LOCAL

Landfill Still Burning After Weekend Ignition
Oklahoma Cold, Too
Nearly News

Landfill Still Burning After Weekend Ignition

By PATTI PFEIFFER

News Staff Writer

A weekend fire at the city landfill burned more than trash, it caused thousands of dollars in damage at the newly opened expansion area.

According to Public Works Director Ken Parr the fire burned tire chips which were part of the elaborate collection system, required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“The tire chips were part of the new collection system and had been applied on top of a layer of gravel. A very expensive liner lies below them,” Parr said. “We will not have an exact cost of the damage until the fire is completely out and we’re able to determine the extent of the damage, although we expect it to be a minimum of $100,000.”

The fire flared around 2 p.m. Saturday and the black heavy smoke could be seen for miles around. High, northerly winds fanned the flames, spreading the fire within a five-acre area inside the landfill located south of Ponca City.

Two fire units were sent to the scene to combat the flames — which reportedly shot 30 feet into the air — but to no avail. Fire fighting efforts were unsuccessful in the rubber-fueled fire. The new airport fire truck was also called in to apply foam in an attempt to smother the flare, but that too failed.

“The fire is still burning and it may take up to a week for it to burn itself out,” says Landfill Superintendent Everette Van Hoesen.

The cause of the fire was none other than burning trash itself.

“People in the country still burn their trash and someone came in and dumped a hot barrel with hot ashes on the chips and they caught fire,” Van Hoesen said. “We were trying to be extremely careful because we knew we had a situation out there with those chips, but the operator didn’t know the barrel was hot and it just got away from him before he realized what was happening.”

Out of the $1.8 million, 12-acre expansion site, more than half of the tire chips have been covered with trash and dirt. The remaining area was that which burned.

“Fires in landfills are going to happen. It’s just unfortunate that this one happened in the area of exposed tire chips,” Parr said.

The Department of Environmental Quality has been contacted and is expected to visit the landfill this week to assess the situation and make recommendations for any necessary repairs.

In the meantime, the landfill will remain open, the fire will continue to burn and the black smoke, and its offensive odor, will be a part of the southern skyline.

Oklahoma Cold, Too

By The Associated Press

Forecasters say it will be at least Tuesday before the arctic cold front that’s claimed at least two lives in Oklahoma releases its frigid grip on the Sooner State.

The National Weather Service said temperatures early today would drop from near zero in parts of northwest Oklahoma to around 10 or 12 degrees near the Red River.

‘‘Without the winds, the wind chills are not going to be a lot lower than the temperatures,’’ said weather service meteorologist Ken Gallant. ‘‘We’re looking for temperatures from 0 to 10 to 15 above. The wind chills will probably be in the range of 0 to 10 below.’’

The mercury dipped to a 1999 low of 11 degrees in Ponca City before dawn today, but had warmed to a “balmy” 20 by 11 a.m., just 2 degrees below Sunday’s high.

Oklahoma City police said they found the body of a man on Sunday near 50th Street and Lincoln Avenue. The man, who was wearing only jeans and a T-shirt, was not immediately identified, police said.

In Tulsa, a homeless man attempting to stay warm overnight as temperatures dipped to near single digits was burned to death after the box he was living in caught fire.

Clyde Daly, 49, was pronounced dead at a Tulsa hospital Sunday afternoon from third-degree burns that covered 90 percent of his body.

Tulsa Fire Captain Hubert Rouse said Daly and a companion were sleeping in a cardboard box behind a car wash around 5 a.m. Sunday when a pot filled with hot coals they were using to keep warm somehow ignited the box.

Rouse said Daly’s companion suffered burned hands.

Today’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and continued cold temperatures with highs mostly in the 30s.

Tonight will be mostly clear with lows from the lower teens to around 20.

Tuesday, the weather service said, will be mostly sunny and windy but not as cold. Highs will be in the lower 40s to lower 50s.

Tuesday night will be mostly clear with lows in the 20s.

Joe Ballard, a volunteer at the Day Center for the Homeless in Tulsa, said very cold temperatures can make people do dangerous things to stay warm.

‘‘I’ve heard of people burning clothes to make a fire. They go up under bridges to make fires, whatever they can do,’’ he said. ‘‘When temperatures get cold, people sometimes get irrational.’’

Jo Raper, who has been staying at the Day Center’s infirmary, said the cold makes an already bad situation worse for the homeless.

