AREA HOOPS: WCS sweeps Copan; Dewey boys cruise to victory
Wesleyan Christian School’s Lydia Foster (3) scores against Copan on December 17, 2024. The Lady Mustangs defeated Copan, 58-28.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Wesleyan Christian High School’s Jarrett Jensen (15) and Copan’s Karson Woodworth (22) hustle after a loose ball in Bartlesville on December 17, 2024. The Mustangs defeated Copan, 60-30.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following is a round up of some of the area basketball action earlier this week.
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GIRLS: Wesleyan Christian 58, Copan 28
With Lydia Foster pouring in 22 points, the WCS Lady Mustangs continued their historic start to improve to 5-2.
“Wesleyan Christian played really well,” said Copan head coach Kristy Bryan. “We didn’t have an answer for Lydia.”
Whitlie Tennison and Miranda Hadrava added 10 and nine points, respectively for WCS, which is 3-1 in its last four games.
“We played really well, pretty close the first quarter and after that we started pulling away,” said WCS head coach Kendall Huntington. “The girls started passing the ball well.”
When point guard Kori White missed time due to foul woes, Hadrava stepped up as a ballhandler and defender, Huntington said.
Copan, meanwhile, continues to struggle due to inexperience, lack of a dominant post player or roster depth.
“We played a good first quarter,” said Bryan, adding the Lady Hornets competed much better than in other games. WCS led by only one point going into the second quarter.
But then the Lady Mustangs found their stride and pulled away.
“It’s been a rebuilding year,” Bryan continued. “We’re relying on two or three of the girls doing things out of their comfort zone. … We’re trying to build for the future.”
Senior Elyzabeth Odum put in 14 points — despite missing time with foul trouble — to lead Copan. Zoey Secondine added eight points, followed by Kam Van, Rylee Preston and Kaylee Woodworth with two apiece.
Van is the team’s other senior.
“(She) has not scored a lot, but she’s really trying to be a leader. … She’s doing a good job defensively.”
WCS — which is coached by Kendall Huntington — matched its highest point output of the season.
Rounding out the scoring sheet for WCS were Kori White, seven points; Emily Christenson, six and Halle Nelson and Keziah Beu with two apiece.
Copan High School’s Shooter Brewington (2) drives the ball against Wesleyan Christian’s Zander Week (20) during action in Bartlesville on December 17, 2024. The Mustangs defeated Copan, 60-30.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
Copan High School’s Rylee Preston (11) goes for a loose ball during action against Wesleyan Christian in Bartlesville on December 17, 2024. WCS defeated the Lady Hornets, 58-28.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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BOYS: Wesleyan Christian 60, Copan 30
Two teams going in the right direction collided in Copan.
The WCS Mustangs (7-0) continued their unbeaten tear through their early season schedule while keeping alive their streak of scoring at least 60 points in all seven games.
The Copan Hornets fell to 3-2 while giving up more than 50 points for the first time this year.
“He’s got a good team,” said Copan head coach Kolton Stacy about his Mustang counterpart Steven Cooks. “They can make a run (in the playoffs) in Class A. He (Cooks) lost only two starters off last year’s team and he’s kind of reloaded this year.”
But there was something special about the way the Mustangs beat the Hornets.
Due to Copan’s astute defensive strategy, WCS’ two leading scorers — Kyle Kelley and Trey White scored a total of only 11 points.
“They played a box-and-one most the time,” noted Cooks.
But stepping up in the offensive breach were Owen Hay with 18 points and Timothy Wisdom with nine.
“Having those other guys stepping up was big,” said Cooks.
He also pointed to the Mustangs’ “scrappy defense” as a decisive factor.
Stacy pointed to poor shooting from the three-point line (1-for-11), below-average free throw shooting (13-of-27) and field goal struggles in general as keys to the loss.
“We’ve got to figure out how to put the ball in the hole,” he said. “In the second half, Teegan Caron started doing a good job of putting his head down and attacking downhill.”
Caron led Copan with 10 points, followed by Jarrett Shambles with nine.
Copan faced a massive test in the second half after scoring only eight points in the first half.
On the positive side, Stacy praised the defense of Karson Woodworth in holding WCS’ White to only two points, adding he believes White has college-caliber potential.
Cooks also tipped a hat to Copan for its defensive effort on the Mustangs’ two top scorers.
But — in what should be bad news for upcoming opponents — the Mustangs proved they could beat a talented team even with Kelley and White not contributing major points.
Dewey High School’s Zach Renfroe (1) scores against Chelsea at home on December 17, 2024. The Bulldoggers defeated Chelsea, 46-28.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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BOYS: Dewey 46, Chelsea 28
What a way to bounce back.
Coming off a two-game losing streak — during which they were outscored — 112-81 — the Dewey Doggers (3-3) put it all together at home against the Chelsea Green Dragons.
Zach Renfroe dialed in 16 points, followed by Austin Eastman with nine, Kooper Crawford with seven, Carson Johnson with five, Tre Hicks with four, Cooper Wood with two, Jaden Gray with two and Lathe Griggs with one.
Dewey muscled out to a 25-19 halftime lead but saw the scoring slowed to almost roadkill pace in the third quarter. The Doggers widened the gap to 29-22 heading into the fourth period.
The Doggers then regained their groove and won the final period easily, 17-6.
“We play great all-around defensively,” said Dewey head coach Lance Knight, noting Dewey limited Chelsea’s two best scorers to a total of 15 points. “Any time you can hold a team under 30 you’re doing well. That’s something we’ve been trying to preach and it's something to be proud of. … It might have been one of our best defensive performances ever.”
Eastman relished the assignment to bulldog their best scorer and “aggravated him all night,” said Knight. “He was right in his face.”
Johnson guarded Chelsea’s other best scorer and Hicks registered multiple blocks and pulled down many rebounds.
“Even the guys who came off the bench knew their role and did a good job,” Knight said.
Next up, on Friday (Dec. 18) Dewey makes the short jump to Caney, Kan., to face the Caney Valley Bullpups.
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GIRLS: Chelsea 24, Dewey 21
The Lady Doggers fell to Chelsea, 24-21. Leading Dewey in scoring was Presley Smith with 10 and CJ Jones with six points.
"Defensively we played as well as we could have," said head coach Michael Sanders. "We just couldn't find the offense to go with our defense."
Dewey High School’s CJ Jones (14) and Jaelyn Smith (13) pressure a Chelsea player during action in Dewey on December 17, 2024. Dewey fell, 24-21.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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GIRLS: Caney Valley Lady Trojans
It’s been a break-even pattern the last four games for Deric Longan’s club.
The Lady Trojans battled all the way to the championship game in the Wilson (Henryetta) tourney but then fell to the host Wilson team, 57-22.
On Tuesday, the Lady Trojans (4-3) bumped into another strong club in Morris and endured a 60-38 loss.
“In both games we our girls really, really competed well,” said Longan. “When we got down they battled back.”
Abby Daigle has been shooting well from the perimeter and Adesta Henry and Sydni Brown “have been working hard in there,” Longan said. “We’re taking shots at the right time, they’re just not falling.”
Longan hopes the Lady Trojans will find the open mouth of the rim when they play host Friday to Oklahoma Union.
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BOYS: Morris 64, Caney Valley 51
The Trojans fell to 2-5 with a loss to visiting Morris, 64-51. They defeated Barnsdall 56-47 earlier in the month and Webbers Fall, 44-29 in the Wilson (Henryetta) tournament.