From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Friday, April
17, 1998
LOCAL
Teens Express Concerns to Congressman
Tourism Panel Approves Promotion of Two Events
Legislators, Officials Discuss Upcoming Electric Deregulation
Area Oil and Gas
Bill O'Connor Named To Board of Regents
Humane Society Fund Raiser Set
Diabetes Group Meets April 21
DEATHS
Mark O'Brien Bennett
Funerals
Lois Elizabeth Eller
Floyd F. Holland
Services Pending
Thomas Hamilton Butt
NEWS BRIEFS
LIFESTYLES
Jan Prough Will Present Program At AAUW Meeting
Xi Beta Tau Elects Officers
Little News
EDUCATION
Native American Students To Observe Heritage Week
Strings Classes at Garfield Show Success
Project Partners To Offer Summer Institute
School News
Board Gives Approval For New School Track
Details Winding Down for After-Prom Party
'98 Graduating Seniors Awarded Scholarships
PC Schools To Review Textbooks
RELIGION
'Believe it or Not' Is Sermon Topic At 1st Lutheran
Church Briefs
Bunny Blessing Set at First United Methodist Sunday
Ceres Christian Will Celebrate Anniversary
Church Women United Plan Event
1st Baptist Plans Estate Seminar
SPORTS
Cats Needing Heart Doctor
Junior High Golfers Roll
Another Day Another Title For Lady Cats
Lady Cat Golf Makes Strides
Cats Face More Tough Competition
Golf Pairings
Golf Notes
Legion Tryouts
Wildcat JVs Coming On Strong, 10-12
By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE
News Staff Writer
Social Security is not only on the minds of the elderly and the baby boomers, but teenagers as well, Fifth District Congressman Ernest Istook said here Thursday.
Istook said that balancing the national budget is the big concern in Congress and that he is working on a proposal with other Congressmen that will not only address this but shore up Social Security as well. This amendment is to be introduced in a few months.
Meeting here with students at Ponca City High School, Istook said that the teenagers also wanted to talk about Social Security. He said that many of them have part-time jobs and they've noticed that their pay check totals and the money they make an hour doesn't add up the same, because federal income tax and Social Security tax have been deducted.
"The high school students here," according to Istook, "wanted to know about Social Security and whether they will ever benefit from it and about the plans we have under way to make sure that we protect the people currently dependent upon it and those about to be dependent on it, but yet offering a better plan for the next generation."
Istook suggested that the funds that is paid in Social Security taxes could be privately invested, rather than always being grabbed by the government through treasury bills and treasury notes. He said, "That is something that offers a much better and stronger system for young people, because the polls have shown that more young people believe in UFOs than believe they'll ever collect a penny of Social Security because of the financial problems that it has."
He said "The private investment would be one key part making a national retirement system that not only protects the people that are already retired but does better by the young people."
Balancing The Budget
Istook said it is expected that within a few days there will be an announcement that there is going to be a surplus of $50 billion.
"This is the first time since 1969 that the federal government will be balancing its books and that is a huge accomplishment. I compare it with the federal budget when I was first elected in 1992, which was running deficits of $250 billion to $300 billion a year," Istook said.
The Congressman added, "Yet we still have a huge task in paying off the accumulated national debt which is over $5 trillion. I know that the White House wants to take credit for balancing the budget and Congress wants to take the credit, but the credit belongs to the American people for the way they have diligently continued to work hard and to build this country and its economy, even while they were suffering under the tax burden that is too heavy on all Americans."
Istook went on to calculate that it would take 100 years at 50 billion a year to pay off the national deficit even without interest. "So we've got to do even better, but we've taken the first steps. Congress must continue to exercise discipline in spending. Unfortunately the surplus is generating temptation in spending."
He added, "This is absolutely the wrong approach. We still have to provide tax relief to the people, because lower tax rates will actually generate more money for the federal treasury and more importantly it will let people keep more of what they earn and make their own economic decisions, rather than having government make them for them."
The Oklahoma Congressman said he is working with a group of House members that are trying to use this surplus as the opportunity to bring back up the balanced budget amendment to the constitution, but with adding an important new provision.
"We want to say not only must the federal government balance its budget each year, but the surpluses which Social Security is generating each year should not be considered as part of the revenue of the federal government and therefore cannot be counted in the money that can be spent under the balanced budget amendment.
"That exercises fiscal restraint - it helps protect Social Security - it helps to pay down the national debt and takes money off the table and means you must shrink the size of the federal government."