‘‘Some wrap up in plastic to stay warm. Some stay outside because they don’t have any place to go. There’s nothing we can do about the weather, it’s God’s work,’’ she said.

The weather service advises that precautions be taken to minimize damage to exposed water pipes. The risk can be minimized by allowing a small stream of water to run from indoor faucets that are located near outside walls or by leaving cabinet doors open where water pipes are located.

Automobiles left outdoors should be checked for adequate levels of antifreeze, the weather service said.

The agency also said travelers should take extra blankets and coats in case their vehicle becomes disabled.

People who have to be outdoors should dress warmly with several layers of clothing for protection. A large amount of body heat escapes from the head, so a hat will be beneficial, the weather service said.

Pets can also be endangered by the cold and should be provided protection or brought indoors.

Nearly News

As a special request by the Ponca City Inaugural Committee, the red tape for acquiring tickets to the Inaugural Celebration has been eliminated. Now tickets, $35 each, can be purchased at Pioneer Bank, Home National Bank, NationsBank and the Marland Conference Center. The prestigious event to honor Gov. Frank Keating and Mrs. Keating is to be staged Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Marland Estate. The event includes heavy hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, dancing and other entertainment throughout the evening.

DEATHS

Martha Burton Thevis
Orval Lee Pittman
Fern H. Simmons
Mary M. Baker
Mary Lou Ward
R.J. Elmore

Martha Burton Thevis

MOWATA, La. — Martha Burton Thevis, mother of former resident, Sandra Myatt, and a relative to other Ponca City residents, died Friday, Jan. 1, 1999, at the American Legion Hospital in Crowley, La. She was 78.

The funeral was to be held today at 11 a.m. at the St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Mowata, La. Burial was to be in the St. Lawrence Mausoleum in Mowata under the direction of Geesey Ferguson Funeral Home, Crowley, La.

She was married to John Gerhard Thevis. She was a member of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Ladies Altar Society, and the Lawrence Catholic Church Perpetual Adoration Society.

Survivors include four sons, Robert and Patrick, both of Simmesport, La., Michael of Orange, Texas and Stephen of Mowata, La.; four daughters, Sandra Myatt of Iota, La., Kathleen Langlinais of Crowley, La., Antoinette Coignard and Molly Thevis, both of Mowata, La.; one brother, Joseph Burton of Mowata, La.; two sisters, Susie Herbert of Crowley, La., and Hubertina Burton of Iota, La.; 14 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Gerhard Thevis; her parents; two brothers, Louis and Winston Burton; and one sister, Margaret Burton.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Martha Thevis Memorial Fund for an organ for the church, P.O. Box 468, Iota, La., 70543.

Orval Lee Pittman

NORMAN — Orval Lee Pittman, former Kaw City-Ponca City resident, died Saturday, Jan. 2, 1999, in Norman. He was 81.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Norman with the Rev. David Nehrenz officiating. Burial will be in the Norman IOOF Cemetery under the direction of Mayes Funeral Directors.

Orval Lee Pittman was born Aug. 9, 1917, in Gracemont to Charles Lee and Virginia (Culpepper) Pittman. He grew up on a farm and attended schools in the Kaw City area. He was employed in the oil fields prior to his enlistment in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Pittman served aboard the destroyer USS Ingraham during the war. After his discharge he returned to the Kay County area.

He was married to Sonja Jaworsky on May 6, 1944 at the First Lutheran Church in Ponca City. The couple lived in Oklahoma City while Pittman attended Draughans Business College. After his graduation, the couple returned to Ponca City, where he was employed with Continental Oil Co for many years. In 1992, they moved to Norman to live near family members. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, and the American Legion in Ponca City and enjoyed fishing and hunting.

Survivors include his wife, Sonja of the home; four sons, Lee of Shaumburg, Ill., Bud of Kingsport, Tenn., Lonny of Long Beach, Calif., and Larry of Edmond; three sisters, Jewell Deusnup of Red Bluff, Calif., Jerri Miller of Salina, Kan., and Mildred Stafford of Ponca City; three brothers, Van of Lyons, Kan., Charles of Ponca City and Kenneth of Del City; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister, Mary Jo.

Casket bearers will be Jerry Jaworsky, Greg Cobbs, John Holman, Mike PIttman, Keith Burkhart and Shawn Cossey.

