Top local sports story countdown: Nos. 30-18; Doenges ford indians, OKWU, bartlesville, dewey, nowata, barnsdall, Pawhuska
Doenges Ford Indians pitcher Brenden Asher is congratulated after a win during the Glen Winget Memorial Tournament. The Indians returned to American Legion Baseball last summer and is Bartlesville Area Sports 26th top story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
BY MIKE TUPA
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Following is our website countdown for the top 30 local sports stories for 2024.
This article comprises No. 30-18.
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30: BULLPUPS POUNCE ON SUCCESS
Without a doubt, Criss Davis and his staff have pieced together the most consistent football program since the past 20-plus seasons.
This 2024 season added to that legacy.
Despite playing a brutal schedule, the Pups burst through the regular season at 6-2 — including 4-0 in district — and continued their lengthy string of going to the playoffs.
How about at least 21-straight years — and that’s as far back as available information reveals. It could be much, much longer.
Since 2004, the Pups have accumulated a 152-66 record (.697) and advanced to the postseason each year. In that same 21-year period, the Pups have recorded 20 winning records and one 5-5 season.
During that run the Pups have reached the state quarterfinals four times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2016).
The Pups finished off the 2024 regular season with a 51-14 rout of Riverton to wrap up the No. 1 seed.
As they had all season, the running back tandem of Logan Burnett and Traxcyn Garton led the way, with 117 and 71 yards, respectively.
Quarterback Layne Denny turned in one of the most prolific single-season passing performances, with Ben Matthews the recipient of many of his laser throws.
Austin Freisberg, Ace Koester and Xavier Gaston helped spearhead the high-voltage defensive thrust, along with several others.
Caney Valley (Kan,) head football coach Criss Davis has put together a lengthy string of postseason playoff games throughout his 20-plus year career. The Bullpups finished the 2024 regular season with a No. 1 seed. This is Bartlesville Area Sports 30th top story for 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
The Pawhuska Huskies, under the leadership of head coach Matt Hennesy, had a 9-3 record, second place in district and a first round Class A playoff win. This is Bartlesville Area Sports 29th top sports story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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29: MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN VOLATILE SEASON FOR HUSKIES
When they were good, the Pawhuska High School football Huskies were very, very good — even outstanding — on the field.
Unfortunately, those rare times they fell they fell hard.
All things considered, Pawhuska boasted a smashing season — a 9-3 record, second place in district and a first round Class A playoff win.
In their nine wins, the Huskies outscored their opponents 500-119 — an average margin of victory of better than six touchdowns (42.4). Pawhuska’s closest victory was 22 points (46-24, vs. Hominy).
But in their three losses, Pawhuska was outscored, 60-146 — included lopsided regular season losses to Woodland, 46-8, and Pawnee, 62-16. (Woodland finished 14-0 and won the Class A state championship; Pawnee made it to the Class A semifinals and finished 9-4.)
Christian Heritage nipped the Huskies, 38-36, in the Class A quarterfinals, to hand them their third loss.
The season’s end result was impressive — a 9-3 record and first-round playoff win.
Canyon Hindman turned in one of Pawhuska’s great quarterback campaigns to lead the charge. Bartlesville High transfer Chase Eaves also provided a major boost to the Huskies’ success.
Several other Huskies playing starring roles in the stirring, turbulent production known as the 2024 season — which saw Pawhuska score 84 points in one game and only eight in another.
In the regular season finale win against Morrison, 42-12, Pawhuska thrived on big defensive games by Jimmy Wildcat (13 tackles) and Eaves (11 tackles). Vann Wildcat added a scoop and score.
Hindman threw for 263 yards (201 of them to Eaves) and four touchdowns in a 72-13 win against Quapaw.
Huskie coach Matt Hennesy continued to build his resume as the most successful grid skipper in team history.
Through seven seasons Hennesy has guided Pawhuska to a 59-24 record (.711), 38-10 (.792) in district, four appearances in the state quarterfinals and two in the state semifinals.
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Blake Tablazon makes a play at second base. The Eagles, who went 4-0 in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament, fell just short of making a fourth appearance in 11 seasons in the College World Series. This is Bartlesville Area Sports 28th top story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesvile Area Sports
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28: EAGLE BASEBALL FLIES HIGH
Oh, so close!
A pair of one-run losses were all that separated Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s baseball team from playing for a regional title and making a fourth appearance in 11 seasons in the College World Series.
The Eagles — coached by Kirk Kelley — muscled through the regular season at 31-18 and then surged through the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament with a 4-0 record in order to qualify for the NAIA national regionals.
But one-run losses to William Carey (Miss.) and Mid-America Christian eliminated the Eagles from regional title contention.
