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Laron Whiteshield
FAIRVIEW – Emotions boiled over Saturday night as Eagles player Laron Whiteshield had to be forcibly removed to the Watonga locker room during a playoff loss to the Merritt Oilers in Fairview.
After the game, Watonga officials said Whiteshield was goaded by a Merritt fan who used racist and derogatory language to Whiteshield as he was sitting on the Eagles bench.
Whiteshield quoted the man as saying: “Don’t your sorry ass look at me like that again.” When asked if the man used a racial slur, Whiteshield said, “Yes.”
Watonga Superintendent Kyle Hilterbran also told the Republican that the man used a racist word to Whiteshield. Two Merritt fans involved have since contacted the Republican and denied ever doing so.
The incident occurred with less than a minute left in a ballgame that Merritt controlled throughout. Whiteshield had left the game moments before after picking up his fifth foul. He was visibly frustrated when he returned to the Watonga bench, and sat at the end of it by himself. Tiffani Gallagher, wife of Watonga head coach Brandon Gallagher, moved and sat next to Whiteshield.
Moments later, Tiffani Gallagher could be seen restraining Whiteshield after the enraged player jumped to his feet. Watonga assistant coach Byron Cole intervened and forcibly removed Whiteshield to the Watonga locker room.
After Whiteshield was removed, Hilterbran approached the bench along with high school principal Todd Overstreet and other Watonga and Merritt officials. A security officer asked Merritt fans sitting directly behind the Watonga bench to move away from the bench; he and his party moved to the second level of seating.
When Watonga fans cheered the move, both the man and a woman with him waved and gestured at the Watonga section, as Merritt’s victory was imminent. The players were able to finish the final 30 seconds of the contest and shook hands.
After the game, Cole was visibly emotional and was consoled by friends and family. Whiteshield was able to leave the arena with his teammates after the game with no further incident.
“Emotions were running high on both sides,” Cole told the Republican after the game. “They (Merritt) got a big win, and they knew they beat a good team, so they let us know about it. The bad part about it is, when you have 15-, 16-, 17-year-old boys that are competitive, their juices are running high, sometimes emotions take over.”
Cole said the raucous Fairview crowd felt like “more of an Area final” than a first-round game at Regionals.
Watonga fell 75-62 to the Oilers. The game was emotional throughout; Watonga’s Deondre Dunn, who led the team in scoring and rebounding Saturday, grew frustrated in the second quarter after picking up a technical foul and left the court to the locker room for a few minutes before returning.
"We had several opportunities to take the game back, and we just lost it, mentally and emotionally," Cole said. "That's as much on the coaches as it is the kids."
On Sunday, Cole sent the Republican this statement:
"I'm upset and embarrassed that we still have issues like this in sports and life. Anytime an adult talks to a child like that, it's painful. Using racial slurs aren't called for at any time. My job here is to prepare these young men for life after school, and unfortunately, this is a tough one to teach. I'm thankful for our administration for stepping in and protecting the team and I hope this doesn't take from a great season. We need to come together and support these kids, and try to show them a great example of character."
Watonga is scheduled to play Cordell on Monday, Feb. 28, for a chance to extend its season. The Eagles must win their next two games to advance to Area.
The Republican will continue to monitor this developing story. It has reached out to Merritt Public Schools and to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association for comment.