From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Thursday,
February 27, 1997
LOCAL
Nearly News
Wastewater Treatment Plant Project Progress Continues
Flamingo Fun Week Includes Fund Raiser
P.C. Friends Of Scouting Set Friday
Brownie Troop 163 Gets Good News From Projec
NOC Affiliate Garden Member of OBGA
Wordsmiths Meet Saturday
Chamber News
Eastside Sanitary Sewer Study Nears Completion
Following Electrical Safety Keeps Users Victim-Free
Memorial Dinners Set
DEATHS
Lloyd Corbett Watts
William White
Services Pending
Vivian J. Garner
Bob Martin
Funerals
Delorous V. Welsh
D.I. Kelly
NEWS BRIEFS
SPORTS
Po-Hi Wrestlers Ready for 5A State
Northern Lady Mavs Clinch Share of First; Mavericks Still Alive
NOC Adding Baseball, Soccer to List of Sports
Correction
Proud parents Don and Ann Schneeberger wanted area residents to know that son Jerome could be seen on a televised show at 8 p.m. Friday on Prime Cinema. Jerome is among the "best of the best" calf-ropers participating in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The events will be televised from the Astrodome following an all-star concert featuring such entertainers as Hank Williams Jr. and Charley Daniels.
BY LAURA TREADWAY
News Staff Writer
With construction on Phase 2 of the Wastewater Treatment Plant 12.4 percent complete, administrators already forecast the project will be $270,504 over budget. FHC is the construction administrator and Dondlinger & Sons Construction Company, Inc. (D&S) was contracted for the work.
Phase 2 of the plant improvements began last summer with an initial contract amount of $14.65 million. Two change orders amounting to $196,326 have already been approved to address modifications of the headworks foundation. Additionally, pending change orders totaling $72,177 will increase the contract amount to an estimated $14.92 million, according to Jon D. Nelson, professional engineer for FHC, Inc.
FHC provided a summary of actual/potential change orders to the Ponca City Board of Commissioners Monday. The summary indicates 16 additions will be considered. According to FHC, work at the site is progressing well and is observed to be ahead of schedule, however, this could change due to the structural work being well ahead of the equipment deliveries. In addition, delays related with the headworks foundation modifications will also begin to have adverse impact on the completion dates, which was set for April 1999.
FHC's report indicated the site excavation is complete at the headworks site and piling materials should be in place. The aeration basin is expected to be complete by mid-April, after which the process equipment can be installed.
D&S has concentrated efforts to the disinfection building foundations, according to Nelson, to keep the masonry work available to their subcontractor on the project.
Furthermore, the building foundation and exterior walls of the sludge processing basin are complete. The interior partition walls are nearly finished, Nelson said. Installation of the interior and exterior roof structure is on hold pending deliveries of the large electrical and control devices.
In addition, fabrication of the belt filter presses is complete. Also, various problems with the quality of the building masonry have been addressed with D&S and remedial work was done.
Currently, a tool carrier/loader and a front end loader have been delivered and are in service at the plant. Delivery of two sludge spreaders is anticipated by March 1.
Phase 1 Improvements
Phase 1 improvements, constructed by Walters & Morgan Construction Company, Inc. (WMC), have been complete and accepted, according to Nelson. However, on final clarifier No. 2, the clarifier sludge collector mechanism experienced some paint failure. As a result, the unit will be removed from service for cleaning and repainting as weather and flow conditions permit.
Moreover, the variable frequency drive on one of the flow equalization basin return flow pumps failed. The device is being repaired and is scheduled to be reinstalled by March 1. Currently, the facility is operating with a temporary manual control device for the affected pump, Nelson stated.
Also, the electrical/control building at the flow equalization basin has been stabilized by the addition of four auger pilings. The sidewalks were removed around the pump station and the top three to four feet of backfill was removed and replaced. The area is being monitored to ensure the subsidence has stopped prior to the sidewalks being replaced.
Furthermore, WMC will return to make repairs of minor failures with the expansion joint seal material in the new lower sludge drying beds.
Flamingo Fun Week, Feb. 23-28, is being sponsored by members of the OKAY AMBUCS. The group is offering people in the community an opportunity to "furnish a friend with a fabulous feathered flamingo."
The brightly-colored yard decoration can be placed in the front yard of an individual's home for a $5 donation to the AMBUCS. A note accompanies the flamingo with information for removal by the group.
