The Eastern Statesman (Wilburton, Okla.), Vol. 69, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 12, 1993 Page: 4 of 4
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Sports
The Statesman August 12, 1993 Page 4
Stigler freshman tests the best of both worlds
P.E. credit
Baseballers light Up
Eastern beats no. 1
seed twice in tourney
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From the
bench
By Colby Boyd
Sports E^Ur
will be allowed to play both sports.
He said he loves basketball and
baseball so much, he passed on the
Yankees' offer because he would be
able to play only basketball at East-
ern, something he didn't want.
Being selected All-State in both
sports was "more exciting than be-
ing drafted because, in both sports,
we (Stigler's team) didn't go
anywhere.”
McAlvain is versatile, having
played shooting guard in basketball.
But he played post in the All-State
game, scoring three points and grab-
bing seven rebounds.
Overall, McAlvain is ready for
both seasons to start.
“I’m lookin’ forward to it," he
said. “It’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
The lanky freshman comes across
likeable and is very modest when
talking about his accomplishments
as an athlete.
McAlvain has been playing both
sports “forever," going back to T-
ball and playing basketball with his
brothers before he was old enough to
enter school.
With the grind of two sports wear-
ing on him, does burnout enter his
mind?
“No, no! I practice shooting the
basketball for two hours every day,
and I played American Legion base-
ball this summer," he said.
Kansas State, Connors State Col-
lege, Carl Albert, Seminole and Ba-
cone all recruited McAlvain, but he
chose Eastern because of the posi-
tive coaching staff and because he
Darcy Ruffino from Houston will be playing softball at the
University of Texas at San Antonio, and Olinka Hobbs of An-
gleton, Texas, will attend Southwest Texas State.
Delisa Hare from Comanche, who was an All-American
last season for the Lady Mountaineers, will be going to Okla-
homa State University. Can Morava from Oklahoma City is
going to Southern Nazarene University, and Becky Webb
from Arkoma will be attending Northeastern State in
Tahlequah.
But the biggest number of athletes going on to participate
in college athletics is from the basebali team which sent well
over 90 percent of its 13 sophomores to play college baseball.
Southeastern, reaping the benefits of a great Mountaineer
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season games to Seminole by narrow margins.
Eastern fell behind 2-1 in the early innings but
scored four runs in the third inning and never trailed
again, winning 8-5, sending Seminole to the losers
bracket and advancing to the Region semi-finals.
The Mountaineers then dropped a pitching duel
with NEO 2-1 and moved on to the consolation finals
where they once again played Seminole.
Eastern fell behind early just like game one and
was trailing 4-1 in the fourth. But a dramatic seven-
run fourth inning gave the Mountaineers the lead for
good as they defeated Seminole for the second time,
sending the second-ranked team in the nation home
early.
Eastern then had to turn directly around and play
NEO again. The two big games in a row proved to be
too much to handle, and Eastern lost to NEO in the
Region II finals.
The Mountaineers finished with a 23-16 record but
advanced to the finals for only the second time in
school history, in only McCoy’s second year as head
coach.
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By COLBY BOYD
Sports Editor
A week after school was out last summer, the East-
ern Mountaineer baseball team, led by Coach Gary
McCoy, headed to Tulsa and Oral Roberts University
to play in the Region II tournament.
The Mountaineers, who had only a 20-14 record
due to more than 22 rainouts, were the No. 3 seed in
the tournament.
Eastern opened play against Westark, a team they
had swept the series from in the regular season. But
the Mountaineers didn't have it as easy this time.
It took them every bit of 12 innings to beat Wes-
tark. The score was tied 2-2 in the top of the 12th
when the Lions took a one-run lead on a solo
homerun.
But Eastern didn’t cave in, scoring two runs in the
bottom of the 12th to win 4-3 and advance in the win-
ner’s bracket.
Next the Mountaineers faced Seminole who was
seeded first in the tournament and ranked second in
the nation. The Mountaineers dropped both regular
PlO Staff Photo
Jarred McAlvain anticipates playing baseball and basketball this year.
baseball season, signed five of Eastern’s baseballers. Jeff
Dominic of Sallisaw, Kevin Rodden of Muskogee, Brad
Semeski of Hartshorne, Jeff Steelman of Dibble, and Cory
Claborn of Wright City will all be stepping off the diamond
for the Savages, who look to improve on a second place finish
at the national tournament.