By LOUISE ABERCROMBIE
News Business Editor
Ponca City Tourism Authority (PCTA) voted a $1,000 grant for promotion of the June 6 Herb Festival at the Cann Memorial Garden. The request was by the Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Garden Club.
Representing the club were Mary Anne Potter, president, and Helen Widner, coordinator. The original request was for $2,000.
This is the third and last year the group can receive funds for the event. Members of the PCTA felt the event is successful and agreed to grant half the funds for promotion.
The proceeds from the event are to be used for Lydie Marland's Garden at the Marland Mansion, Widner and Potter explained.
A request from the North Central Oklahoma Section of the American Chemical Society for $2,310 to promote a one-day meeting on Aug. 15 at the Marland Mansion was reduced to a $500 sum by the PCTA. The request was made by J. Byron Sudbury.
Grant requests are usually based on the number of projected overnight visitors the event brings to Ponca City. The PCTA is supported by a three percent hotel/motel tax.
A third request by the Noon Ponca City AMBUS represented by Gordon Thompson, and Marvin McSpadden of H20 Sports Marketing Inc., of Wichita was denied. The request for a $3,000 grant for drag boat races.
The event is slated for June 27 and 28 at Lake Ponca. The PCTA Board appeared to feel the event was too commercial with the marketing firm involved. The vote to deny was unanimous.
In other money matters the board approved a budget of $116,600. The Board upped the original proposed budget of $108,500 by $8,100. The extra $8,100 is designated for community promotion. Also approved was a $1,000 ad in the Daily Oklahoman Countdown 2000 edition.
Donates to Great Race
The Board decided to donate $500 to Ponca City High School student team, which has entered a 1930 Ford Model A Pickup that they restored in The 16th Annual Great Race. The high school students will be competing for scholarships.
The Great Race is a timed road rally of vintage automobiles. The event will begin in Tacoma, Wash., and end in Boston. The teams will score points determined by how accurate their calculations are in determining speed and distance between check points predetermined by race officials.
This year's title sponsor is the History Channel, viewed locally on Cable One's channel 60. Coverage of the Great Race has been seen historically on ESPN, ABC, CNN, and other national television networks. Local network affiliates from Tulsa and Oklahoma City recently were in Ponca City to film the team and the restoration work on the vehicle for upcoming broadcasts.
To encourage the City of Ponca City and the State of Oklahoma to support their efforts, the team has painted the pickup orange and black, the colors of Oklahoma State University and reserved 101 for their entry, in honor of the 101 Ranch. This is the only team from Oklahoma to enter.
Estimated expense for the team to make this adventure is expected to cost between $13,000 and $15,000.
Students making the race under the guidance of J.D. Hanks, and assisted by Steve Hermann, are Greg Cunningham, Paul Oblad, Matt Brewer, Robert Scott and Sarah Scott. For more information 765-5998.
Coordinator's Report
In her coordinator's report Miss Morland reported that the Soroptimist had returned the $1,000 grant for their antique show as it has been postponed until 1999.
Morland said the new gift shop is doing well and she told of new items to be ordered. She said that 24 persons had come to the visitors center for information in March. She requested volunteers to work at the Information Center on I-35 during Tourism Week May 3-9.
The economic impact of tourism in Ponca City during 1997 was $7,423,757, Morland reported which is an increase from $6,2 million in 1996. The impact study was compiled by Linda Bolin, secretary.
Morland said a number of bus tours are being booked for events happening in Ponca City. She also said she is working with the July Fourth Celebration.
By PATTI PFEIFFER
News Staff Writer
Consumer choice and competition were the words that echoed throughout the evening, as state legislators and city officials gathered to discuss the upcoming deregulation of the electric industry.
State Senator Paul Muegge State Representatives Jim Newport and Jim Reese as well as city officials from Ponca City, Blackwell, Tonkawa, Perry and Braman attended a dinner/discussion Thursday night, hosted by Municipal Electric Systems of Oklahoma (MESO).
Discussion centered around Senate Bill 888 and its requirement that cities - who choose to "opt in" and provide consumers with a choice of electric providers - would then have to come under state jurisdiction and be regulated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.
"Local government should be taken care of at home," Max Speegle of the OMPA stated. "Municipal utilities have never been under the OCC because its management has always been left to the elected local officials."