For information or participation in this fund raising event call Kathleen Kelly, 762-9137 or Jan Snow, 765-2579.
The 1997 Ponca City Friends of Scouting Campaign is set to kick-off at 7 a.m. Friday at the American Legion.
The Friends of Scouting campaign is the annual campaign conducted by the Will Rogers Council, Boy Scouts of America. Council-wide, the Friends of Scouting campaigns raise about 24 percent of the total Council budget.
The Will Rogers council provides the Scouting program in part for all of eight counties in North Central Oklahoma. In Ponca City more than 550 youth are involved in the Scout program in 23 Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops and Explorer posts.
The chairman of the 1997 campaign is Dr. Terry Boring. Working with Boring as team majors are Renee Hoover, Tim O'Connor, Bill Trout, John Stanley and Dr. Milburn Quinn.
The Will Rogers Council is a member agency of the Ponca City United Way.
By KATHY ZEHR
News Staff Writer
Seven members of Ponca City Brownie Troop 163, recently received good news from Omaha, Neb., that a particular young boy for whom they had been collecting aluminum can tabs to help pay for kidney dialysis has just received a long awaited life-saving kidney transplant.
"The rewards for the local Brownie Scout's hard work has been worth all the time spent collecting the aluminum tabs, which bring a special premium when collected for recycling," said a Brownie mother, Susan Copple. The girls and their friends collected more than five gallons of aluminum tabs for the boy's treatment.
The third-grade Brownies first began the project to earn a "Service from the Heart" patch, when Vanessa Copple, a member of Troop 163, brought her Grandfather, Jim Scholtes, to talk to the Troop. Scholtes, a member of the Abu Becker Shrine, told the girls about the project and explained how collected tabs could be used to help pay for kidney dialysis for a particular young boy waiting for a transplant in a Shrine hospital.
Vanessa and her grandfather, recently visited with Donald Madson of the Omaha, Neb., Tangier Shrine and delivered the more than five gallons of tabs collected by the seven girls of Ponca City Troop 163.
Later, Vanessa and her mother, reported to the Brownies the young boy they had collected tabs for - had just received his life-saving transplant.
TONKAWA - Northern Oklahoma College has been accepted as an Affiliate Garden member of the Oklahoma Botanical Garden and Arboretum (OBGA) Statewide System.
Dr. Joe Kinzer, Northern president, received notification of the acceptance from Dr. Dale Maronek, OBGA director and head of the Oklahoma State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, following an on-site tour of the entire campus by Maronek and Dr. Mike Schnelle, OSU extension ornamentals/floriculture specialist.
Northern gardener Kelley McKenzie initiated the three-part process for becoming an Affiliate Garden member. She is a close associate of Schnelle's through the Horticulture Industries Show (HIS) in conjunction with her work on the college campus and the greenhouse gardening short courses she takes.
First, a questionnaire was completed showing that the college met the membership criteria, including keeping the garden open to the public and displaying a minimum of 250 different plant specimens. Then McKenzie worked with Dr. Schnelle to arrange the on-site visit to assess the gardens, facilities and programs. Finally, OBGA representatives granted membership certification.
The OBGA visitors especially enjoyed the rose garden and the four memorial beds, particularly the Heartland Memorial Garden commemorating the victims of the Murrah Building bombing in Oklahoma City, according to McKenzie. They were extremely interested in the remainder of the Santa Fe railroad track, dating from 1911, on the south end of the college property.
Dr. Maronek and Dr. Kinzer foresaw possibilities of a walk area for bird watchers and nature lovers. McKenzie would like to make a controlled nature habitat by incorporating some ferns, wild flowers and possibly native plants and grasses. "Even some very small swamp areas, which support different vegetation, could be preserved," she said.
Affiliation with the OBGA includes a Plant Information Manager computer program, connecting Northern with other affiliate gardens, thus enabling McKenzie to find new varieties of plants that grow well in Oklahoma's varying conditions. According to Dr. Schnelle, Northern's Affiliate Garden would open up a myriad of possibilities in terms of OSU-NOC collaborative projects.
McKenzie expects to rate field trial plants for tolerance to elements, growth habits and ability to thrive.
McKenzie said the campus gardens have at least 2,500 plants, including bedding plants. Northern sets out between 4,000 and 6,000 bedding plants per year and visitors can view approximately 10,000 blooms of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils and other seasonal flowers each spring. She plans to put in a butterfly garden on the south raised bed of the cafeteria and a butterfly or hummingbird garden at Bell Hall. She also wants to make a turn-of-the century garden to complement the Heilmann Gazebo.