Competitiveness was the Eagles’ trademark. Of their 55 games, 16 were decided by one or two runs — unfortunately they were on the losing end of most of those knuckle chewers (7-9).
Victor Sanchez hefted the most explosive bat for the Eagles — 20 homers, 77 RBI, .760 slugging percentage, .496 on-base percentage and .409 batting average.
Ravaughn Morgan chipped in with a .379 batting average, 20 doubles, three triples, 11 homers and 55 RBI.
Josh Logan terrorized foes with a ball-crushing stick that produced 22 doubles, 18 homers, 71 RBI and .359 batting average. He also boasted a .732 slugging percentage.
Also contributing double-digit homers (10) was Javier Marcial, who contributed 51 RBI and a .341 batting average, as well. Marcial also was plunked with a pitch 14 times, trailing only Jorge Aldrete (16).
Topping the mound crew with a 3.91 earned run average in 99.0 innings was Evan Foor. He notched a 9-3 record — including three complete games — while striking out 75 batters and walking 33.
Top reliever Ashton Luera recorded a 5-0 record in 17 appearances (33.1 innings), including a 1.35 ERA, two saves and an average of nearly two strikeouts per inning (59 total). Another reliever, Tyler Benefiel, fashioned a minuscule 0.96 ERA in 12 appearances (18.2 innings), with a 2-1 record, 33 strikeouts and only eight walks.
Morgan, Sanchez, Aldrete, Luera, Benefiel and Foor were all listed as juniors on the 2024 roster — and Marcial a sophomore. Many, if not all, of them likely will be back for another CWS run in 2025.
Logan was listed as a graduate student.
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27: GOLD STANDARD FOR LADY HUSKIES
Pawhuska High School blazed to state gold in the Class 2A finals in May 2024.
The fleet-footed foursome of Caroline Perrier, Fallow Bowman, Hannah Reynolds and Vashae Housley rocketed to first place in the girls 4x100m relay (:51.12).
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The Doenges Ford Indians had a successful reunion with American Legion Baseball. They ended the season with a 24-15-1 record and is Bartlesville Area Sports 26th top story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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26: SUMMER CHEERS AT DOENGES
Bartlesville’s return to the American Legion Baseball family proved to be a successful reunion.
The Bartlesville Doenges Ford Indians bolted to a winning record (24-15-1) despite breaking in several new faces to the lineup.
With John Pannell in his 13th year as head coach, the program burst into the campaign with a four-game victory blitz while outscoring its opposition, 39-10.
The Indians would record two more long winning streaks — four straight in mid-June and five straight in mid-to-latter July.
On the other hand, they had to overcome a six-game losing streak in the fading days of June.
Highlights?
“We made it to the semifinals of the Fort Smith (Ark.) tournament and making it to the finals of the Mountain Home (Ark.) tourney,” said Pannell.
In addition the Indian veterans and rookies also blended together to finish 4-4 in Oklahoma College League play, taking on teams with far older, more experienced players.
Pannell and his staff made a decision prior to tryouts that proved to create more of an intimate family ambiance in the team setting.
“We only took (selected) 14 players,” Pannell said about the makeup of the roster. “The days of carrying 18 players aren’t needed because we don’t play a 70-game schedule anymore. Having 14 players is a change on how you run the team.”
Fortune smiled on the Indians’ final roster cut — all 14 players filled time on the pitching mound.
Of course a handful handled the bulk of the hurling duties, but Pannell had plenty of options to fill in around them.
Bartlesville High product Grant Clark owned the ubiquitous “workhorse” label — he labored a team high 47.1 innings while carving out a 3-5 record and 4.28 earned run average.
Take away a rugged outing against Ada in the American Legion State Tournament and his numbers would have been even better, Pannell noted.
Zane Stricklin — a 15-year-old Copan High product — snapped off 32 innings on the bump.
Bartlesville High’s Brenden Asher — an Oral Roberts University baseball signee — saw limited but masterful time on the hill.
“He threw one of our best games of the year, against Shawnee in the state tournament,” Pannell said. “He threw seven innings, allowed two hits, struck out six batters and walked one. His pitch count for the complete game was 73.”
Indian veteran Luke Fox — perhaps in some ways the heart and gritty soul of the team due to his longevity and commitment to it — topped the team in batting with .355 (in 78 at-bats), followed by Jaxon Zaun at .327 and Asher at .326.
Copan High’s Stricklin topped the teams in hits (33), followed by Asher (30), Kaleb Bashford (29), Fox (27) and Eric Olenberger (26).
Olenberger — playing his first summer of Indian ball but a familiar presence to local fans at Bill Doenges Memorial Stadium due to his years as a dynamic asset to the Bartlesville High School baseball team — batted .317.