Senator Muegge made his opinion on the matter known. "For goodness sakes you don't want to have to come under the jurisdiction of the OCC and I wouldn't advise anyone to become involved with the OCC," Senator Muegge said. "You should maintain control and we understand that."
In regards to electric deregulation, it was fairness that Representative Reese was most concerned with. "Our goal is to treat everyone equal and it is equality and fairness that we have to shoot for," Reese told those gathered. "The whole picture should concern us all because we have such a low electrical rate in Oklahoma."
Representative Newport spoke as a citizen of Ponca City. "Consumers would be ignorant not to realize what they have," he said. "Why would a citizen of Ponca City, as I am, demand choice when they already know what low rates we have here."
In Oklahoma, deregulation of the electrical industry will be effective in the year 2002.
Hegco Canada Inc. has revealed plans to drill a 4,700-ft. developmental well in the Tonkawa Field, Kay County.
The operator has designated the venture as the No. 3 Nemaha.
Drill site is about one mile northeast of Three Sands.
Section 35-township 25n-range 1w-ne-sw.
Drilling has gotten underway at the No. 17-1 Blanche in the North Middleton Field, Kay County, 2.8 miles west of Chilocco.
The well carries permit for 4,250 feet of hole making.
Parsons Engineering Corp. is the operator.
Section 17-township 29n-range 2e-nw-sw.
Bogo Energy Corp. is preparing to conduct two wildcat recompletions for extended production in Noble County.
The No. 2-19 Semrad and the No. 1-19 Beth are located about six miles north of Lucien.
Bogo will be seeking new pay at depths of 5,050 and 4,975 feet in the Pawhuska Formation.
Section 19-township 22n-range 2w-ne-sw and ne-ne, respectively.
Boyce Producing Corp. has revealed plans to drill a 4,600-ft. developmental well in Noble County's East Echop Field. The operator has designated the venture as the No. 1-13 Bellmon. Drillsite is four miles west-southwest of Ceres.
Section 13-township 23n-range 2w-se-ne.
Production in the Mississippi Formation will be the target when Kaiser Francis Oil Co. conducts a recompletion at the No. 1 Sooners Corner in Noble County's Perry Field, inside the Perry city limits.
The well currently bottoms at a depth of about 5,187 feet.
Section 20-township 21n-range 1w-ne-sw.
A new producer has been brought on line in Osage County's Atlantic Field, with Forcenergy Inc. as the operator.
Located five miles west-southwest of W Wynona, the well is designated as the No. 10 Forcenergy.
It pumped 14 barrels of oil per day from the Mississippi Lime Formation.
The well bottomed at 2,530 feet.
Section 26-township 25-range 8-nw.
At a location 11.5 miles east-southeast of Fairfax, Drummond and Hull Oil Co. has finaled a new oil producer in Osage County's Barker Field.
The well is designated as the No. 15 Drummond, pumping oil at the rate of 12 barrels per day.
Bottomed at 2,910 feet, the well will produce from perforations in the Tyner Sand Formation.
Section 36-township 24-range 7-sw-sw.
Rougeot Oil and Gas Corp. has plugged and abandoned an unsuccessful developmental well in Osage County's Flat Rock Field, 7.3 miles south-southwest of Skiatook.
The well has drilled to 2,110 feet and was known as the No. 1 Rougeot.
Section 34-township 21-range 12-nw.
Governor Frank Keating has named Ponca City resident Bill O'Connor to the Board of Regents of Northern Oklahoma College. He will serve a term ending June 30, 2003, and succeeds Chris Hand.
"I am honored to announce this appointment. Bill O'Connor is a professional who has demonstrated a commitment to higher education in Oklahoma. He has been a successful businessman and state legislator who will do an excellence job on the Northern Oklahoma Board of Regents. I look forward to working with him," Gov. Keating said.
Ponca City Humane Society board members, Sandy James and Jannet Martin, are enthusiastic about the upcoming "Fetching Affair" fund raiser to be held Friday, May 1, at the Marland Mansion.
Martin is in charge of ticket sales and tells "ticket sales have been brisk and we are very pleased with the response from the community. A limited number of dance-only tickets are now available at local banks and the Humane Society office for $15 each. The Benders, a rock and roll band, will be providing the dance music from 9 p.m. to midnight."
James reminds us that "there will be great prizes awarded during the drawings throughout the evening. Most are pet related products or services; however, there are two notable exceptions. A Princess Di beanie baby has been donated by Christy's and an 11 by 14 portrait has been donated by Through the Lens. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $1 each and are available at the Humane Society office."
