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B: Sports
March 28, 2023
SALLISAW WRESTLING
First Sallisaw female wrestler takes next step in historic career
By Jim Cameron Sports Writer

When Sallisaw women’s wrestling broke on the scene in the current era, Emma Wissman took the lead. She was the first girl to compete as a Lady Diamond, and during her career, she has accomplished many historical firsts. Now she can add the first female wrestler to sign a letter of intent to continue her wrestling career at Simpson College.

Wissman set a high bar for the girls’ wrestling program during her tenure as a Black Diamond with a 72-16 overall record. She was the first woman to step onto the mat for Sallisaw in the current era, where Wissman qualified for and placed in the State tournament three times, and she is a member of the 2023 Girls All-State Wrestling team.

Women’s wrestling is the country’s fastest-growing sport, with an average participation increase of 46% across all states in the 2022-23 season. With explosive growth like that at the high school level, the opportunities to continue wrestling at the college level have struggled to keep up.

“Big accomplishment,” Melodie Dobson said Monday about her daughter’s opportunity to continue her education while competing at the next level. “She is just paving the way. She is the first one to walk out on the mat as a woman and the first one to go to state. Now she is the first one to sign in women’s wrestling. She’s not only an amazing person, but she also loves the Lord, she gets good grades, and she makes good choices. She is really just a role model for others to look up to.”

Being a trailblazer has its ups and downs. With all the accolades, there were hidden obstacles Wissman had to overcome, like having no one to practice with in her weight class and even having to practice against boys because there weren’t enough girls. But overall, the sport is growing and the coaches think the future is bright.

“It’s very exciting, especially for our girls’ program,” said head wrestling coach Darell Hume about the Lady Diamonds wrestling program he oversees. “We hosted the girls’ regional tournament this year. We are trying to build the program here at Sallisaw, so signing the first one to go through our whole program, then graduating and then signing into college shows what a good leader she is for our girls. She is a good leader in the room, and we’ve brought in a lot of girls because of her. She is going on to the next step, it’s a big step and I’m proud of her wrestling in college. She’s going to be a little ways away. I hate that part, but I’m proud of her and what’s best for her is what matters, so I think it’s great. I can’t wait for her to step on the mat so we can watch her through her college career.”

“I’m so excited, it is a long ways away and I’m gonna miss my family, but I’m excited for a new start,” Wissman said about the new adventure she is about to begin as a collegiate wrestler for Simpson College in Iowa. “I fell in love with Simpson. It was the last school I visited, and when we visited, I built a snowman. The coaches were great, and they have psychology and criminal justice courses I’ll be majoring in. This was something that I’ve wanted since I was in seventh grade, and it wouldn’t have been possible without my amazing family, and I couldn’t have made it without Coach Hume.”

Sooners complete three-peat, win 7th National title
Sports
OU SOFTBALL
Sooners complete three-peat, win 7th National title
By JOHN ROHDE SOONERSPORTS.COM 
June 9, 2023
OKLAHOMA CITY – Claiming a third straight national championship no doubt was meaningful to the Oklahoma softball team, but the quest came with a multitude of distractions.This helps explain why the NC...
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Hometown heroes
A: Main, Main...
Hometown heroes
June 8, 2023
3-year-old Adessa Graham is helped from a Sallisaw fire engine by mother Ashley Thursday morning at the meet-a-hero event at the Stanley Tubbs Memorial Library parking lot. Other first responders repr...
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Fundraising begins for ice skating rink
A: Main, Main...
Fundraising begins for ice skating rink
By Lynn Adams Staff Writer 
June 8, 2023
With recent temperatures topping 90 degrees, most people aren’t thinking about Christimastime. But Josh Rogers is not most people. Visions of sugar plums are already dancing in his head as he looks fo...
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Rezoning OK’d, but not without drama, protest
A: Main, Main...
Rezoning OK’d, but not without drama, protest
By Lynn Adams Staff Writer 
June 8, 2023
The Sallisaw Planning Commission on Tuesday approved — despite objections — rezoning for Redbird Smith Estates, and approved a replat of Sallisaw Feed Mill by Aviagen North America to accommodate its ...
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Sallisaw woman sentenced for arson
A: Main, Main...
Sallisaw woman sentenced for arson
June 8, 2023
MUSKOGEE – A Sallisaw woman who pleaded guilty to “willfully and maliciously setting fire to and burning a dwelling” has been sentenced to 36 months in prison and ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution ...
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Resident warns of scam calls posing as representatives of Publishers Clearing House
A: Main, Main...
Resident warns of scam calls posing as representatives of Publishers Clearing House
By Lynn McCulley Staff Writer 
June 8, 2023
For just a few minutes, Joanna Hagen of Sallisaw became a millionaire. So she thought. In her mind, she was thinking about all the finer things she could purchase for her and her family. However, the ...
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Janice Lawson
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Janice Lawson
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June 8, 2023
After retiring from Sparks Hospital where she was a receptionist, Janice Lawson of Liberty community decided to find something fulfilling to do with her life. Lawson, 63, began volunteering at The She...
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Peach Passion
Lifestyle
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
Peach Passion
By A Few of My Favorite Things Katina Holland Special to Your TIMES 
June 8, 2023
Peaches are a favorite in my family. They are Mom’s favorite. Dad likes them, but not as much as his pears. They are Skip’s favorite and Adrian likes them as well. Me, not so much, but I often make th...
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Tulsa golf coach named to WGCA Board of Directors
Sports
TULSA GOLF
Tulsa golf coach named to WGCA Board of Directors
By Tulsahurricane.com 
June 8, 2023
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. –– The Women’s Golf Coaches Association has announced its new board of directors, effective June 1. Tulsa coach Annie Young has been appointed as the new Division I director for th...
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Golden Eagles to face Oregon in Super Regional beginning tonight
Sports
ORU BASEBALL
Golden Eagles to face Oregon in Super Regional beginning tonight
By ORU MEDIA RELATIONS 
June 8, 2023
INDIANAPOLIS — The Oral Roberts baseball team will face Oregon in the Eugene Super Regional starting at 7 p.m. today at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. The Golden Eagles, who are making their second Super Reg...
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TV, kickoff information announced for four games
Sports
OU FOOTBALL
TV, kickoff information announced for four games
By Soonersports.com 
June 8, 2023
NORMAN — Television and kickoff information for four 2023 Oklahoma football games — including the first three — were announced last week by the Big 12 Conference, in conjunction with ESPN and FOX. OU’...
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