McKenzie, Ivan Osborn and Tom Tucker will serve as the advisory board of directors for the college gardens.
Northern Oklahoma Wordsmiths writing club members will conduct their regular monthly meeting Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the Ponca City Library Programming Room. Guests and aspiring writers are welcome to attend.
Meetings of the NOW group are always held the first Saturday of each month at the Ponca City Library unless the date is preempted by a civic event such as the Iris Festival, a holiday, or other event.
When a meeting date is to be moved, a notice will be published in advance in the Ponca City News Calendar of Events and broadcast of the TV Bulletin Board. In most cases, the meeting will take place the second Saturday in the month.
The NOW club meetings are designed to exchange writing information, share current market and learning possibilities for writers such as seminars and conferences in the area, and if desired, provide a critique for readings of members' writings.
Published authors, who visit Ponca City for signings at local book stores are also frequently invited to present programs and share their experiences.
The meetings are open to beginning writers and hobby writers, as well as professional writers. Visitors are always welcome.
This is the fifth in a series of articles entitled, "Meet a Committee Chairperson", featuring individuals who serve as Committee Chairpersons for the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Give Ponca the Business
Meet Paula Coppock, chairperson of the "Give Ponca the Business" Committee. Coppock has been employed in banking for more than 20 years, and for the last eight, has been a personal banking representative for Pioneer Bank and Trust.
In addition to serving as a member of the "GPTB" Committee for the past two years, Coppock has assisted with planning and organizing the Chamber sponsored "Breakfast of Champions" events. These breakfast meetings are designed to provide the retail community with new ways to provide quality customer service. Also, Coppock has been a member of Pioneer Bank and Trust's team in the Chamber's annual membership drive for the past four years.
Coppock has served in several different roles in other community organizations, including: Kiwanis, secretary and board member; Helpline Inc., treasurer and board member; Albright United Methodist Church, secretary of the Administrative Board and Mid-High Parent, Teacher, Student Association, board member.
As a native Ponca Citian, Coppock loves her community and continues to work to improve the lives of all Ponca Citians in her current role as chairperson for the "GPTB" Committee.
Coppock is married to Sgt. Allan Coppock, a 20-year veteran of the Ponca City Police Department, and they have two children, Christopher, 14 and Courtney, 12.
The purpose of the "Give Ponca the Business" Committee is to bring continuous quality improvement to the products and services offered in the Ponca City area. If you have questions about the "Give Ponca the Business" Committee for the Ponca City Area Chamber of Commerce, contact Laura Gray at 765-4400.
Ribbon Cutting
A ribbon-cutting and open house for Temporary Personnel Inc. will be held Wednesday at 1722 North Fourth, Suite E, with the ribbon-cutting at 11:30 a.m. and the open house continuing until 2:30 p.m.
Consultants anticipate costs for the Eastside Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Study will be under the contracted amount, according to a report to the Ponca City Board of Commissioners Monday. FHC Inc., is the engineer.
According to Jon Nelson, FHC Inc., the study appears to be coming in approximately $15,917 less than expected. Current projections reflect costs at $118,156. The original contract amount is $134,073.10.
Nelson said 94 percent of the field work had been completed. To date, 841 out of 900 manholes have been inspected. Both manhole and major building inspections will be completed by March 7. Also, additional dye testing will be finished by March 14.
Nelson reported that 21 percent of the evaluation and report are complete. The report is due to be submitted in 90 days from the completion of field work.
Furthermore, smoke testing of 221,790 linear feet and 4,510 linear feet of television inspections have been completed, Nelson confirmed. However, eight additional major buildings and 16 minor buildings have yet to be inspected. Dye tests need to be performed on 12 public and private facilities.
FHC worked with city staff to prepare recommendations for further work and collection system improvements for fiscal year 1997-98.
Electricity can be a friend, but it can also hurt people if not treated with respect. Citizens can keep from being a victim of an electrical accident by following electrical safety in the home, school and workplace.
- Use extension cords only on a temporary basis.
- Put safety covers on unused receptacle outlets and extension cords.
- Unplug an appliance and call an electrician, if the receptacle faceplate feels hot or if there is sparking, smoke or odor coming from the outlet, plug or appliance.
- Examine appliance and extension cords regularly for signs of wear and tear damage to insulation.
- Unplug all non-essential electrical appliances when not in use.