Fern H. Simmons

Fern H. Simmons, relative to several Ponca City residents, died Thursday, Dec. 31, 1998, in Tahlequah. She was 98.

The funeral will be held at Longwood Baptist Church, east of Ponca City, at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999. Burial will follow in Longwood Cemetery under the direction of Hart Funeral Home, Tahlequah.

Fern H. (Rust) Simmons was born Nov. 4, 1900, in Avery, Mo., the youngest of eight children born to Rayburn Stedman and Rachel Ellen (Hetherington) Rust. As she grew up she moved with the family to various locations and graduated from Stillwater High School. She also completed secretarial courses at Oklahoma A&M College on the campus where her father had built some of the buildings. She then worked as secretary to several college professors.

On June 5, 1923, she met and married Claude L. Simmons in Stillwater. The couple moved to Enid in 1931 and established the Simmons High School Grocery store. They remained in the grocery business until retirement in 1969. After the death of her husband on Jan. 20, 1985, she and son Leon, moved to Tahlequah. They moved into the Go Ye Village on July 14, 1988. Mrs. Simmons had served as a Sunday School teacher and church secretary and enjoyed making strawberry preserves for her family.

Survivors include two sons, Leon Simmons of Tahlequah and Ray Simmons of California; one daughter Joanne Richardson of Tahlequah; seven grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and several other family members in the Ponca City area. In addition to her husband and parents she was preceded in death by seven brothers and sisters.

Mary M. Baker

STILLWATER — Mary M. Baker, former Ponca City resident, died Dec. 31, 1998, in Stillwater. She was 91.

A graveside funeral will be held 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 5, 1999, at Fairlawn Cemetery in Stillwater with the Rev. Gordon Edwards officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Strode Funeral Home of Stillwater.

Mary M. Baker was born Jan. 11, 1907, in Monroe, La., the daughter of Zay and Maude Valerie (McElwee) Gardner. She graduated from McAlester High School in 1924, and from Christian Junior College in Colombia, Mo., with a degree in fine arts. She also attended the University of Kansas and the University of Oklahoma.

She married Jack Asher Baker on Dec. 26, 1933, in McAlester, after which they moved to Ponca City. In 1939 they settled in Stillwater. She was a member of the Pi Phi social sorority, the Children’s Benefit Association, a charter member of the first chapter of Rainbow Girls, and the Fort Nightly Bridge Club. She was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church, where she taught Sunday School.

She is survived by her son, Jack A. Baker Jr., of San Antonio, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband on Aug. 16, 1996, two sisters and three brothers.

Mary Lou Ward

RED ROCK — Mary Lou Ward, Red Rock resident, died Tuesday, Dec. 29, 1998, at Corpus Christi, Texas. She was 64.

The funeral was to be held at Strode Funeral Chapel in Stillwater today, Jan. 4, 1999, with the Rev. Neil Peek officiating. Burial was to be in the Otoe-Missouria Cemetery at Red Rock.

Mary Lou (Patlan) Ward was born Oct. 15, 1934 in Martindale, Texas, the daughter of Mariano and Antonia (Reyna) Patlan. She attended school in Corpus Christi, Texas.

She was married to Joseph G. Ward on Oct. 16, 1964 in Corpus Christi and following their marriage the couple moved to Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Ward was employed as an x-ray technician at a hospital in Chicago. The couple moved to Red Rock in 1978, where Mrs. Ward was employed with the Red Rock school system as a custodian. She retired in 1990. Mrs. Ward was very active in the Word Generation Church and enjoyed crafts and playing Bingo.

She is survived by one sister and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband on May 17, 1998; her parents; two brothers and one sister.

Casket bearers will be Martin Diehm, Dennis Gilliland, Dave Taulman, Russell Zinn, Richard Hudson, and Brian Roe. Honorary bearers will be Dr. Bob Piguet, Ronnie Plumley, Curtis Burgess and Daniel Turner.

Services Pending

R.J. Elmore

NEWKIRK — R.J. Elmore, Newkirk resident, died early this morning, Jan. 4, 1999, at the Ponca City Nursing Home. She was 84. Arrangements are pending with Miller-Stahl Funeral Service in Newkirk.

NEWS BRIEFS

Garden Council — The Ponca City Council of Garden Clubs will meet Wednesday at the Cann Garden Center. Program at 9:30 a.m. by Gene Salisbury, “Growing Begonias as a Hobby.” The business meeting will follow.

