-inning no-hitter, and Tyler Dean pounded two home runs in Latta’s 15-0 win over host Vanoss Thursday evening. The Panthers are off to a 3-0 start and have recorded three straight shutout victories. Tyler Dean pitched five shutout innings in Latta’s 9-0 win over Ash

Smith shines in second half as Latta trips Hooker

Boys Basketball | 3/9/2018 | Jeff Cali | The Ada News

YUKON — Latta senior leader Trent Smith was, to say the least, frustrated while spending most of his time on the bench during the first half of a Class 2A State semifinal matchup with Hooker Friday night at Yukon High School. Smith took those frustrations out on the Bulldogs in the second half. The Latta playmaker scored 21 of his game-high 25 points over the final two quarters and stole a last-second inbound pass by Hooker as the buzzer sound to help the second-ranked Panthers trip No. 3 Hooker 42-41.

Latta girls upset No. 17 Am-Po

Girls Basketball | 2/28/2018 | Jeff Cali | The Ada News

AMBER — Latta senior Shaylee Senkel has a reputation. But don’t worry, it’s a good one.

Senkel is known to be one of the top on-ball defenders in Class 2A girls basketball. But her offense has been kind of an afterthought.

That is, until now.

Andrew Crow commits to OU

6/6/2019 |  Ben Johnson

Brent Marley worked tirelessly to circulate Andrew Crow’s game film. Rejoice Christian’s head coach wanted Crow, his star running back and defensive back, to receive the attention he was due.

It finally paid off Wednesday.

Crow’s accomplishments landed in the lap of Drew Hill, director of player personnel at the University of Oklahoma. From there, it didn’t take much time for OU to extend an invitation Crow’s way.

Now Crow will head to Norman in the fall, tweeting his commitment to the Sooners on Wednesday.

XXJANKEINS

“After countless phone calls from several people, mainly Coach Marley, I was able to get my film, state and accomplishments in front of Coach Hill and the staff at OU,” Crow told Skordle. “(Hill) contacted me after, and we went from there.”

Crow will serve as a walk-on for the Sooners, but it’s the goal Crow had in place all throughout his senior year at the small private school in Owasso.

“Playing at OU has always been a dream of mine,” said Crow, who rushed for 2,620 yards and 48 touchdowns his senior year. “I can’t put into words how blessed I am to be able to play at such an amazing program, and I think I’ll be able to show my skill set and make an impression when the opportunity comes.”

All of it is pretty remarkable, considering a harrowing night Crow endured in November. During the week leading up to Rejoice Christian’s Class A semifinal matchup with Christian Heritage, Crow was in a car accident that left his vehicle totaled. 

Crow was able to play, but the soreness was palpable throughout the entire game against the Crusaders.

“The car wreck was very traumatic, and I still can’t believe I walked away from the crash unharmed that night,” Crow said. “I just kept trusting God that if football was meant to be in my future then it would be and he provided.”

Crow will head to OU after helping the Eagles’ basketball team with the 2A state championship. But when asked to quantify where the OU commitment ranks, Crow said it stands in a category by itself.

“It’s hard to compare this one,” he said. “My teammates and coaches were always a huge reason for my high school awards. This is an amazing accomplishment, for sure, so I feel like it’s the cherry on top to finish out my amazing high school career.”

PODCAST: Summer is coming

6/4/2019 |  Ben Johnson

It's that time of year again. Summertime has arrived, and high school sports fans are left waiting for more games in August. But fear not! The Publics and Privates OKpreps Podcast will help get you through the slow months.

This week the guys recap some state tournament baseball, including Edmond Santa Fe and Pryor winning titles for the first time for both programs. The guys also look back on the memorable moments from the 2018-2019 athletic season, including some cross country, football, basketball and much more. 

The podcast closes out with Swisher breaking down this week's Skordle Shootout in Cushing. A solid field of small school hoopsters will be at Cushing Middle School, and Swisher gives you all the details you need to stop by and watch some basketball.

We'd welcome your feedback! Tweet at us - @michaelswisher & @benjohnsontul

Delk leaving Perry wrestling for Bentonville job

6/3/2019 |  Ben Johnson

The state’s flagship wrestling program will have a new coach when the 2019-2020 season begins.

Perry’s Ronnie Delk was hired as an assistant coach at Bentonville High School, after the school board in Arkansas approved the move Monday.

Delk took over at Perry prior to the 2011-2012 season and guided the Maroons to eight straight dual state wrestling titles. He also helped the Maroons garner five team titles during his eight years, giving Perry now a state-best 43 state championships.

The two-time state champion from Collinsville heads to Arkansas after three of his Perry wrestlers won individual titles in 2019. Ryan Smith (113), Dylan Avery (132) and Hadyn Redus (152) were all state champions for the Maroons at State Fair Arena in February.

After having a season-best six individual champions in 2018, Delk departs Perry having coached 16 individuals to state championships, including Smith, Avery, Redus, Cale Betchan and David Thomas all being two-time state champions during that time.