Sallisaw student trainers heading south to TCU

It will be a busy end to the week for the Sallisaw Black Diamonds student trainers — senior Kasey Adame (who was this year’s homecoming queen), junior Addy Orendorff and freshmen Sadie Tyler and Kamryn Mayfield.

Not only did they do their usual trainers’ duties Thursday night at the Sallisaw-Ada game for the District 4A-4 title, but they will be doing the same thing at the Oklahoma State-Texas Christian University game, which will kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

Last summer, the trainers went to TCU’s athletic trainer summer workshop, where they got to learn new and updated “tricks of the trade” and a couple of them got awards. Orendorff, whose parents Dr. Chris and Dana Orendorff funded their trip, won the ankle taping speed contest in a time of 37 seconds, while Mayfield won the T-shirt drawing contest, and her design will be used on the 2025 TCU Camp T-shirt.

They will arrive at about 1 p.m. Saturday to begin helping tape ankles and other trainers’ duties alongside the TCU training staff and other such participants from last summer’s workshop at 1:30 p.m. Then, around 5 p.m., they will be on the field assisting during pre-game warm-ups.

When they get through, they will get to stay and watch the game.

Congratulations, ladies. When I knew this honor had befallen them, I had my mind made up that I was going to see if I could get credentialed for the game to see if I might be able to get a photograph or two of them, and talk to them as well, for a feature story in Wednesday’s edition.

The first step was achieved as TCU’s communications approved by request, and it looks like I’m going to get with them at some point prior to kickoff to chat with them and photograph them for the story.

PLAYOFF POSITIONS AT STAKE There will be a few teams trying to either improve on their playoff positioning, or just try to make the playoffs.

Thursday night’s Sallisaw-Ada game decided the District 4A-4 champion. The district champion will have at least two home playoff games, should that team win its opening-round game.

In District 2AII-4, the Vian Wolverines will be seeking an outright district championship tonight when they face the Valliant Bulldogs on Senior Night at St. John Stadium. A Vian win, and a perfect regular season and the district championship will be the Wolverines. However, if Valliant upsets Vian and Atoka upsets Henryetta, the ’Dogs and the Wolverines will end up tied for the district title, with the top seed going to Valliant. If Valliant and Henryetta both win, Vian, Valliant and Henryetta will be in a three-way tie for first place, then district points will determine the top three seeds from the district. In this latter scenario, Vian is in good shape.

In District AII-3, the Central Tigers will try to at least gain a share of the district title with Talihina and Tulsa Regent Prep, as all three enter tonight in a three-way tie for first place. As long as Central wins tonight against Liberty on Senior Night, the Tigers will do no worse than get the third seed, but if the right scenario plays out, they could find themselves as the outright district champions. The other key games tonight will be Talihina facing Mounds and Tulsa Regent Prep meeting Wewoka.

In the same district, the Gore Pirates are trying to make sure they get the fourth playoff spot, which they will do with a home win on Senior Night against Liberty. They can even gain that coveted position if Central beats Liberty, regardless if Gore beats or loses to Allen. However, if Allen upsets Gore and Liberty upsets Central, the Pirates will miss the playoffs altogether.

In District BII-4, the Webbers Falls Warriors will either be third or fourth. If they beat Gans in their Senior Night game tonight, the Warriors will be third — or if Wesleyan Christian loses to district champion Wilson (Henryetta). However, if the Grizzlies upset the Warriors and the Mustangs do likewise to the Tigers, Wesleyan Christian, which enters tonight in a tie for third place with Webbers Falls, will get the third-place spot and the Warriors will drop to fourth.

WEEK 9 HIGHLIGHTS

100-YARD RUSHERS

Braxin Goodson, Central — 196 yards.

Austin Barger, Webbers Falls — 158 yards.

Devon Mannon, Gore — 147 yards.

Masyn Wright, Vian — 135 yards.

100-YARD PASSERS

Teaguen Collins, Muldrow — 201 yards.

Kase Adams, Sallisaw — 177 yards.

100-YARD RECEIVERS

Cooper Cox, Sallisaw — 102 yards.