Free Pregnancy test. Birth Choice cares. Confidential.

Hours: Tuesday, 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, 6-

8 p.m. 700 West Broadway. adv.

Vehicle Vandalism — At 8:43 a.m. Saturday police received a report of slashed tires on several vehicles at Motor City, 401 West Grand Avenue. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Being Relocated, or in town for a short time? We have homes

available by the month or longer. All homes are full furnished with

appliances, furniture, linens, pots and pans. Inclusive of cable,

local phone, and utilities. Please call 580-762-7980 or 580-718-0681.

adv.

House Painted — A man in the 900 block of North Ash Street contacted police at 9:22 a.m. Saturday reporting that his house had been vandalized with a “paint ball.”

Carpet Need cleaning? Confused about who or what to use?

Call Floorcraft 762-8381, let us help you make the right choice.

Call Mr. Clean at Floorcraft. adv.

Juvenile Shoplifter — A 13-year-old juvenile was reported shoplifting at 12:25 p.m. Saturday at Jack Griffith’s, 2501 North Fourteenth Street.

Accident — A one-vehicle, non-injury accident in the 1100 block of North Pecan Road was reported to police at 4:08 p.m. Saturday.

Missing Money — A woman in the 300 block of South Seventh Street notified police at 4:54 p.m. Saturday that money was missing from her residence. An officer was assigned.

Stolen Stereo — At 5:03 p.m. Saturday police were informed that a stereo had been stolen out of a vehicle in the 2800 block of North Fourteenth Street.

Arrest — Police arrested a 39-year-old man from the 800 block of South Second Street for second degree burglary and public intoxication after reportedly breaking into a shed and stealing a lawn mower.

Arrest — An 18-year-old girl was arrested at 5:31 p.m. Saturday from Wal-Mart, 1101 East Prospect Avenue, for petit larceny.

Juvenile Shoplifters — Two 17-year-old girls were arrested at 6:57 p.m. and 7:12 p.m. Saturday from Wal-Mart, 1101 East Prospect Avenue, for petit larceny.

Arrest — A 24-year-old man was arrested at 8:33 p.m. Saturday from the 100 block of West Brookfield Avenue for actual physical control.

Arrest — At 9:38 p.m. Saturday a 24-year-old man was arrested at Triple T, 720 South Waverly Street, on a Kay County warrant for bogus check.

Stolen Stereo — A man called police at 9:38 p.m. Saturday reporting that his vehicle had been broken into while it was parked in the 800 block of East Prospect Avenue and his stereo had been stolen.

Tape Theft — At 10:13 p.m. Saturday a woman in the 1100 block of West Greenwood Avenue contacted police regarding some missing video tapes. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Vehicle Vandalism — Police were notified at 10:30 p.m. Saturday of a vehicle that had been “keyed” while it was parked in a parking lot in the 2000 block of North Fourteenth Street.

Arrest — Police arrested a 32-year-old man at 12:38 a.m. Sunday from Ash Street and Hartford Avenue for driving under the influence.

Arrests — Two 22-year-old women were arrested at 1:10 a.m. Sunday from the 300 block of East Ponca Avenue, one for assault and battery and the other for driving under suspension.

Arrests — A 19-year-old man and 27-year-old woman were arrested at 3:27 a.m. Sunday from the 400 block of South Oak Street for domestic assault and battery.

Arrest — Police arrested a 20-year-old man at 3:36 a.m. Sunday at the police station for giving false information to an officer, obstructing an officer, several Grant County warrants, and on a city warrant for failure to obey.

Break-In — At 7:27 a.m. Sunday police were notified that the Friendly Bar, 705 North Osage Street, had been broken into. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

House Vandalism — A woman in the 800 block of West Hartford Avenue contacted police at 8:15 a.m. Sunday, reporting that her house had been “paint balled.”

Juvenile Arrest — Police arrested a 15-year-old boy at 11:30 a.m. Sunday for second degree burglary after he reportedly broke into a residence in the 300 block of Redbird Drive.

Burglary — At 1:44 p.m. Sunday a house burglary in the 2300 block of Eagle Road was reported.

Stolen Purse — A woman advised police at 1:49 p.m. Sunday that her purse had been stolen from the 2600 block of North Fourteenth Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Missing Purse — Police were notified that a woman’s purse was missing from the 1100 block of North Fourteenth Street. A report was taken.