Humane Society office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. For further information call the shelter office at 767-8877.
The Kay County Diabetes Support Group is scheduled to meet April 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Grand Avenue Church of Christ, 1300 West Grand.
Guest speaker Mary Callison, RDLD, will discuss how people with diabetes can enjoy eating out and still follow their diet guidelines. Callison currently serves as the Chief Clinical Dietitian at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She has over 15 years of professional experience in food service management and nutrition. She is involved in several professional organizations including the American Dietetics Association, Oklahoma Dietetic Association and is currently serving as the president-elect of the Northern Oklahoma District Dietetic Association.
The meeting is free and open to the public. All interested parties are
encouraged to attend.
DEATHS
KAW CITY - Mark O'Brien Bennett, former Kaw City resident, died Monday, April 13, 1998, at his home in Tucson, Ariz. He was 82.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 1998, in the Grace Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Darrel Hardy officiating. Burial will follow in the Newkirk Cemetery. Casket bearers will be Delbert Fair Jr., Kevin Fair, Nathan Fair, Charles Kilpatrick, Lester Knight and Will Fair.
Mark O'Brien Bennett was born Sept. 15, 1915, in Newkirk, the son of Howard and Grace Darling (Hall) Bennett. He grew up around Kaw City and received his education in the Kaw City schools.
Bennett served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II from 1943 to 1945, and was stationed at air bases in England, France and Belgium.
On March 18, 1943, he was married to Wanda E. Fair in Perry. He worked as a Linotype operator and proofreader for newspapers in Kaw City, Ponca City, Oklahoma City and Tulsa before moving to Tucson, Ariz. in 1961. He retired from the paper there in 1975.
Bennett is survived by his wife, Wanda, of the home; two sons, Kim Bennett of Columbia, S.C., and Brad Bennett of Tucson, Ariz.; three grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Paul Bennett and Roy Bennett.
The family will be at the Delbert Fair home at 2221 East Hartford Avenue.
Saturday
Lois Elizabeth Eller - Memorial service at 10 a.m. at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Grace Memorial Chapel.
Floyd F. Holland - Funeral will be held at 10 a.m. at the Brown Funeral Home in Perry with burial at Red Rock Cemetery, Red Rock.
Thomas Joseph Hamilton Butt, infant son of Mike and Theresa Butt, died
early Friday morning, April 17, 1998, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
Arrangements are pending with Trout Funeral Home.
NEWS BRIEFS
Donations to Wall - Donations made during the visit of "The Wall That Heals" will go to Washington, D.C. To make local contributions, call 762-5659.
Ham and Bean Supper - The Consolidated 106 Volunteer Fire District annual meeting and ham and bean supper will be held Saturday, April 25, at the Consolidated 106 Schoolhouse. Supper will be served at 5:30 p.m. This will be an all you can eat, ham and beans, cornbread and dessert. There is no cost. Anyone interested in joining should plan to attend.
Plant Sale - Saturday has been set as the date for the Northern Oklahoma Daylily Society's annual spring plant sale. The fund raiser will be held at the Cann Memorial Gardens from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until sold out. For more information about the organization or the plant sale contact Bill or Carol Goldsberry, 765-2390 or Lillian Williams, 762-3796.
Local Sailor Completes Assignment - Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Stanton R. Wellington, son of Linda G. Krout of Ponca City, has completed a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington. During the deployment, Wellington had the opportunity to visit France, Israel and the United Arab Emirates, where crew members from his ship participated in outreach projects within the host communities. The 1992 graduate of Ponca City High School joined the Navy in November 1992.
Stolen Tags - At 8:48 a.m. Thursday a man in the 3500 block of North Fourteenth Street reported a stolen dealer tag. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Window Shot - At 9:31 a.m. Thursday police were notified that a window at South First Street and Oklahoma Avenue had been shot out. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 25 year-old woman at 10:56 a.m. Thursday from the 1500 block of East Bradley Avenue on a Kay County warrant.
Vandalism - A report of vandalism to the Roosevelt Alternative Center was taken at 2:02 p.m. Thursday.
Accident - An accident was reported at North Fourteenth Street and East Prospect Avenue at 2:24 p.m. Thursday. A report was taken.
Car Off Roadway - At 2:51 p.m. Thursday a car reportedly went off the roadway and into a sand pit at South Fourteenth Street and East South Avenue. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol was advised.
