Latest news with #Class5A
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vote for Landmark Fine Homes boys high school athlete of the week for May 5-11
The Oklahoman's spring sport boys athletes of the week poll for May 5-11 presented by Landmark Fine Homes is now live at Choctaw senior track and field athlete Nate Keiffer was last week's winner. Advertisement Voting is open until noon Sunday. Here are the nominees. More: Vote for Landmark Fine Homes girls high school athlete of the week for May 5-11 Pre-order book on Oklahoma HS basketball at 'The Big House' More: Oklahoma high school baseball: OSSAA sets 2025 Classes 6A-2AII state tournament brackets James Allen, Sr., John Marshall track: Allen claimed individual Class 5A regional titles in the 100 (10.74) and the 200 (22.13) at Moore this past weekend. Behr Boyd, Sr., Norman track: Boyd won individual Class 6A regional titles in the 100 (10.55) and the 200 (21.47) at Chickasha this past weekend. Beckett Crandall, So., McGuinness soccer: He scored the lone goal as McGuinness advanced to the Class 5A semifinals with a 1-0 win over Tulsa East Central. Advertisement Benson Diehm, Jr., Norman golf: He shot a 2-over 146 as he finished in a tie for place at the Class 6A regional at Earlywine Golf Club. With Diehm leading the way, Norman claimed the team title. Luke Hill, Jr., Okarche baseball: He played a key role as Okarche advanced to the Class A-I semifinals, tossing a complete game while allowing one earned run and seven hits in a 6-1 win over Ripley in the quarterfinals. Hill also did well at the plate, finishing 3 for 4. Jagger Jay, Sr., Oklahoma Christian School track: Jay captured the Class 3A state title in pole vault with a 14-3 mark. Kyler Thiessen, Sr., Calumet baseball: Thiessen, who will continue his career at Cowley College in Kansas, helped Calumet reach the Class B title game for the second straight season, going 4 for 4 with three RBIs in an 11-1 victory against Stonewall in the quarterfinals and finishing 3 for 4 in a 9-2 win over Stuart in the semifinals. Advertisement Xzavier Thompson, Sr., Millwood track: Thompson defended his Class 3A state title in the 400, clocking a winning time of 49.75 seconds to claim back-to-back championships. Carlevon Young, Sr., Carl Albert track: The Oklahoma State football signee claimed an individual Class 5A regional title with a 6'4 leap in the high jump at Moore this past weekend. Cale Zachary, So., Oklahoma Christian Academy golf: He shot a 1-over 141 as he won the Class 2A regional at Idabel Country Club and led OCA to its first regional title. More: Oklahoma high school winter sports: 2024-25 All-State, All-City teams in basketball, swimming & wrestling Advertisement Nick Sardis covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@ or on Twitter at @nicksardis . Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Nick's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at . This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Vote: Landmark Fine Homes boys HS athlete of week for May 5-11
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Remember the name: East Limestone's Cain had unforgettable season
Apr. 5—CAPSHAW — Will Zak Cain go down as one of the greatest players ever to dribble a basketball at East Limestone? It's a question worth asking, and the East Limestone senior has a case to make. Advertisement Cain is the 2025 Decatur Daily Class 5A-7A boys player of the year after a season averaging 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists with 72 steals. Five other East Limestone players — Austin Harvell, Andy Haggenmaker, Dewayne Uselton, Roy Fletcher and Freddie Benford — have been named Decatur Daily player of the year. The most recent, Harvell, was selected in 2019 and is also the only other East Limestone player selected since 2000 and since the school moved to Class 5A. Harvell's stats in 2019? Seventeen points and eight rebounds per game. So the question is, where does Cain stack up in the list of East Limestone's all-time greats? "I'm biased, but I feel like he's definitely up there," said East Limestone head coach Jake Moran. "Zak has been first-team All-State and is a player of the year finalist for all of Class 5A. I know there have been some great players come through here, some of which have had those same accolades, but I would put Zak up with any of them." Advertisement Cain's great season didn't come as a surprise to many, least of all himself. Coming off a strong junior season in which he averaged 14 points and seven rebounds, Cain believed he was ready to step up his game. "Honestly, I expected it," Cain said. "I actually had a goal set for higher so I was a little disappointed I didn't reach that. I still feel like I ended up doing pretty good." Cain didn't just have a great statistical season. He was also the key piece on one of the top basketball teams in Class 5A. He helped lead the Indians to a 24-6 record and a No. 4 ranking in Class 5A in the season's final poll. East Limestone went on to reach the Northwest Regional tournament for the first