Gas Drive-Off — A $3 gas drive-off at the Triple T, 720 South Waverly Street, was reported to police at 4:55 p.m. Sunday.

Attempted Rape — A woman called police at 6:03 p.m. Sunday reporting an attempted rape in the 500 block of South Lincoln. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.

Gas Leak — A gas leak was detected at 8:14 p.m. Sunday in the 500 block of South Third Street.

Stolen Battery — At 8:34 p.m. Sunday a battery was reportedly stolen out a vehicle in the 300 block of West Broadway Avenue. A report was taken.

Stolen Beer — A clerk at the Mid-West Easy Stop, 1100 North Union Street, reported a beer theft at 9:19 p.m. Sunday.

Arrest — Police arrested a 43-year-old man at 10:03 p.m. Sunday from Hartford Avenue and North Union Street for driving under the influence.

Attempted Burglary — At 10:23 p.m. Sunday an attempted auto burglary in the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue was reported to police. An officer was assigned.

Break-In — At 11:07 p.m. Sunday police were advised that a lock on the north end of Wentz camp had been broken. A report was taken.

Arrests — Two 20-year-old men were arrested from North Second Street and East Highland Avenue at 1:55 a.m. Monday after reportedly stealing beer in the 2800 block of East U.S. 60 in Osage County.

LIFESTYLES

Risinger-Suckley Wedding At First Presbyterian Church
Little News

Risinger-Suckley Wedding At First Presbyterian Church

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Michael Suckley have established a home at 8 Lakeview Place, Kaw City, following their recent wedding at the First Presbyterian Church. The bride, the former Tammy Joyce Risinger, is a production worker at Rubbermaid and a cake decorator for the Pattikake House. Suckley is a transmission technician at Bob’s Transmission.

The couple’s vows were solemnized in a 7 p.m. ceremony by the Rev. David Clipson. Ann Salmons, organist, played the “Wedding March,” and taped music included “Ordinary People” with Clay Walker and “Now That I Found You” with Terri Clark. Parents of the bridegroom are Betti Santanio of Bremerton, Wash., and Joseph Suckley of Eager, Ariz. The bride is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Elmo Morrison.

Given in marriage by her brother-in-law, Dennis Sands, the bride wore a peau de soie and lace gown with waterlily inserts and long lace sleeves. The dress was designed with a Sweetheart neckline and dropped waistline, and chapel length train. Her veiling was attached to a lace headpiece accented with seed pearls and floral decor. The bride’s garter was a gift from her sister, Barb. The bride carried a bouquet of teal and magenta silk roses with lily-of-the-valley accents. All flowers for the wedding were created by Patti Howard.

Kathy Moorhead, Matron of Honor, wore a long turquoise satin gown with a lace bodice. Other attendants were Barbara Sands, Dollie Randall and Sandra Ellis. Each wore a magenta taffeta dress with rosebud trim. Flower girl was Ariel Chanté Moorhead of Newkirk, and ringbearer was Dakota Dowell of Newkirk. All of the bridal gowns were created by the bridegroom’s grandmother, Irene Suckley.

Mike Moorhead served his nephew as Best Man, and groomsmen were Mark Sherman of Tucson, Ariz., brother of the bridegroom; Gary Moorhead and Brian Moorhead.

Candlelighters were Krystal Jane Risinger, daughter of the bride, and Lindsey Skye Moorhead, cousin of the bridegroom. Kamala Glenn, aunt of the bridegroom, attended the guest book. The bridegroom’s grandmother hosted the reception at the fellowship hall. Those assisting with various details of the wedding ceremony and reception were Sandy Sullivan, Kimi Ridge, Carolyn Hernandez, Mike Randall, Billie Stanbough, Barb Sands, and Dollie Randall.

Little News

Billy and Kimberly Higgins, 208 South Birch, are announcing the birth of a son, Billy Ray Higgins III, at 3:45 p.m. Dec. 17, 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. The baby weighed 5-pounds, 15-ounces and was 19 1/2-inches long.

Grandparents are Scott and Bonnie Boike of Ponca City; Peggy Lea Higgins of Hutchinson, Kan.; and Billy Ray Higgins of Ponca City.

Great-grandparents are Vernon Ryan of Sumner, Iowa; Billy and Norma Higgins of Ponca City; Bob Boffman of Hutchinson, Kan.; R. Q. and Wanda Spencer of Newkirk; and the late Bonnie Louise Ryan, the late Russell Boike, and the late Mary Jane Boike.