- Test General Fault Circuit Interrupters monthly according to manufacturer's instructions, to determine that they are working properly.
- Use extension cords that have been listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Extension cords should not be used as a permanent substitute for inadequate house wiring. Do not use extension cords that are worn or damaged. Also, don't attach extension cords to the wall with nails or staples.
Do not overload cords with too many appliances. An appliance that has emitted an electrical shock should not be touched until the appliance has been unplugged.
Never reach into water for a plugged-in appliance. Unplug it first. In addition, an appliance cord should not be placed where it might touch a hot surface.
Wiring should not be exposed in outlets and switches. Correct size faceplates must be used.
Switches or outlets that don't work should not be ignored. Obtain the help of a qualified licensed electrician.
Furthermore, cords should not hang over counter tops where children can pull down an appliance.
For more information, about electrical safety, contact the Ponca City Electric Department at 767-0405.
A memorial dinner will be held Saturday on the Omaha Reservation, hosted by Rufus White, in honor of his brother, Ted White.
Also a memorial dinner will be sponsored by Jewell McDonald Farmer, sister
of Ted White, at the Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in White Eagle on
Sunday at 1 p.m. in his honor.
DEATHS
RED ROCK - Lloyd Corbett Watts, Perkins resident, died at his home, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997. He was 47.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Complex in Red Rock, with the Rev. Joe Black officiating. Burial will be in the Otoe-Missouria Cemetery under the direction of Strode Funeral Home, Stillwater.
Lloyd Corbett Watts was born Oct. 19, 1949, in Enid, the son of Harrison and Doris (White) Hunter Jr. He attended schools at McCloud, graduating from high school there in 1969. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served from 1969 to 1971. After his honorable discharge he attended Oscar Rose Junior College and graduated with a degree in business administration.
He was married to Judith Ann Winklen in 1972 in McCloud. Watts was employed at Tinker Field for two years then worked as a licensed journeyman plumber for Seaton Plumbing in Oklahoma City for five years.
In April 1980, he was married to Karen Spotts in Perkins. Watts was employed by Bradley Plumbing in Stillwater for eight years, retiring due to Lou Gehrig's disease. He was a member of the Baptist church.
Survivors include his wife, Karen, of the home; two sons, Thomas Corbett and Lloyd Mitchell, both of Perkins; one daughter, Shana Marie Watts of Perkins; his mother, Doris Hunter of Perkins; two brothers, Henry Hunter of Shawnee and Warren Hunter of Perkins; five sisters, Rita Monoessy and Karen Hunter, both of Shawnee, Annett Rice of Cushing, Deborah Ross of Keota and Harriet Eidson of Eldon, Mo.. He was preceded in death by his father and one brother, Buffalo Hunter.
TONKAWA - William White, former longtime Ponca City resident, died at his home in Tonkawa, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1997. He was 94.
The funeral will be held graveside at 2 p.m. Friday in the Collins Cemetery at Okeene. The Rev. Travis Hopper, minister of the Okeene United Methodist Church will officiate. Arrangements are under the direction of McCafferty-Bolick Funeral Home, Tonkawa.
William White was born Nov. 23, 1902, in Carroll County, Mo., the son of William C. and Minnie J. (Bryant) White. In 1909, he moved with his family to a farm near Okeene, where he grew up.
On Aug. 27, 1927, he was married to Bessie Carver in Enid and they made their home in the Okeene area. In 1940, they moved to Vinita, where he farmed and worked at the Pryor Powder Plant during World War II. He was also employed at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita during the early 1940s. He later moved to Tonkawa, and was employed at Piper Aircraft Co. in Ponca City and then at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa for five years. The family then moved to Stillwater for a short time, then lived in Ponca City for 29 years, where White farmed east of town. After the death of his wife, Bessie, in 1993, he moved to Tonkawa. White attended the Methodist Church.
Survivors include one son, William M. White of Tonkawa; two daughters, Betty Cook of Chanute, Kan., and Bonnie J. Schoelen of Palmdale, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren. In addition to his wife and parents he was preceded in death by an infant son, six brothers, and one sister.
Vivian J. Garner, longtime Ponca City resident, died Tuesday evening, Feb. 25, 1997, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 81. Local survivors include a daughter, Carol Gray and a sister, Anna Smith. The funeral is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Trout Funeral Home. Other arrangements will be announced later.