time since 2020. "We had some hunger from last season, and we felt like we had the firepower to be even better this year," Cain said. "We started off with a goal, but when we realized we were actually good enough to achieve it, that's when we kicked it into another gear." Advertisement The Indians were strong top-to-bottom, but Cain was the central cog on the team. "He was our leader," Moran said. "The great thing about him is that he's naturally gifted, but he still works as hard as anybody. He was always the first one in the gym, and he always put in his best effort. "The younger guys that we have that got to practice with him and see him play every night, I think he set a perfect example for them." But will Cain be remembered as one of the best ever at East Limestone alongside Harvell, Haggenmaker, Uselton, Fletcher and Benford? "I hope so," Cain said. "I feel like I did my best every time I was on that court, so I hope people will remember that." — or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2
Miami Herald
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Pembroke Pines Charter's Logan Hall is the 7A-5A Broward Boys' Soccer Player of the Year
Logan Hall was already an established soccer standout early in his high school career. But when he transferred to Pembroke Pines Charter from St. Thomas Aquinas, Hall learned what it took to be more of a leader on the field. He applied those skills well this season as one of the key factors in the Jaguars' unbeaten march to the state final four in Class 5A. For those efforts, Hall is the Miami Herald's Broward County Boys' Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A. Hall, a Jacksonville University signee, led Pines Charter to the state final four for the second consecutive season after going unbeaten for 20 consecutive matches and winning 18 of them. He scored 16 goals and had nine assists during that stretch. Unfortunately for Hall and the Jaguars, they were unable to cap that run with an elusive state championship after losing in the Class 5A final to perennial powerhouse Tampa Jesuit. 'My senior year went great, especially transferring in from St. Thomas, I had high hopes,' Hall said. 'Our undefeated regular season was amazing and my teammates were amazing. We wanted the ring, but hey, it is what it is.' Hall, who had played mostly center back earlier in his career, also had to adapt to a more offensive role at the top this season. It led to his more prolific scoring output and made Pines Charter one of the more dangerous teams in the state overall. Hall felt he became more of a complete player after this transition and expects to carry that knowledge to the college level. 'I learned to adapt to change, playing striker,' Hall said. 'I learned a lot about leadership and both are things that will help me at the next level. 'Being up top, you have to finish your chances. You're under more pressure, but you get a lot of the glory as well.'
Miami Herald
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Blanche Ely refuses to slow down, grinds out ninth state boys' basketball championship
Blanche Ely boys' basketball fans patiently waited for six years to see their favorite team return to the top. The Tigers, a team whose strength is playing at an up-tempo pace at both ends of the court, also had to be patient and capitalize on opportunities against a Ponte Vedra squad that made it a point to slow them down. Ely would not be denied on Friday night, speeding the game back up in the second half and grinding out a 44-38 victory in the Class 5A state championship game at the RP Funding Center. 'Our bread and butter is to create turnovers and create easy baskets,' Ely coach J.R. McNabb said. 'We just had to be patient and get quality shots. We were launching so many long threes where we were not able to get secondary rebounds. Once we settled down, we knew it would be a grueling game and it would just come down to 50-50 balls and the will to win.' The Tigers (20-9) added to their rich tradition by winning their ninth state championship, which is the most for a Broward County school and ranks fourth all-time in the state behind Miami High (19), Malone (14) and Orlando Christian Prep (10). It is their first since 2019 when they won the last of seven titles under former coach Melvin Randall. Ely became the first Broward school to win state titles with three different coaches, having won its first in 1993 under Wade Edmond and this one under McNabb's leadership. After six years away, it was as if the Tigers never left as they won their 16th consecutive game at the final four. 'They've been begging us to do this for three or four years,' said junior forward Kaleb Corbitt, who led the Tigers with 19 points. 