SPORTS

Monday Evening Quarterback
Mediocrity in Big 12 Good News for Fans
Najera New Go-to Guy

Monday Evening Quarterback

Holiday ski trips, watching football games on TV, staying out late, even big Christmas meals in some cases.

These are some of the things high school student-athletes miss because they give much of their off days over to practice, practice and more practice.

“These kids give up a lot,” Po-Hi basketball coach Ron Arthur said. “While their friends are sleeping in or out with friends, they are in the gym practicing.”

“Family comes first,” adds wrestling coach Todd Steidley, “and we give the kids a chance to visit with grandparents and such, but they put in a lot of hard work, too.”

For the girls and boys in basketball, wrestling and swimming, the holidays are usually boiled down to the few days before Christmas, Christmas Day and maybe a day or two afterwards. Then its back to the work of improving their skills.

“We practiced on Monday of last week,” Arthur noted, “had two practices Tuesday, scrimmaged at Oklahoma City against Western Heights and Pryor Wednesday, took Thursday off, practiced Friday and scrimmaged Blackwell and Perkins on Saturday.”

“We gave the kids four days off,” Steidley said, “Then practiced for three to three and a half hours a day after that.”

Most of the coaches were pleased with the attendance for the holiday practices.

“We had almost all of the girls on the varsity and JV teams at all the practices,” Lady Wildcat basketball coach Dana Pulley said. “And the attitude at the practices was very good. We scrimmaged Pawhuska and Newkirk and did real well. We worked a lot on our shooting and it was a lot better.”

Swim coach David Strah did not get the kind of attendance he would have liked and may be making some changes in his team as a result.

“If you’re out of the water for two weeks, its like starting all over,” he said. “But most of the kids realize that the season is getting short and are really bearing down in January.”

The wrestlers kickoff the second segment of the winter season with a dual meet in Enid Tuesday. They host Blackwell Thursday and enter the Geary Tournament Friday and Saturday.

The basketball teams are in the Ada Tournament Thursday through Saturday. Both Ponca City teams play Broken Bow in the first round of the tournament, the boys at 12:20 p.m., the girls at 1:40.

The swimmers start a series of three home duals on the 14th against Moore, followed by Putnam City North (21st) and Norman (28th)

Po-Hi’s wrestlers used the practices to work on conditioning and correct mistakes Steidley saw during the four duals and two tournaments in the short month of December before the Christmas break.

But mostly, the grapplers worked on getting healthy again.

Cody Grogan (135-pounder) will be on the sidelines for this week’s action with a knee injury along with 160-pounder Kyle Duren (broken leg).

However, Duren is expected to return quicker than Steidley originally expected.

“We should get Kyle back in about two weeks,” the coach said.

There won’t be any major changes in the matmen’s lineup, Steidley said. Demont Swindall or Phillip Brotherton will be at 103 pounds for the Cats at Enid, Tony Arbona will be at 112, Shawn Lee at 119, Josh Bailey at 125 and Clint Stafford at 130.

The lineup for the Lady Cat basketballers will also remain about the same, according to coach Pulley.

“I’ll still have the usual three regulars — Desiree Cries For Ribs, Jennifer Caughman and Alana Smith,” Pulley said. “The other two starters will probably be Laura Sudbury and Aleena Ames.”

Shooting problems plagued the Lady Wildcats during December as the Poncans managed just 40 percent from the free throw line and 32 percent from the field.

“We were getting plenty of shots,” Pulley noted. “We were taking 54 to 55 shots a game. That’s as many as lot of college teams get off. The shot selection was good. They just weren’t going in.”

The coach said she saw a noticeable improvement in her team’s shooting during the two holiday scrimmages and hopes that will carry over through the new year.

Arthur used the break to have his cagers work on the match-up zone and half court trap he installed this season.

“Those things take time to learn.” Arthur said. “We needed that practice time.”

The 3-2 Cats, who lead the conference in scoring with a 60.6-point average, had several big wins during the first segment of the season, but the coach said none were bigger that the victory over Sand Springs before the break.

“That was huge,” Arthur said. “It’s not often you get to celebrate a victory for two weeks. It’s a lot easier to come back to practice after a win like that than it would have been after a loss.”

The Cats are also healthy again after Bret Skaggs returned following a wrist injury, Arthur said.