Lost Billfold - Police were notified at 2:57 p.m. Thursday that a woman's wallet was lost in the 1200 block of East Prospect Avenue. A report was taken.
Roof Kids - At 3:17 p.m. Thursday a woman called police to report juveniles on a roof in the 100 block of East Grand Avenue. An officer was assigned.
Minor Accident - A two-vehicle, non-injury accident at South Fourth Street and East South Avenue was reported to police at 4:15 p.m. Thursday. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 29-year-old woman at 3 a.m. Friday from the 700 block of South Waverly Street for trespassing.
Gas Drive-Off - At 3:47 a.m. Friday a $7.55 gas drive-off was
reported at Triple T, 720 South Waverly Street. An officer was assigned.
LIFESTYLES
Jan Prough from the Pioneer Woman Museum will be the guest speaker for the American Association of University Women's meeting Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Ponca City Country Club.
A graduate of Midwest Christian College in Oklahoma City, Mrs. Prough has been employed at the museum for 20 years, and manager since 1985.
She will be telling the group about new exhibits for the Pioneer Woman Museum, including a 10 x 12 quilt created by the Pioneer Area Quilters Guild. This "Road to Oklahoma" quilt will introduce visitors to "A Patchwork of Time and Space" featuring several Oklahoma women who have pioneered in various fields.
These women include Jerrie Cobb from Ponca City, who was the first woman to train with NASA to be an astronaut; Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, author of "A Matter of Black and White," the first woman of color to be allowed to enter the University of Oklahoma law school; and women who participated in the Cherokee Outlet Run of 1893. The latter exhibit is funded by the Ponca City Centennial Commission.
Members of the Xi Beta Tau chapter of Beta Sigma Phi sorority met recently in the home of June Miller after dinner at Hero's when the Valentine Queen for the chapter was honored. During the report on communication from International the cookbooks were discussed as well as entry forms.
Cindy Wardlow gave the treasurer's report and announced that the chapter had donated $25 to the Humane Society. Jan Ellison will get the door prize for the Founder's Day dinner slated April 21. Xi Beta Tau is also responsible for the refreshments for the next city council meeting of the sorority.
Newly elected officers are Patsy Bray, president; Jan Ellison, vice president; Sammie Coats, Recording secretary; Cindy Wardlow, treasurer; June Miller, City Council representative.
The traveling basket went from Jan Ellison to June Miller and Sammie coats won the mystery prize. The next meeting at the Coats home will complete the chapter scrapbook and members are reminded to bring their personal page.
Aaron and Debra Wand of Stephenville, Texas announce the birth of triplets March 26, 1998 at Harris Hospital in Fort Worth, Texas. Jessica Hope was born at 12:59 p.m., weighing 2 lbs., 8 oz. and measuring 15 1/2 inches long; Brandon August was born at 1:01 p.m., weighing 3 lbs., 12 oz., measuring 16 1/2 inches long and Mikayla Faith at 1:02 p.m., weighing 3 lbs., 3 oz., measuring 16 inches long.
They are welcomed by their grandparents: Mel and Lois Thomason of Weatherford, Texas and Fran Wand of Quincy, Ill. and great-grandparents, Clarence and Jessie Thomason of Fairfax, Okla., and Bernard Behara of Ponca City.
Announcing the birth of a daughter at 12:15 p.m. April 9, 1998 are Bret and Radonna Roark of Shawnee. Alyssa Lynette Roark weighed 8-pounds, 4-ounces and was 21-inches long. She has a sister, Brianna.
Grandparents are Robert and Rowan Rennie of Katy, Texas and Mack and Sandy Roark of Shawnee, all former residents of Ponca City.
Great-grandparents are Mr. and Mrs. Jess Morgan of Blackwell and Mrs. Marie Rennie of Altus.
Katelynn Faye Schulz is the name selected by Paul and Traci Schulz, 2008 North Osage, for their daughter born at 12:37 p.m. April 7, 1998 at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center. She weighed 8-pounds, 10-ounces and was 21 1/2-inches long. Her brother Jacob is a year old.
Maternal grandparents are Lynn and David Wells of Wichita, Kan. and paternal
grandfather is Jack Schulz of Enid. Mrs. Marie Wells of Mulvane, Kan. is
the great-grandmother.
The 1998 Native American Heritage Week will be held in the Ponca City schools April 20-24.
Activities will start April 20 with a Native American Fashion Show at Garfield Academy 10 a.m., Roosevelt Elementary at 2 p.m. and Roosevelt from 8 a.m. to noon.