'We just had to do it.' It was a struggle at first for Ely just to get points. Ponte Vedra sat in a 2-3 zone on defense, denying them access to the rim and slowing things down to a half-court game, daring the Tigers to shoot. Ely scored just five points in the first quarter and 12 in the first half, shooting 5 for 23 from the field and 1 for 13 from 3-point range. The Tigers adjusted in the second half and began applying full court or three-quarters court pressure to force turnovers and prompt fast break chances. Led by Corbitt, who finished with a team-high 19 points, Ely outscored the Sharks 19-10 in the third quarter, shooting 8 for 14 including 2 for 5 from 3-point range. Dylon Hanna, who also struggled shooting 1 for 9 from 3-point range and finished with eight points, hit his lone triple at a key time during that third quarter turnaround. 'It's all about fundamentals,' Corbitt said. 'When they were in the 2-3, I just said to get me the ball.' Ponte Vedra (22-9), which lost in the state final for the third time in the past four seasons, battled back and cut Ely's lead to 37-35 with 2:29 left in the fourth quarter after a four-point play by Maddox Palmer - the game's high scorer with 20 points. This was where Ely turned the tables and showed patience by slowing down each possession and forcing the Sharks to foul. Corbitt, who went 7 for 8 from the free throw line, was clutch down the stretch as he went 6 for 6 in the game's final two minutes. 'When I'm in the gym, I envision being on this stage right here,' Corbitt said. 'So when I was here (at the free throw line), I just envisioned being back at the gym and the crowd didn't get to me, the players didn't get to me, the occasion didn't get to me. I just shoot free throws and that's it.' Ely's triumph was truly a family affair, which made the celebration of the title even more special. McNabb, who had previously coached the Tigers' girls' squad before this season, has his brother, Kelvin, on his staff. McNabb also coached his son, Jayden, a senior guard who finished with eight points Friday, and his nephew, Tyrese Lucas, a senior reserve guard. Corbitt and his brother, Jordan, a sophomore guard, were key contributors to the Tigers' title run. Their sister, Gianna, was a former All-State first team player on the girls' squad who is now a freshman at the University of Chattanooga. 'I've been part of the Corbitt's lives since the fourth grade,' J.R. McNabb said. 'I'm just so happy for them and even more so because of the adversity they've gone through in their high school careers. It's special. It's really special.'
Miami Herald
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Seeking a return to past glory, Blanche Ely boys' basketball routs St. Petersburg
From the start, the goal was simple. To restore the proud tradition of Pompano Beach Blanche Ely boys' basketball, which has won eight state championships - more than any other Broward County program. The Tigers are one victory away from getting the job done. A collective effort led by Kaleb Corbitt's 12 points and 10 rebounds led the Tigers to a 67-45 victory over St. Petersburg in a Class 5A state semifinal on Wednesday night at the RP Funding Center. The Tigers (19-9) will vie to win their first state title since 2019 and Broward County-best ninth overall when they play Ponte Vedra (22-8) in the 5A final on Friday night at 7 p.m. The Sharks survived a triple-overtime game against Leesburg in the other semifinal on Wednesday. 'We put together a real competitive schedule and we didn't take days off and we feel blessed to bring Blanche Ely basketball where we feel it belongs,' said Ely coach J.R. McNabb, who coached the Tigers' girls teams in recent years. Ely won seven state titles under former coach Melvin Randall, who now coaches at Miami Northwestern, and one in 1993 under then-coach Wade Edmond. A win Friday with McNabb at the helm would make them the first Broward school to win state titles with three different coaches. 'It feels good,' Ely senior point guard Justin Snell said. 'We've gotta bring Ely back to what it was. The job ain't done though.' Ely traded buckets with St. Petersburg (18-12) for most of the first quarter until it put together a 12-0 surge keyed by Corbitt and Dylon Hanna, who finished with 10 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals. 'In the beginning, we came out a little slow. We're a fast-paced team and that's how we get into our stuff,' Snell said. 'We felt like we were the better team, but we just had to come out and show it.' Once the Tigers got the engine running, they showed off their scoring balance and depth as seven players finished with six or more points. Ely's intense defensive pressure contributed to 19 St. Petersburg turnovers. The Tigers turned those into 23 points. 'I think they had 15 free throws in the first half,' McNabb said. 'Once we dug deep and did our job and secured rebounds and defended at a high level, we showed we're a pretty good team. Our best offense is our defense and we like to get out in transition.' Four of those transition buckets were highlight-reel dunks by senior wing Jayelen Jonas, who finished with 11 points. 'What we practice translates to the game and it's all simple,' Jonas said. 'They call me their 'high flyer' and they're my family. They trust me to go up and get it. All of my guards, when they see me, they throw it up and they know I'm gonna dunk it.'