But the Poncans will face another tough foe right off the bat in the Ada Tournament.

“Broken Bow may be the most athletic team we’ll see all year,” Arthur said. “If they get their shots to go down we’ll be in trouble.”

The other teams in Ponca City’s half of the bracket are Lawton and Latta. The teams in the other bracket ware Carl Albert, Atoka, Ada and Idabel.

The swim team held eight workouts over the holidays and coach Strah is looking for his boys’ team to make a strong bid toward the state meet.

Led by Rory Peterson, who recently qualified for the USA Swimming’s Junior Nationals in the 1,000 meters freestyle, the boys could well be one of the top 10 teams in the state, Strah said.

“Right now our 400 meter relay team has the third best time in the state,” the coach said. “Chris Kana is eighth in the 200 and will get better while Ben Dickey is back after an illness and will probably make state.”

Thus, all the hard work the athletes have put in during their “holiday” could pay off during the next two months of the winter seasons.

Mediocrity in Big 12 Good News for Fans

By CRAIG HORST

AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It’s fashionable around the Big 12 to talk about how this is a down year for the league.

Maybe so.

Certainly no superstar has emerged like those two guys Kansas put on the floor in winning the first two Big 12 titles.

But if the first weekend of league play is any indication, mediocrity maybe means balance. And that maybe works out best for fans who should be treated to competitive games.

Like an overtime game in Stillwater where Kansas State, picked to finish in the middle of the pack, takes preseason favorite Oklahoma State to the wire before losing.

It was, as Wildcats coach Tom Asbury said ruefully, a winnable game.

‘‘I have the feeling there’s going to be a lot of games like this this year,’’ said Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton. ‘‘There are a lot of teams that are probably all about the same.’’

Texas, also picked to end up in the middle, did win on the road, edging a Kenny Price-less Colorado team in Boulder.

Missouri, always an enigma under the sly Norm Stewart, saw Monte Hardge rise to the occasion of an infrequent start and clobber a fatigued Nebraska team in Columbia.

‘‘These games are what it’s about,’’ said Hardge as the Tigers won their first conference opener since 1996. ‘‘We’re trying to win our league.’’

Only Baylor and Texas A&M played true to form. They were picked to tie for last, and each got off to a quick start to fall to the forecast.

A&M was hopelessly outclassed by a Kansas team that had struggled through the first half of its season, finishing out by losing to Saint Louis just before the holidays.

Suddenly, everything was back to normal in Lawrence. The Jayhawks ran their fast-break offense with Eric Chenowith dominating the middle and the defense forcing the Aggies into 24 turnovers.

Freshman Jeff Boschee came back from vacation cured of turnover-itis, and Kenny Gregory was his slam-dunking old self.

Point taken.

‘‘We need to be ready to play, but the Big 12 championship runs through Allen Fieldhouse,’’ senior guard Ryan Robertson said. ‘‘You’re going to have to come in here and take it away from us.’’

Oklahoma, figured to be one of the league’s best, finished out the first weekend by struggling to beat Iowa State, picked eighth, in Ames.

That caused Larry Eustachy, coaching his first Big 12 game for the Cyclones, to express a sentiment that may be heard often this season.

‘‘I’m very disappointed,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m not discouraged. I will never be discouraged, but it’s a disappointing moment right now.’’

Scores from the first weekend were No. 25 Oklahoma State over Kansas State 75-69; Texas 73-68 at Colorado; Kansas 95-57 against A&M; Missouri over Nebraska 80-57; Tech 93-62 against Baylor; and Oklahoma 56-52 over Iowa State.

Kansas State (11-3, 0-1) blew a 15-point lead to Oklahoma State (9-3, 1-0), rallied from six behind to tie and force overtime and then finally folded.

‘‘We had them beat,’’ said Asbury, leader of a remarkably deep Wildcats team that has to be the surprise of the conference so far.

Texas (5-8, 1-0) had not played at home and stopped off to play Colorado (9-5, 0-1) on its way back from Hawaii. But the Longhorns rallied from 35-31 down at the half, and got the edge they needed when Price went out in the second half after cutting his forehead in a collision with a teammate.

‘‘We lost a little momentum,’’ Buffs coach Ricardo Patton said. ‘‘Our offense became pretty stagnant at that point.’’