Tuesday's festivities include an Indian Taco Dinner for the Garfield Academy staff.
Several pow-wow's will be held on Wednesday at local elementary schools. They are: Garfield Academy at 8:20 a.m., Washington at 9:50 a.m., St. Mary's at 12:30 p.m., and Lincoln at 1:45 p.m. Lunch will be held at North Park from 11 a.m. to noon and will be provided by Ponca City School's Food Service for students and by J.O.M. for the head staff and parents.
The head staff will be Thomas Roughface, master of ceremonies, Jim Kemble, head singer, and Chris LittleCook, adult dancer.
April 23 will be Native American Heritage T-shirt day at all schools.
Winners of the 1998 T-shirt contest were: James Warrior from Roosevelt, first place; Josh Johnson, Garfield, second place; and Hunter LittleCook, Roosevelt, third place.
Festivities will conclude on Friday with more pow-wow's at local schools. They are: Roosevelt at 8:20 a.m., Union at 9:45 a.m., Liberty at 12:30 p.m., and Middle School at 1:45 p.m.
Lunch will be held at North Park from 11 a.m. to noon.
The head staff for the day will be Thomas Roughface, master of ceremonies, Jim Kemble, head singer, and Chris LittleCook, adult dancer.
This week of celebration is coordinated by Ponca City Schools Title IX Indian Education Program and the Johnson O'Malley Program.
Other Heritage week activities will be implemented at various school sites throughout the week.
All students that dance in full regalia are invited to participate in these pow-wow assemblies. Parents need to contact a Title IX staff member so that the students will be excused from their school site.
Title IX members are Lucy Kent, 767-8050; Nellie Roughface, 767-8010; Jeana Rush, 767-8060; and Jo A. Lessert, 767-9500, ext. 128.
The Strings Class at Garfield Academy has been very successful in its first year at the Academy. Students may choose Violin, Viola, Cello or String Bass.
The new area for Garfield Academy has been in including the fourth grade in the Strings Program. The format is a little different in that the fourth grade has access to Violins and Violas as an introduction to the Orchestra. These students performed in all of the same concerts as their counterparts and had several seats of "distinction" in the April all schools/all orchestras program called "Orchestras in Review".
The students from the fourth grade who wish to continue with their exploration of the Orchestra have the choice to continue on the same instrument which they already play and have acquired some skill; or, they may choose a cello or string bass in their fifth grade year.
The fifth grade students will either be moving to the Middle School or to another elementary for their sixth grade years and are encouraged to continue with their string instrument at their new school.
As usual, some school instruments are provided for students who show an interest.
Future fourth grade students are invited to join the strings class next year and hopefully participate in the rehearsals and all of the programs involved. Part of the Orchestra experience is in "performing" the skills that we have learned through concerts outside of the school day, open to the public.
Garfield Academy strings students will be performing for their younger classmates to show their instruments and to give others the chance to see the instruments up close.
An information meeting for the public about the programs offered at Garfield Academy with fall enrollment information will be held in the Educational Wing of Woodlands Christian Church, April 23 at 7 p.m.
Project Partners, the local School-to-Work partnership, will be offering another Summer Business and Industry for K-14 teachers.
This is an opportunity for teachers to get a "front line" look into today's businesses.
The Institute is scheduled for June 1-5 at Pioneer Technology Center. Nationally known presenter, Wayne Zako, President of Human Options, will be the facilitator. Monday will be an educational day held at PTC preparing teachers for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in industry.
Friday will be an application day.
Teachers will take what they have learned from business and industry and create lesson plans for the classroom.
These lesson plans will demonstrate for students the applications of math, science, English/communications, technology, and social studies theories and concepts from many of industry's systems, processes and standards.
Teachers will have three options for the Institute:
Option 1 - Select one business or industry to shadow or intern for the entire three days.
Option 2 - Select three businesses and/or industries to shadow or intern, spending one day in each business.
Option 3 - Select six businesses and/or industries to shadow or intern, spending one half day in each business.
There is a $50 registration fee for attending the institute. Teachers who participate in the entire week and complete the institute requirements will receive a $250 stipend.
Teachers will be responsible for traveling to the industry sites. Car pooling is encouraged. Businesses from Kay County, Perry, Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Stillwater are being recruited to participate.
OSU and OCU are working with Project Partners to grant graduate credit for teachers who have an interest.