SCORING (12 POINTS OR MORE)

Austin Barger, Webbers Falls — 20 points.

Draighton Fletcher, Vian — 18 points.

Cooper Jackson, Sallisaw — 12 points.

Masyn Wright, Vian — 12 points.

Jacob Brannick, Vian — 12 points.

Aiden Turley, Webbers Falls — 12 points.

DEFENSIVE HONOR ROLL

Dillon Miller, Central — 17 tackles, a caused fumble and a fumble recovery.

Xhaiden Mosby, Central — 16 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback sick and a fumble recovery.

Jacob Gregory, Muldrow — 14 tackles, 11 solo, and a fumble recovery.

Dawson Littlefield, Webbers Falls — 11 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a QB sack.

Aiden Turley, Webbers Falls — 11 tackles and a tackle for a loss.

Thadan Yandell, Webbers Falls — 11 tackles and a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Broque Oft, Sallisaw — Nine tackles, three solo.

Aiden Smith, Central — Nine tackles and an INT.

Braxin Goodson, Central — Nine tackles and an INT.

Devon Mannon, Gore — Nine tackles.

Kash Keepes, Sallisaw — Eight tackles, one solo, a QB sack, two QB hurries, a pass break-up and a blocked extra point.

Gabe Miller, Muldrow — Eight tackles, six solo, and a caused fumble.

Tyson Williams, Muldrow — Eight tackles, five solo, and a fumble recovery.

Bladin McCartney, Gore — Eight tackles.

Jace Holman, Sallisaw — Seven tackles, five solo, a caused fumble and a pass break-up.

Cooper Cox, Sallisaw — Seven tackles, six solo, a caused fumble and a pass break-up.

Kaydin McCartney, Gore — Seven tackles.

Chevy Cole, Webbers Falls — Seven tackles, a tackle for a loss and a fumble recovery.

Caden Cowan, Sallisaw — Six tackles and two QB hurries.

Caden Blount, Sallisaw — Six tackles.

Dakota Rushing, Muldrow — Six tackles, four solo.

Gunner Shelby, Webbers Falls — Six tackles.

Aiden Ruiz, Sallisaw — Five tackles.

Keeton Rowe — Five tackles, three pass break-ups and an INT.

Trysten Wilbourn, Webbers Falls — Five tackles.

Clayton Roberts, Sallisaw — Five tackles and an INT.

Cole Mayfield, Sallisaw — Four tackles, one solo.

Matthew McGrew, Sallisaw — Four tackles and a pass break-up.

Teaguen Collins, Muldrow — Four tackles.

DeShawn Willson, Muldrow — Four tackles.

E.J. Zanders, Muldrow — Four tackles and a QB sack.

Caden Carter, Webbers Falls — Four tackles and a caused fumble.

Tae Muskrat-Flynn, Sallisaw — Three tackles and a 25-yard INT return for a touchdown.

Ethan Perez, Sallisaw — Three tackles.

D.J. Massey, Muldrow — Three tackles.

Parker Likens, Muldrow — Three tackles.

Tasker Colbert, Muldrow — Three tackles, two solo.

Braxton Thrailkill, Muldrow — Three tackles.

Ryan Cowan, Webbers Falls — Three tackles.

Hunter Smith, Sallisaw — Two tackles, a QB sack and a QB hurry.

Caden McNamara — Two tackles and a tackle for a loss.

Austin Barger, Webbers Falls — Two tackles.

Evan Thao, Webbers Falls — Two tackles.

Trevor Crawford, Sallisaw — One-half of a QB sack, a QB hurry and a tackle.

Elijah Hill, Sallisaw — One-half of a QB sack, a QB hurry and a tackle.

Masyn Wright, Vian — An INT.

Tyson Murphy, Vian — An INT.

Austin Hines, Gans — Two INTs.

Lucas Flute, Gans — An INT.

Jermauree Palmer, Muldrow — An INT and a tackle.

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David Seeley is sports editor of Your TIMES. He can be reached by calling (918) 775-4433, Ext. 139 or by email at davids@cookson.news.