Sports

There’s defending and there’s Kingfisher.Stilwell found out the difference on Wednesday morning.The top-ranked Yellowjackets are back in the Class 4A semifinals after a 53-28 dismantling of the Indians in the quarterfinals at State Fair Arena.

There were those moments Wednesday night when the Kingfisher Lady Yellowjackets had all of State Fair Arena in the palms of their hands.Unfortunately, the moments were fleeting.

 There’s defending and there’s Kingfisher.Stilwell found out the difference on Wednesday morning.The top-ranked Yellowjackets are back in the Class 4A semifinals after a 53-28 dismantling of the Indians in the quarterfinals at State Fair Arena.

Even in this era of unreal expectations for Kingfisher High School boys basketball, Jared Reese won’t let some of the “smaller” accomplishments go uncelebrated.That includes qualifying for the state tournament.

Sometimes you catch the breaks.Sometimes you don’t. Hennessey didn’t on Tuesday and it saw the Eagles’ basketball season come to an end.Pocola’s Austin Hardwick made the front end of a oneand- one with 2.8 seconds to play to break a tie game.

Class 4A Girls Wednesday At State Fair ArenaGame 1: Harding Charter Prep vs. Tuttle, 4:30 p.m.Game 2: Bethany vs. Kingfisher, 6 p.m.Game 3: Verdigris vs. Ft. Gibson, 7:30 p.m.Game 4: Lincoln Christian vs. Classen SAS, 9 p.m.Friday At Yukon High School Winner 1 vs. Winner 2, noon Winner 3 vs.

Layton Choate continues to make sure his senior basketball season is a memorable one.Choate once again played a major role in a Hennessey victory, this one landing the Eagles in the state tournament.Hennessey dominated No.

The tears welled up in Emily Myers’ eyes when Kingfisher won the area consolation championship in 2022.The Lady Jackets completed the unlikely gauntlet of five wins in six days to reach the state tournament for the first time since 2009.

As if beating the topranked, defending state champion and overwhelming favorite to repeat wasn’t hard enough…Seiling had to make it even more diffi cult.The Ladycats put on a shooting display that would be tough for anyone to beat, including Okarche.

It was almost a helpless feeling for Kevin Lewallen.Next to him on the bench was senior Darcy Roberts, one of his necessary assets in Lomega’s bid to win a third state championship in four years.