Bashford, a former Nowata High warrior elite, provided versatile contributions to the success.
Wesleyan Christian School’s Kael Siemers also carried a Herculean aura despite having to fight through adversity.
“He was our Mr. Everything,” Pannell said. “He was a good leader.”
Pannell also praised the pitching of Zaun and Hunter Shea in the Legion state tourney.
Shea teamed up with catcher Bashford to shut down Midwest City at state, 13-1.
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Doenges Ford Indians Eric Olenberger is ready at first base during the American Legion Baseball season.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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Among the team’s strengths was its sharp batting eye.
“We had a great on-base percentage for our team as a whole,” Pannell said, spinning out the numbers of 228 walks compared to 205 strikeouts.
What had started out as a summer of question marks due to the team’s inexperience and return to Legion ball (following 84 seasons in the Legion program, the Indians had certified with our organizations in the early 2020s) matured into a stimulating odyssey.
“I’ve loved every season I have coached but the thing about this one was that it was a growing season. A lot of younger players grew up in front of our eyes.”
The best news when the season ended in the Legion state tourney is that 11 of the 14 players are eligible to return for next season.
“Hopefully we’ll return our fair share of guys,” said Pannell, adding that four of this year’s older players headed to college have expressed interest in playing in 2025.
Following are some of high points from last season not mentioned:
— Nik Johnson drove in three runs — and bashed two doubles — in the state win against Midwest City.
— Liam Buchanan plated Bartlesville’s first run to prime the offensive pump against Midwest City.
— Bryce Luelf drove in the winning run in a 5-1 victory against Independence (Kan.).
— Fox hammered an inside-the-park homer and Shea belted a three-run double in an 11-1 rout of Independence (Kan.).
— Carlos Lopez snapped off five masterful innings on the mound to energize the Indians past the Drillers, 5-2.
— Trey Bennett ripped a ground-scorching two-run two-bagger for the winning hit against the Drillers.
— Eli Winters lashed a RBI single to tie a postseason game, 6-6, and scored later in the winning on a wild pitch to Johnson to put the Indians ahead, 7-6.
— In a state tourney loss, Bashford singled home Buchanan to break up a shutout.
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Doenges Ford Indians Grant Clark pitches during the annual Glen Winget Memorial Tournament.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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WINGET TOURNEY
Unfortunately, the Indians didn’t bring their best ball to this storied annual tourney at Doenges Stadium.
On the first day they tied Springfield (Mo.) Kickapoo, 1-1, and fell on day two to Greenwood (Ark.), 11-3.
They rallied on the third day to subdue Mountain Home (Ark.) Lockerroom, 5-2.
After Mountain Home went ahead, 2-0, Fox led off the bottom of the third by hammering a triple to the wall. He scored shortly after on a wild pitch. Bashford then reached first base, advanced to third on Asher’s safety and scored on Olenberger’s sacrifice bunt to tie the score, 2-2.
The Indians surged into the lead an inning later with Siemers singling home Shea and Zaun plating Siemers on a double and an error.
Bennett doubled home Luelf in the bottom of the fifth to polish off the Indians’ scoring.
But the Indians then lost to Springfield Kickapoo, 10-1, in the fifth place game. They recorded a 1-2-1 mark in the tourney, definitely a disappointment.
Other than the Winget competition, however, the Indians had much about which to hold their head upright for this summer season and to sweeten the hopes for a break-through in 2025.
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Nowata High School’s Spencer Bullen had a Top-10 finish in the 2004 Class 2A state goys golf meet and is Bartlesville Area Sports 25th top story of 2024.
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25: IRONMEN SPARKLES ON STATE LINKS
Nowata High School senior Spencer Bullen found the range for a Top-10 finish in the 2024 Class 2A state boys golf meet at the Territory course in Duncan.
Bullen reeled off rounds of 86-73-82 to come in at 241 and tie for eighth place.
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24: LADY BRUINS ENJOY NET DIVIDENDS
Bartlesville High recorded top-eight placings within three divisions at the 2024 Class 6A girls state tennis tournament, setting the foundation for greater results in 2025.
At No. 1 singles in the 2024 tourney, Abby Shelley won her first-round match, 6-0, 6-0, lost in the quarterfinals but proceeded to finish seventh place.
Ava Kelley pieced together a strong showing at No. 2 singles, capping it off with eighth place.
Bella Gustafson and Julia McKissick battled to sixth place at No. 1 doubles.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s goalie Paul Olla makes a save during playoffs. The Eagles made to the Elite Eight of NAIA national tournament and is Bartlesville Area Sports 23rd top story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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23: OKWU SOCCER GREAT IN STEREO
Dread City.