Kildare Enrollment
Kildare School will hold their kindergarten pre-enrollment April 23 from 4 to 5 p.m. All children living in the Kildare School district who will be four on or before the first day of Sept. 1998 are eligible for kindergarten.
Frontier Dance
Frontier School's 1998 Wah-Pe-He Indian Club will hold a spring dance April 18 starting at 2 p.m. at Frontier High School. The public is invited to attend.
Scholarship Available
Thomas Henley, local Shelter Insurance Agent and the Shelter Insurance Foundation, is offering a $1500 scholarship for a Ponca City Senior. The criteria to be evaluated: achievement, academics and leadership. The scholarship is for one year and applications are available through the counselors office. The deadline is April 24.
NWOSU Student Teachers
Kristy Mills Khan, formerly of Ponca City, is doing her student teaching at Alva's Longfellow Elementary Schools. Other students doing their student teaching are Merle Ann Miller, Tonkawa, and Kim Shafer, Newkirk.
McCord Enrollment
The 1998-99 kindergarten pre-enrollment for McCord School is April 21-23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. A child is eligible to attend kindergarten in the fall if he/she has reached the age of five on or before Sept. 1. McCord will also enroll four-year-olds at the same time.
PC Enrollment
Ponca City Schools will hold a pre-enrollment for kindergarten students April 21 and 22 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and April 23 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the child's home school. Parents must bring birth certificates, immunization records, social security number, emergency phone numbers, physician's name and parents' name and work numbers.
By KRISTI HAYES
News Education Editor
Approval was given Thursday at a special meeting of the Ponca City Board of Education for a contract with Southwest Recreational, Wichita, to build a new track at Ponca City High School. The contract amount is set at $298,067.65.
Two bids were received for the project, one from Southwest Recreational and one from Merritt Tennis and Track Systems of Oklahoma City. The track will be paid for out of the $250,000 bond project passed last year plus interest from the bond money.
The new eight-lane, 400-meter track, will be red in color. There will be a two inch lift of asphalt on top of the current asphalt. The high jump pad will be widened, a new pit will be designed for the long jump, the pole vault area will be resurfaced, and the shotput will be moved to the northeast corner of the stadium. Representatives from Southwest Recreational said that all races will finish in front of the home stadium.
The track will have a five-year warranty and according to Southwest Recreational, no maintenance should be expected in those five years. The slope on the track will be 1.5 percent from the outside to the inside.
Guards will also be installed on the inside lanes of the track for citizens that walk on the track during the day. "We plan to install guards in the first and second lanes so that we can preserve the inner lanes," said Dr. Joe Surber, Ponca City Schools.
Construction on the track will start on May 26 and should be finished by August 25.
Evans and Associates, Ponca City, will be the sub-contractors for this project.
Other Items
John Young, president of the board, said screening for a new Po-Hi principal will begin next Monday at 3 p.m. The contract of Dr. Don Sjoberg, current Po-Hi principal, was not renewed at a board meeting in March. Sjoberg will be assigned to another area which will be determined by Dr. Bill White, superintendent, at a later time.
Decorations are finished, prizes have been collected, tickets printed and food arranged for the After-Prom Party on April 24 from midnight to 2:30 a.m. at Grand Central Station.
Decorations chairman Connie Evans, with help from Sheila Roussel and many other parents, plan to transform Grand Central Station into a "Tropical Paradise," the theme of this year's party.
The games committee, headed by Kim Corbin, has lots of excitement planned for the evening, with many prizes collected from local merchants.
Food chairman Deanna Hampton reports that parents are bringing refreshments ranging from nachos to brownies.
Other chairmen for the party are: Susan Buck, music; Junior class officers and parents, prizes; Anne Murrie and Kassie Bridges, chaperones; Sheila Conner, calling committee; Melody Lahann, publicity; Kevin Levin, photography; and Debbie Wolfe, tickets.
Tickets are being sold during lunch hours at Po-Hi. All juniors and seniors are encouraged to attend the party.
Several area students have been awarded certificates by Tandy Technology for being in the Top Two Percent of graduating seniors in 1998.
Shidler High School recipients are: Julie Jacques and Kevin McConagly.
Ponca City High School recipients are Molly Baugh, Elizabeth Bednarski, Zachary Hodge, Cathryn Jackman, Jane Koster, Jeremy Marzuola, Matthew Szabo and Stacie Wolf.
