Tecumseh High School celebrated a successful school year in sports with the THS Athletic Awards Assembly at the Alumni Center on May 18.

Tecumseh Athletic Director Casi Bays summed up the year.

Bays said both Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch softball ended their seasons at the State Tournament in quarterfinals. Wrestling had five state qualifiers
- Lexi Wiltshire, Kylei Gokey, Aliah Johnson, Temperance Reddin and Xzavier Kommer - with Gokey placing fourth at State.

Traci Harvey qualified for state in cross country. In Powerlifting, there were four state qualifiers: Malachi Detherage, Kobe Moody, Rafael Martinez and Lyric Morrison, and Detherage became the 4A State Champion, with a combined total of 1,395 pounds.

In Tennis, the girls had six state qualifiers: Kyann Sells, Kylie Britt, Kalyn Bartmess, Maggie Johnson, Hannah Tidwell and Savannah Wootten, and Sells placed eighth in 4A #1 Singles.

For boys tennis, Kommer, Eli Mullins, Jaxon McCullough and Noah Mason qualified for the State Tennis Tournament.

Anniah Phillips qualified for the State Track Meet in Long Jump.

THS had five All-Staters in softball. Cadence Leba made All-State for both Fast Pitch and Slow Pitch. Also in Slow Pitch, there were Maggie Wilson, Steeli Mitchell and Khabrei Simpson, with Blakelee Parker as an alternate.

Bays concluded by mentioning the many seniors who were signed.

“We had a total of 14 athletes sign a college letter of intent to play at the next level, so I think that just speaks volumes about what we’re doing here in Tecumseh,” she said.

Head Coach Randon Lowe presented the Football Awards, after mentioning that Jekhi Owens signed with Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, and Braxton Shelton signed with Oklahoma Panhandle State University.

The Savage Pride Award went to Shelton and Wyatt McElfresh. Kommer received Defensive Player of the Year, and Wyatt Dodgion was Offensive Player of the Year.

Owens was named Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- along with Countywide & Sun Player of the Year and KIRC’s Jim Brown Memorial Sportsmanship Award - although he was not present to receive his trophies.

“He played every single down. Every time we needed a play, we dialed up ... to him, and … more often than not, he came down with the football,” said Lowe.

Bays spoke next about the THS Fishing Team.

Maddox Dixon and Alex Hurst won a northern division fishing tournament last month at Tenkiller Lake. They caught a total of 14.47 pounds, including the tournament’s big bass at 3.97 pounds, according to an April 28 post on the Tecumseh Athletics Facebook page. Bays said Carter Hadsall and Brody Westcott, a student at NRC, took second place in the state tournament on Grand Lake of the Cherokees, May 3. Wyatt Cosper and Gus Coates are also competing their way toward the Student Angler Federation National Fishing Tournament in Kentucky, June 24-27, according to the SAF website, highschoolfishing.org.

Dixon has also signed a letter of intent to fish competitively for Murray State College, said Bays.

Coach Kortney Ozment presented the Cross Country Awards. She said they had one of the largest teams ever, with 20 students. Outstanding Male Individual went to Daniel Formanski, and Outstanding Female Individual was Traci Harvey. Sosi Mitchell and Eli Dean took the 110-Percent Award. The Savage Pride Awards went to Jackson Scout and Emma Rodgers.

Head Coach Chad Trahan presented the Fast Pitch Softball awards.

“We’re district champs, regional champs, super regional champs, and battled their rear ends off at the state tournament and fell short at the end against Tuttle,” said Trahan. “So, they’re a joy to be around, the way they work, their dedication is deserving of praise, so I’d like to just take a moment to thank them.”

Maggie Wilson received the Savage Pride Award; Embrie Smith got the Gamer Award; Maddie Gray won Defensive Player of the Year; and Cadence Leba and Josie Walker tied for Offensive Player of the Year. Steeli Mitchell received MVP and will continue her softball career at the College of St. Benedict.

Volleyball Head Coach Megan Laughlin said they held their awards in the fall. Kopelyn Taylor and Kennadee Mason both received Offensive Player of the Year; Haley Wood was Defensive Player of the Year; and Mason also won MVP.

In Cheerleading, presented by Katie Marrs and Jacee Miller, the Savage Pride Award went to Amelia Wheeler; the Leadership Award was for Shelby Davis; Madison Gifford received the 110-Percent Award; Madison Giaudrone won the Triple A Award; the Spirit Award went to Taylor Crawford; and the Fidelity Award was shared by Kimberly Holland and Addison Taron.