Four of Eastern’s players will be playing at Division I
schools in Oklahoma this season. Kerry Rogers of Owasso,
who made first team All-Region, signed with ORU.
Bo Boshears from Tulsa Union, Wes Kirby of Checotah
and Mark Soto of Norman all signed with the University of
Oklahoma.
Tony Henson from Hulbert signed with Northeastern;
Craig Linsenmeyer of Edmond will play at Arkansas State,
and Randy Kauk of Leedy signed with the University of Cen-
tral Oklahoma.
I would like to offer my sincere congratulations to all these
athletes who will be playing somewhere else, and wish them
good luck in the future.
Coaches Gary McCoy, Andy Mace, Ron Robison and
Gary Montgomery should be congratulated on doing a fine
job of helping these athletes continue their careers.
To all the athletes who will be filling these shoes, good
luck and have fun.
While Eastern didn't have any national champions last
year in the sports field, it did prove to be a very interesting and
good year for Mountaineer athletic teams.
This is evident in the 23-plus athletes going to play college
athletics at NCAA Division I and II and NAIA colleges.
The men's basketball team, which displayed great athletic-
ism on the court, had a below-average year due to uncontroll-
able injuries and off-court problems.
But five, and possibly more, of last year’s sophomore ba-
sketball players are going on to play elsewhere this season.
Andre Nero from Bristow and Roy Pinder of the West End
Grand Bahamas will be playing at East Central in Ada this
year.
Clifton Poole from Okmulgee and Sam Lockhart of Law-
ton will play for Langston University this year.
Ricardo Hamilton from Dayton, Ohio, will be playing ba-
sketball at a Division I school in Ohio.
The Lady Mountaineer basketball team that had a 20-win
season will send at least two people into Division I programs
this year. Fran Mauer from Tulsa will attend Oral Roberts
University, and Tara Stevens from Ponca City will be playing
at Kansas City University.
The Lady Mountaineer softba Ilers, who posted an excel-
lent season, dealt their share of talent to other colleges as
well.
V‘
0
in danger?
Mountaineer athletes move up to a higher level
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By MIKE CARRELS -
Assistant Sports Editor . “In my opinion, ‘hot’* a
Oklahoma colleges and universi- , ,,
ties will no longer count health and tremendous mistake; but I
physical education activity courses think it s a mistake that uni-
toward bachelor's degree require- versity people tend to
ments, as a result of policy changes make.”
approved over the summer by the _ Gary Montgomery
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Eosc Athletic Director
Education.
“I feel this bill may be rectified Types of HYPER courses af-
before long," Hill said, explaining fected by the policy changes include
that he sees the changes as an experi- self-help, health information, self-
ment by four-year schools, improvement, leisure, recreational,
Athletic Director Gary Montgom crafts and varsity athletics.
cry agreed, adding that he is disap Teacher education courses, such
pointed with the decision. as coaching, physiology and sports
“In my opinion, that’s a tremend- officiating, will not be affected.
The change in requirements will ous mistake, but I think it's a mistake
affect students entering college in that university people tend to make,
fall 1994. However, there will be no They can say there is no written
immediate change as far as Eastern work required in these classes; there
students are concerned. is no basis toward giving the grade.
EOSC requires four hours of HY- "Yet there are a lot of courses at
PER to graduate, and the require- university level that fall under that
ments will remain the same, accord- very same parameter," Montgomery
ing to President Bill H. Hill. said.
By MIKE CARRELS
Assistant Sports Editor
Jarred McAlvain averaged 25
prints a game as a senior for Stigler
High’s basketball team. He batted
close to .500 as a first baseman and
was selected All-State in both sports.
What’s more, the New York
Yankees drafted him in the 33rd
round.
But McAlvain, a 6-foot-4,
200-pound double scholarship ath-
lete in basketball and baseball,
knows it’s a whole new ball game
when he puts on a Mountaineer uni-
form this fall.
“I’m ready to play with people of
my caliber and better around me, so
they can lift my game to another
level," he said.
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Haines, Micah. The Eastern Statesman (Wilburton, Okla.), Vol. 69, No. 1, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 12, 1993, newspaper, August 12, 1993; Wilburton, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2031042/m1/4/?q=+%22Latimer%22: accessed June 27, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.