Bob Martin, Ponca City resident, died Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997, in Tulsa. He was 60. Survivors include his wife, Brenda Martin. The family will be at 202 North Ash Street. Arrangements are pending with Grace Memorial Chapel.
Friday
Delorous V. Welsh - Funeral to be held graveside at 10 a.m. in the Braman (Okla.) Cemetery under the direction of Roberts Funeral Home, Blackwell.
D.I. Kelly - Funeral to be held at 2 p.m. at Woodlands Christian
Church, Ponca City. Burial will be in Longwood Cemetery under the direction
of Grace Memorial Chapel.
NEWS BRIEFS
Lilies For Sale - Beautiful white lilies for spring or Easter gift-giving and decorating are now being offered by the Northern Oklahoma Student Nurses Association at Northern Oklahoma College. Cost for a six-inch florist's pot of lilies, wrapped in pastel floral wrap and containing five to six blooms is $10 and will be delivered as requested or on March 29 to a location of choice. Proceeds will be used for nursing scholarships and to support nursing school projects in Zimbabwe, Africa. Call 765-1136 or 762-8663 by March 7 to place orders, or for information.
Republican Women to Meet - The Republican Women of Kay County will meet Thursday with Jim Newport, freshman representative for District 37 as guest speaker. The meeting is set at Golden Corral, with dinner at 6 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome, Republican of otherwise. The slate of officers will also be presented and a display of sale items is scheduled.
Senior Citizens Dance Set - A Senior Citizens Dance will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday in the Senior Citizens Building, 320 South A in Arkansas City with Pete Coli and his Country Band providing the music for dancing. All seniors are invited to attend and bring a finger food to share.
Pancake Supper Set Friday - A pancake and sausage supper is scheduled for Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm Street. Adults $4 and children $2. Everyone welcome.
Failure to Appear - An 18-year-old man was arrested by a Ponca City police officer in the 1100 block of Rosedale Drive at 10:44 a.m. Wednesday on two city warrants for failure to appear.
Vandalism - A resident in the 400 block of West Cleveland Avenue notified the Ponca City Police Department at 1:18 p.m. Wednesday that a window was broken out of a vehicle. An officer took a report.
Vandalism - An employee at the Holiday Inn, 2215 North Fourteenth Street, informed the Ponca City Police Department at 1:35 p.m. Wednesday of vandalism to one of the rooms. An officer took a report.
Burglary - A Ponca City police officer arrested a 17-year-old boy at the police department at 2:02 p.m. Wednesday for two counts of second degree burglary.
Accident - An accident occurred at Fourteenth Street and East Grand Avenue, according to a call received at the Ponca City Police Department at 2:56 p.m. Wednesday. A Ponca City ambulance arrived, however, no one was taken to the hospital. An officer took a report.
Bike Stolen - A resident in the 2200 block of North Fourteenth contacted the Ponca City Police Department at 3:18 p.m. Wednesday to report a bike stolen.
Stolen Tag - A Ponca City police officer took a report at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday of a tag stolen from a vehicle in the 600 block of South Tenth Street.
Collision - A non-injury accident at Oklahoma 156 and the West Highland Avenue extension was reported to a Ponca City telecommunication officer at 4:29 p.m. Wednesday. The officer notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
Petit Larceny - A Ponca City police officer arrested a 17-year-old boy at Hastings, 2101 North Fourteenth Street, at 7:08 p.m. Wednesday for shoplifting. The boy was released to the custody of a parent.
Youth Arrested - Four Ponca City police officers responded to the report of a disturbance in the parking lot at South Pine Street and West Central Avenue at 11:38 p.m. Wednesday. A 17-year-old girl was arrested for public intoxication, resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer and violating curfew. A report was taken.
Roommates Fight - A 19-year-old man was arrested by a Ponca City
police officer at 2:17 a.m. Thursday on a city warrant for failure to pay
and minor in possession. An information report was taken. One roommate informed
the department of a verbal fight in progress. Three officers responded to
the call.
SPORTS
By FRED HILTON
News Sports Editor
Last year he experienced the state wrestling tournament through the eyes of his twin brother.
Matt Dodgen liked what he saw and would like to bring an individual title back to Ponca City, too.
Mark and Matt Dodgen, along with Stockton Graves, will carry the Wildcat banner in the state tournament at Lloyd Noble Arena in Norman this weekend. They have been there before.
Mark Dodgen won the 112-pound championship last year and Graves at least got to see the first round of the tournament before dislocating an elbow.