Head Boys Basketball Coach Bryant Edwards announced that they had three All-Conference Players this year: Jekhi Owens, Aveon Stokes and Creed Wright. Stokes was also a 4A OCA All-Star, with 1,366 high school career points, making him the second-highest scorer of all time at THS.

Cash Phelps received the Mr. Charge-Taker Award; Brodey Wood was Most Improved; Owens was named Defensive Player of the Year; Wright received Offensive Player of the Year; and Stokes was Team MVP.

Head Girls Basketball Coach Eldon Gentry said, “We didn’t really meet our standard, as far as wins goes within the program, but that doesn’t change one bit of hard work and effort and everything that these girls put into it. They came in every day, worked their rear off, smiles on their faces every day, and that’s all going to pay off in the long run.”

Caleigh Lewis won the Savage Pride Award; Sosi Mitchell was Most Improved; Livia Fourhorns received Defensive Player of the Year; Lilie Tracy earned Offensive Player of the Year; and Cadence Leba was named MVP.

Wrestling Coach Billy Don Sigman opened his announcements with a moment of silence in memory of Assistant Coach Quentin Beck.

Sigman said they had one wrestling coach who was deployed, and they welcomed their first female coach, Head Junior High Girls and THS Assistant Wrestling Coach Elisabeth Robinson.

Sigman said they had a tough year, in addition to wrestling being a rough sport anyway.

“We dealt with some adversities in the room, and the kids had a year to reflect, a year to grow, and see who they were as individuals across the board,” he said.

AB Sanchez received the Hammer Award; Rafael Martinez won the Savage Pride Award; Most Improved was Haden Emrow; and Outstanding Wrestler of the Year was Kommer.

Lexi Wiltshire won the Savage Pride Award; Aliah Johnson received the Hammer Award; and Temperance Reddin took Most Improved.

Coach Trahan returned to speak about Boys Golf, where they had the best scores in his 10 years as Boys Golf Coach.

The Low Medalist Award went to Wyatt Cosper, and the Savage Pride Award was received by Devin McLeister.

Coach Bill Grogan presented the Girls Golf Awards. Addison Taron won the Savage Pride Award, and her sister, Maddilyn Taron, was named MVP Golfer.

In Powerlifting, presented by Coach Mike Montano, Lyric Morrison was Most Improved; Kobe Moody won the Savage Pride Award; and Malachi Detherage took MVP.

Tennis Coach Jennifer McKnight said they gave their awards on May 16, after returning from the Boys State Tennis Tournament.

McKnight said Kommer and Avery Renken received scholarships from their booster club. The “coveted” Golden Racket Award went to Kyann Sells and Jaxon McCullough.

“You have to get points throughout the season by winning matches, by straight sets or split sets or tie breakers,” she said.

The Young Savage Award went to freshman Noah Mason. McCullough and Kylie Britt won the Black and Gold Award. MVP went to Ted Belshe and Sells.

Coach Easton Marrs gave the Baseball Awards.

Cash Phelps was Offensive Player of the Year; Lane Laughlin was Defensive Player of the Year; Cooper Laughlin was Competitor of the Year; Wyatt Heck was Teammate of the Year; and, Wyatt Dodgion received the Savage Pride Award.

Coach Perry Wilson presented the Slow Pitch Softball Awards.

The Savage Pride Award went to Josie Walker; Offensive Player of the Year was shared by Khabrei Simpson and Maggie Wilson; Defensive Player of the Year was Cadence Leba; the Gamer Award went to Maddie Gray; and, MVP was received by Steeli Mitchell. Haley Mansell also won the Outfielder Defensive Award.

Coach Ozment returned to the podium to give Track Awards.

The Outstanding Individual Field Event Award went to Lilie Tracy and Sampson Martin; Kate Pearson and Brody Tench won the Newcomer Award; the Savage Pride Award was received by Traci Harvey and Daniel Formanski; Outstanding Individual went to Jekhi Owens and Anniah Phillips; and, Aviah Dodgion was the Buzz Martin Memorial Award recipient.

Coach Gentry presented the Gary Guinn Memorial Scholar/Athlete Awards to Ryan Battington and Madison Giaudrone.

Aveon Stokes received the Savage Pride Male Athlete Award from Coach Edwards, and Maggie Wilson accepted the Female Athlete Savage Pride Award from Coach Trahan.

Outstanding Male Athlete of the Year went to Jekhi Owens, and Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year was Cadence Leba, presented by Coach Lowe and Coach Trahan, respectively.

Bays announced the Assistant Coach of the Year was Coach Montano, and Head Coach of the Year went to Coach Trahan.

To round out the event, all the senior athletes were presented with plaques and, for the first time, graduation cords.