-
Andrew Salmi Watonga Republican
We have now gone for two weeks without sports of any kind still active as the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation has shut down all Oklahoma schools and their activities until at least April 6.
Like last week, I’m going to dig through our newspaper archives to look at much happier times in Watonga High School sports history.
This time, I’m sticking to Eagles’ varsity athletics from the week of March 22-28 during the 1980s.
March 27, 1980: Two Eagles’ Wrestlers Compete vs. Polish National Team
Watonga High School varsity 157-pound wrestler Brook Hightower, who earlier that year won Watonga’s first individual wrestling state championship title since 1927, and Eagles’ teammate Monte Matli were invited to compete against members of the touring Polish National Wrestling Team down in Weatherford.
March 22, 1981: Hightower Named to All-State Wrestling Team
Earlier that year in the 168-pound class, Hightower won his second straight Class A wrestling title for Watonga and was ultimately selected to the All-State team and would go on to compete in the East-West dual at Tulsa in late July of 1981.
The two-time champ was also joined that decade by fellow Watonga High School wrestling state champions: Mike Parker (101-pound state champ in 1981), Allen Rednose (130-pound state champ in 1982), and Kyle Hightower (108-pound champ in 1984).
March 23, 1982: Lady Eagles’ Track Gets Second at Fairview
Watonga girls’ varsity track squad finished just one point out of first place as the Lady Eagles’ 48 points was just short of Hobart High School’s 49.
The Lady Eagles placed first in the girls’ 440-meter relay and were led by Pam Daugherty, Janell Flynn, Tanya Brown, and Shelly Hoberecht.
Although Watonga finished second in late March at the meet in Fairview, this Lady Eagles’ team would eventually go on to win the team’s firstever Class A state championship title in May of 1982 under head coach Kerry Evans.
March 28, 1983: Eagles’ Track Gets Third at Watonga Relays
While the defending-champion Lady Eagles’ varsity track squad placed first at the Watonga Relays, an unfortunate disqualification for the boys’ team in the 800-meter relay race cost them the meet title and pushed them down to a third place finish behind Fairview and Anadarko.
The Eagles would eventually get the last laugh later in May of 1983 as longtime head coach Jim Coleman’s squad would win its first Class A boys’ track state championship.
March 22, 1984: Watonga Baseball Crushes Both Geary and Hinton
In two games that week, the Eagles’ varsity baseball team combined to score a whopping 42 runs as Watonga routed Geary High School (16-3) and Hinton High School (26-12).
Right-handed starting pitcher Brian Ivins pitched a one-hitter with seven strikeouts in five innings and also hit a home run vs. Geary, while Watonga first baseman Chad Dobbins also hit a home run. Against Hinton, the Eagles took advantage of shaky Comets’ pitching and had stellar hitting from top to bottom of their lineup.
March 23, 1984: Brown, Lorenz Sign Letters to Play Football at SWOSU
Eagles’ standout varsity football players Derrick Brown and current Watonga Principal David Lorenz would sign their letters of intent in March of 1984 to play college football at Southwestern Oklahoma State University on athletic scholarships.
March 22, 1987: Stellar Lady Eagles’ HS Track Wins at Clinton
From 1985-87, the Lady Eagles’ varsity track squad was a force to be reckoned with and proved just that in March when they racked up a whopping 173 points to dominate the 1987 Clinton High School Track Meet.
Led by the likes of Felicia Douglas and Shanna Brewer, the Lady Eagles’ brought home three consecutive Class 2A state track and field championship titles to Watonga.
March 25, 1988: Eagles’ Varsity Baseball Rallies to Defeat Hydro
Despite facing a 7-1 deficit after just two innings of play, Watonga varsity baseball rallied and scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh for a thrilling 9-8 victory over Hydro High School.
Henry Richard pitched the entire game for the Eagles, while Mike Gorman singled home Kelly Cannon to score the game-winning run.
March 28, 1989: Butler, Schenk Make All-District & All-Region for Basketball
Watonga High School boys’ varsity basketball senior duo Arthur Butler and Derek Schenk were both selected by the Oklahoma Coaches Association for all-district and all-region teams.
According to former Eagles’ basketball head coach Mark Park, both Butler and Schenk were also very close to making the all-state hoops squad.
As far as current Watonga High School sports and what the OSSAA announces, more updates regarding Eagles’ and Lady Eagles’ varsity athletics will come in near future issues of the Watonga Republican.
Andrew Salmi can be reached at Sports@WatongaRepublican.com or by phone at (580) 623-4922.