Matt Dodgen returned to the Wildcat lineup late in the season and was not in physical shape to place in the regional tournament. According to Matt, he wasn't in mental shape either.
"Last year my hip was hurting and I didn't have my head on straight," he said while preparing for his first trip to the state high school tournament. "Also, I didn't have my priorities set right."
A hip injury, caused by a hunting accident when he was 12 years old, bothered him again last year and helped keep him out of wrestling for the first time since he was in the sixth and seventh grade.
But he has overcome that injury and has become mentally tougher, according to coach Pat Young.
"Matt has wrestled really well this year," Young said of his 26-3 125-pounder. "He has met, and beaten, some good wrestlers this year."
Matt admits to being more focused this year and notes that may stem from watching brother Mark become a state champion.
"Seeing what happened to Mark really affected me," Matt says. "I wanted to work harder and it gave me a better attitude."
The twins work out together and even as late as Wednesday night they were going over moves with their father, George.
Matt realizes the Poncans will face some tough opposition, but he feels that he, Mark (23-3 at 119 pounds) and Graves (29-5 at 160) all have a chance to win it all.
He didn't feel that the three Wildcats being regional runners-up will hurt their chances.
"That will make us the underdog," Matt said. "I like being in that position.
"I think our chances are pretty good."
"The state tournament is any man's game. Anything can happen at state."
Their coach agrees, but warns his grapplers will have to take it one match at a time.
"If they go down and wrestle well, they can win," Young said. "But they will have some tough matches."
Mark goes against Jay Hannah (20-7) of Norman in the first round and if he wins there will probably face Dace Blankenship (26-6) of Mustang, the West regional champion.
Also looming is unbeaten Matt Holman (33-0) of Choctaw, the wrestler who bet him 3-2 in the Eastern regional finals.
Matt's first opponent will be John Greedy (16-8) of Edmond Memorial. A win there puts him in a position to face West champion Jeff Wilson (25-3) of Midwest City. On the other side of the bracket is Chris Forbes (32-6) of Broken Arrow, who won in the regional finals, 5-2.
Graves faces Justin Guinn (26-2) of Moore Friday morning. A win pits him against West champion Felix Valdez (31-1). The East champion is Dustin Walker (39-1) who edged Graves 4-2 in sudden death overtime at Jenks.
The state tournament, with all four classes wrestling at the same time, starts at 10:30 a.m. Friday. The first round consolations are slated for 5:30 with the winners' semifinals at 7:45.
Action resumes Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the consolation semifinals. The consolation finals are set for 1 p.m. and the championship finals start at 5:45.
TISHOMINGO - Northern Oklahoma's women's basketball team clinched at least a share of the Bi-State West crown here Wednesday night with an 80-61 win over Murray State. The NOC men also picked up a huge 79-61 win which could vault them to a third-place finish in the league.
The Lady Mavericks ended regular season play with a 20-10 overall record and closed out Bi-State West play with a 9-1 mark. Seminole (22-6, 8-1) could end up tying the NOC women for the Bi-State West crown with a road win over Rose State (7-22, 1-8) tonight. If that's the case, Seminole will get the No. 1 seed from the West for the upcoming Region II Tournament and NOC will be seeded second due to Seminole's better overall record. The two teams split their two season meetings.
Against Murray State, Northern led by just eight at the half, 34-26, but continued to stretch its advantage in the second half to pull away for the 19-point victory.
Lynetta Geter led the way for Northern with 24 points and fellow inside player Sherry Butts also had a big game with 13 points. Also reaching double figures was Michelle Brown, who had 12.
Other NOC scorers were Brandi McClellan, 8; T.J. Humphreys, 7; Chanda Myers, 5; Jill Kliewer, 4; Danielle Monie, 2; Jennifer Whittet, 2; Jill Linsenmeyer, 2; and Mandy Perkins, 1.
"It's always a rewarding year when you can have a share of a conference title," said head coach Greg Krause. "This was a nice turnaround from last year, and a healthy year.
"We went into the game wanting to concentrate on Murray State and not look ahead to the playoffs and we did that. We got into a little bit of foul trouble and had to go to a zone defense in the second half and it worked well. This was a good win."
Should Seminole win as expected tonight Northern would face the Eastern women in the first round of the Region II Tournament in Shawnee Friday, March 7. If Seminole is upset then the Lady Mavs will face either NEO or Northark.