That’s what the rest of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference might have labeled Bartlesville after being knocked around by the Oklahoma Wesleyan University soccer teams.
To put it simply, OKWU was unbeatable against KCAC teams.
During the 2024 fall season, the OKWU Lady Eagles ripped through their KCAC women’s regular season schedule at 12-0-1.
The Eagles (22-2-0 overall) — who were coached by Jamie Peterson — never tasted conference defeat in men’s play. They finished 16-0-0, including the KCAC postseason tournament.
Riding that momentum into the NAIA national tournament, the Eagles advanced to the Elite 8 prior to being eliminated.
Four Eagles scored double-digit goals — Pol Mur (16), Matheus Ulrich (15), Jose Neves (11) and Julian Tovar (11), while Marko Rodic and Oliver Scott played brilliant in goal.
Eagle midfielder Kirill Pakhomov was named to NAIA All-American First Team. Eagle defender Luis Vergara earned a spot on the Second Team.
The Lady Eagles (16-1-4 overall) were coached by Ivan Ristic. Tania Mocholi turned in a superstar year (24 goals, nine assists) while Taylor Witthauser buried 12 goals. Carlota Alcalde was a wall at goalie.
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Barnsdall High School’s wrestler Easton Malone finished fourth in the 3A state tournament. This is Bartlesville Area Sports 22nd top story of 2024.
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22: MAT GREAT ENDURES UNKIND FATE
Barnsdall High School’s Easton Malone is an athlete for all seasons.
Unfortunately an injury in one of his seasons prevented him from participating in another — leaving Panther football fans the only consolation of “what if?”
The senior had to sit out the entire 2024 grid campaign (other than a cameo appearance) while recuperating from an injury in wrestling earlier in the year.
He likely would have been the state’s leading rusher and one of its most ferocious tacklers and defensive playmakers.
Even with him sidelined, Barnsdall still managed to muscle into the playoffs. But had he been playing the season likely would have had a more powerful exclamation point.
During the 2024 state wrestling tournament, Malone finished fourth in the state (3A) at 190 pounds, losing the third-place match by just three points.
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21: CAM-TASTIC! DEWEY GIRL GRABS SILVER
Camrin Jones of Dewey High School climbed the ladder to 5-feet-6-inches to finish as state runner-up in the Class 4A girls state meet high jump competition.
She placed the highest of any Dewey girl at state.
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Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s Jaden Lietzke goes to the basket. The Eagles made it to the NAIA Sweet 16 and is Bartlesville Area Sports 20th top story of 2024.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
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20: EAGLES MAKE SWEET RUN
Boosted by high-jolt voltage from its veterans, the Oklahoma Wesleyan University men’s basketball team surged to a 31-3 record in the 2023-24 season.
The Eagles then shuffled in to the NAIA Sweet 16 in the national tournament before being dealt out of the hand by Central Baptist (Ark.), 84-79.
OKWU — which is coached by Donnie Bostwick — won its first two national games by double-digit margins prior to falling to Central Baptist.
The Eagles nearly ran the table (20-2) in regular season Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
Kaleb Stokes, D.J. Dalton Jr., Jaden Lietzke and Dylan Phillip provided most the firepower and playmaking for the Eagles.
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19: HOLT BOLTS TO RENOWN
Keidon “The Jolt” Holt charged to Dewey High School’s only two top-three medal performance at the Class 2A state track meet.
Holt stampeded to the silver medal in the boys 110m hurdles (:14.81) — less than a half-second from winning the title.
Holt turned up the volts again in the boys 300m hurdles, surging to third place (:40.03).
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Former Bartlesville Bruin David Castillo is thriving at Kansas State and is Bartlesville Area Sports 18th top story of 2024.
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18: DECEMBER BREAKOUT
During his three years on the Bartlesville High School varsity basketball team David Castillo dazzled, awed and amazed fans with his skills and gamesmanship.
He averaged around 25 points per game for his Bruin career and set the team record for career scoring.
In the off-seasons of his freshman and sophomore years, he helped two national teams win international tournaments in Mexico and Europe and brought home gold medals.
Castillo (6-1, 180) opted to attend a true prep school in Kansas for his senior season (2023-24) in order to prepare to play men’s basketball for Kansas State.
Following a successful preseason, Castillo was the lone true freshman to earn a spot on the varsity roster coming into the 2024-25 season.
Although battling through rookie growing pains, Castillo appeared in all 12 games in November and December — including two starts.
He erupted in the eighth game (vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff) with glimpse of his potential — 17 points on 5-of-9 shooting from downtown and 2-of-2 free throws, along with two steals and no turnovers in nearly 19 minutes.
His next-high points’ game was five against Mississippi Valley.
(We’ll have the rest of the top stories within the next few days.)