Sports

A look up and down the stat sheet proved there wasn’t a lot that separated Okarche and No. 1 Hydro-Eakly in their Class A girls basketball semifinal.

Gone is the chance for a perfect season and that long win streak. But the chance for a repeat? That still remains. The Kingfisher Yellowjackets made their way into their fourth straight Class 4A state basketball tournament as expected last weekend. How they got there was the unexpected part.

Before his team even walked out of the locker room Friday night, John Hardaway felt good about Saturday. Cashion backed up his intuition by erasing a 24-year drought.

Perhaps Lomega’s dominance of Class B girls basketball this season was best summed up by coach Kevin Lewallen’s reaction when one of his best players fouled out with 1:52 left - in the third quarter! - of the state championship game. It wasn’t disgust. It wasn’t panic.

Lomega reigned supreme at State Fair Arena once again. The Lady Raiders downed sixth-ranked and defending champion Vamum 69-54 last Saturday to claim the Class B girls state championship. The title was the 14th for Lomega, which adds to a record it already held.

Hennessey’s hopes of a third straight trip to the state tournament came to a halt Thursday. No. 6 Community Christian held the Eagles to a season-low point total during a 48-33 triumph in a Class 3A area consolation quarterfinal at Western Heights High School.

A third-quarter explosion helped get the Cashion girls basketball team one step closer to the state tournament.

Lomega has already added to its state tournament legacy this weekend. It gets a chance to contribute even more on Saturday. The No. 1-ranked Lady Raiders blew out a pair of foes Thursday and Friday to punch their ticket into the Class B state title game.

When the ball left Rachel McDowell’s fingertips, Kelli Jennings turned and slapped her chair in disbelief. Then she heard the crowd roar… and all was well. McDowell’s trey with 3:12 to play completed a four-point trip down the floor in what turned out to be a 44-38 victory for Okarche against No.

For two weeks now, the loss to Elk City has been eating at coach Gerrett Spears and the Kingfisher girls basketball team. They get a chance to do something about it Friday.