The Northern men stayed alive in their quest for a Region II Tournament berth with the victory over Murray State, which earlier derailed the Mavs in Foster-Piper Fieldhouse.
Murray entered the contest one game ahead of Northern in the Bi-State West standings but both finished the season 4-6. NOC is 12-18 overall which is far better than Murray's 5-25 mark. So NOC owns that tiebreak over Murray.
The key team for NOC to watch tonight is Rose State. The Raiders could tie NOC for third with an upset over Seminole at Rose. Rose would also get the tiebreak with a better overall record, dropping NOC to fourth in the Bi-State West and into a one-game preliminary playoff game against either NEO or Bacone with the winner advancing to the Region II Tournament.
Sophomore guard Blake Sonne had a huge game for the Mavericks off the bench as he scored a career-high 30 points against Murray State. Head coach Mick Weiberg used a brand new starting lineup of Bryan Stevens, Chris Beech, Kyle Dean, Jared Weiberg and Casey Roberts and those five got the Mavs off to a good start.
Sonne came in at the five-minute mark and provided an immediate spark with his scoring. Northern led 32-29 at the half and then outscored Murray State 47-32 in the second half.
In addition to Sonne's 30 points, Stevens had 13, Chauncey Webb 11, Beech 8, Richard Whitfield 6, Dean 5, Weiberg 2, Steven Lookout 2 and Roberts had 2.
"We really got after them defensively," said coach Weiberg. "Offensively, we got the shots we wanted and really controlled the game. Then we broke it open midway through the second half and got up by as much as 22 points before Murray closed it a bit at the end.
Helping thwart any thoughts of a Murray comeback were Stevens and Sonne, who went a combined 10-for-10 from the free throw line in the last few minutes. Stevens, also a sophomore, was 6-for-6.
"Those two really stepped up and hit those free throws at the end and they were big free throws," coach Weiberg said.
TONKAWA - Northern Oklahoma College will incorporate intercollegiate men's and women's soccer and men's baseball beginning with the fall 1997 semester. Approved recently by the Northern Board of Regents, soccer and baseball will be added to current men's and women's basketball and women's softball sports.
"I'm really excited about the sports programs we are adding for next year," said Dr. Joe Kinzer, Northern's president. "We are the first two-year state school to begin intercollegiate soccer."
Terry Ballard has been named the men's baseball coach and Mike Riley will be the soccer coach for both the men's and women's teams.
Riley, currently a faculty member in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Division, has had approximately 20 years experience coaching soccer from youth leagues, high school and adult club soccer. Riley holds a Class"D" Oklahoma state coaching license.
"Soccer is a fast growing sport in the United States," said Riley. "World-wide it is the most popular sport. I am looking for players who will be good student athletes. This is the type of person that will fit into out intercollegiate programs at Northern."
Coach Riley is working on the fall schedule and expects to have it finished near the end of the sprinq semester. He is scheduling Rose State, a "club" team, and college teams from Kansas, Texas and Missouri. Scrimmages are planned with area four-year universities.
Riley's recruiting efforts are underway, signing Mike Arnold, Tonkawa; Bryan Hindman, Bartlesville; and Eddie Paez, Stillwater, recently on Northern's campus. Arnold, Hindman and Paez are currently freshmen at NOC and are expected to form the sophomore leadership for next year's team.
Riley expects to recruit state-wide. Soccer is currently played in 77 high schools in Oklahoma. Several partial scholarship are offered.
Ballard, currently serving as assistant women's basketball coach and serving as the director for the Tonkawa Wesley House, has started recruiting for the baseball program also.
"We'll have tryouts in April and May for those interested in playing at the JUCO level," said Ballard. "We've had great response so far. Our basketball and softball programs have been strong over the past years. We're excited to have baseball added to our sports programs."
Northern will be playing NJCAA Division II baseball. A majority of the two-year schools in Oklahoma play either Division I or II baseball. Ballard, starting the program from the ground up, is able to prepare a full schedule for the 1998 season.
"The addition of soccer and baseball gives us a well rounded intercollegiate program which will complement our existing sports of basketball and softball," said Bob Zweiacher, Northern's athletic director. "We look forward to the additional excitement that these sports will bring to our campus."
Students interested in playing intercollegiate sports at Northern Oklahoma College may contact Zweiacher at (405) 628-6760.
The caption under the seventh grade basketball photo which ran on page
6C of Wednesday's News incorrectly identified one of the coaches. The coaches
are Skip Jump and Willie Hardiman.