A 30-3 first-half run by Kansas (9-3, 1-0) finished off A&M (7-4, 0-1) early. The Aggies had gotten off to a 7-1 start under first-year coach Melvin Watkins, but now have lost three straight.

‘‘You play your first Big 12 game and it’s against KU,’’ Watkins said. ‘‘I want to see how many teams come in here and win.’’

Hardge had 15 points and eight rebounds and John Woods had 22 for the Tigers (10-2, 1-0). The two seniors along with Albert White and freshman Keyon Dooling make Missouri a team to worry about.

Nebraska (8-6, 0-1) at one point in the first half had more turnovers than field goals, bringing coach Danny Nee to his knee.

Tech coach Jim Dickey pocketed his homecourt win over Baylor. It was, he said, a big one.

‘‘If you are going to have any chance at a conference title, you have to win your home games,’’ he said.

Najera New Go-to Guy

By CHUCK SCHOFFNER

AP Sports Writer

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Oklahoma’s Eduardo Najera is just like most basketball players: He wants to be the man, his team’s go-to guy.

In his junior season with the Sooners, that’s exactly what the 6-foot-8 forward is becoming.

Najera scored 22 points and started the game-turning run with a 3-pointer as Oklahoma beat Iowa State 56-52 Sunday in the Big 12 opener for both teams. It was the fourth game of 20 more points for Najera, who leads the Sooners with a 16.1 scoring average.

‘‘All the players dream about being the best guy on a team, the go-to guy,’’ Najera said. ‘‘That’s one of my dreams, too. I’m just trying to reach all those dreams and goals that I’ve got in my mind.’’

Najera provided what little spark Oklahoma showed during a horrible first half in which the Sooners made only 3-of-17 shots and scored just 15 points.

He scored 15 points by himself in the second half, when Oklahoma finally managed to run its offense without turning the ball over. Najera also contributed three assists, three steals and six rebounds.

‘‘Eduardo is a magnificent player,’’ teammate Ryan Humphrey said. ‘‘I’m glad we have him on the team. There’s going be nights like this when I’m not scoring or Michael (Johnson) is in foul trouble and it was good we had Eduardo to pick up the slack.’’

While Najera enjoyed a big game, Oklahoma (10-3) shackled Iowa State’s best player, 6-8 Marcus Fizer. Fizer, averaging 17.9 points a game, scored only nine and missed all five of his second-half shots.

‘‘They were double-teaming him, which means somebody’s open and we didn’t seem to get the ball to that person,’’ said Iowa State coach Larry Eustachy, who was making his Big 12 debut.

‘‘I’m very disappointed,’’ Eustachy said. ‘‘We’ve worked hard for three months for this. I’m not discouraged. I will never be discouraged, but it’s a disappointing moment right now.’’

Iowa State (9-5) couldn’t pull away in the first half despite Oklahoma’s poor shooting. Still, the Cyclones led 24-15 at the half and went up 26-15 when Fizer fed Martin Rancik for a dunk in the first minute of the second half.

Najera hit a 3-pointer 20 seconds later, though, and that ignited the Sooners, who held Iowa State without a basket for almost seven minutes while building a 35-28 lead. They never trailed again.

‘‘Basketball is a 40-minute game and I told our guys at halftime that we could give up, but winners don’t. Winners find solutions,’’ Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson said.

‘‘That first half was probably one of the worst I have ever seen,’’ Sampson said. ‘‘The second half, we changed our thinking and spread it out more and widened the passing lanes to give us more space.’’

Tim Heskett’s 3-pointer gave Oklahoma its biggest lead, 51-39, with 5:03 to play and the Sooners held on despite not making any more field goals. Iowa State had the ball trailing 55-52 in the closing seconds, but Michael Nurse missed badly on a long 3-point shot and Najera made a final free throw.

Nurse led Iowa State with 14 points, while Klay Edwards added 11 points and 11 rebounds.

‘‘We played tough in the first half and we got that lead,’’ Edwards said. ‘‘But we came out kind of soft in the second half and never really recovered and that was the difference in the game.’’

Johnson finished with nine points for Oklahoma before fouling out and Heskett scored eight. Humphrey, averaging 14 points a game, scored only seven but tied his career high with 13 rebounds and blocked three shots. He has 13 blocks in the last three games.

‘‘My father always told me that basketball is more than just scoring,’’ Humphrey said. ‘‘If your shot’s not falling, you can always do something else to help your team win.’’