This is the ninth year that the Tandy Technology Scholars program has made awards to teachers and graduating seniors at American high schools. Currently, 16,822 public and private secondary schools have been certified to participate in the awards program. This is almost 82 percent of all secondary schools in the United States.
The academic top two percent of graduating seniors are eligible to receive certificates recognizing their academic achievements. There are no cash awards in this category.
Each school may nominate a senior who is outstanding in mathematics, science or computers. These students receive a certificate recognizing them as a Tandy Technology Scholar. In addition, they will be eligible to compete for the one hundred $1000 scholarships awarded annually. The program is funded by Tandy Corporation and administered by Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas.
Ponca City Public Schools' District Textbook Committee has selected new math textbooks for the 1998-99 school year.
The textbooks chosen will be available for public review during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) in the west wing at the Central Administration Building from April 20-27. They will also be available during the evening of the April 27th Board of Education meeting which begins at 6:30 p.m.
The District Textbook Committee is defined by law to be not fewer than three and not more than nine members, the majority of which will be classroom teachers and at least one lay person.
The Ponca City Textbook Committee this year includes: Linda Powers, Francis Nine, Kym White, Pat Keast, Barbara Cusick, Amy Hollingsworth, Kassie Bridges, Sharon Jones and Bob Gingerich.
The core content areas are on five-year rotation for textbook adoption. This is the year to adopt math books. The district has a three-tiered process that invites input from all teachers and principals, with the decision ultimately being made by the committee.
For reasons of economics and consistency, the goal this year was to select one publisher for the entire district. The school was unable to narrow the field to just one, but they did choose only two publishers for the primary and only two for the intermediate elementary levels. The publishers chosen for the primary (K-3) level were Saxon and Addison-Wesley. The selections for 4-6 were Saxon and McGraw-Hill.
Ponca City Public Schools encourages interested parents to come preview
the books. Anyone with questions may call Linda Powers at 767-8000, ext.
252.
RELIGION
"Believe it or not" is the general theme of both the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services at First Lutheran Church on Sunday, April 19.
The emphasis comes from the Gospel reading for the day in which Jesus appears to His disciples after His resurrection and proves to the doubting Thomas that He is really alive again. Within that story Jesus said, "Blessed are those that have not seen, yet believe." As the celebration of Easter continues, the entire service asks us to reaffirm our belief that Christ is risen indeed. Pastor Ramsey's sermon, based on the story of Thomas is entitled, "Journey from Jerusalem: An 'Aha' Experience."
Several other special features in the service include a litany commemorating all those who have been afflicted by disasters. All Lutheran churches have been asked to set Sunday as a day to remember victims of natural disasters. Also, members of First Lutheran School orchestra will provide special music. Guest vocal soloist will be Mrs. Peggy Ramsey. Mrs. Ramsey, a teacher with a degree in music, is visiting Ponca City on her spring break from her California school. She is completing her school year before joining Pastor Ramsey in Ponca City.
Members of First Lutheran warmly invited anyone to join them in the services on Sunday to strengthen their commitment to their faith in the risen Savior.
Leiva of Costa Rico to Minister in Hominy
Olivier Leiva, one of four pastors at Casa Del Banquete in Costa Rico, will be ministering April 15-17 at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Calvary Worship Center in Hominy. He is a revivalist and missionary evangelist to the United States. Everyone is invited to hear him.
He is one of four pastors at Casa Del Banquete, a church of over 2000 people in San Isidro, Costa Rica.
Calvary Worship Center is located at 625 N. Eastern, on Highway 99 North in Hominy. For information call 918-885-4561.
Free Will Baptists Set Revival Meeting
The Ponca City Free Will Baptist Church, located at 1900 E. Hubbard Road, has scheduled four nights of special preaching, starting this Sunday night, April 19, at 6 p.m., and continuing Monday through Wednesday evenings at 7 o'clock.
Two outstanding evangelists will be speaking during the meeting. The Rev. Carl Cheshier, President of Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College in Moore will be preaching Sunday and Monday evenings, and the Rev. Bill Adcock, pastor in Enid, will be preaching Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.
There will be special scheduled singing each evening and everyone is invited to attend these services, Pastor David L. Bigger said.
Union Students May Attend Released Time Bible Class
A Release Time Bible Class will be held for students of Union School on Thursday, April 23. The class will be held at the Christian Center and students will be bussed to the class and back to their school. Parents written permission is required for each student attending.
Permission slips may be obtained from the school office.
Eastern Heights Sets Spring Work Day
Members of Eastern Heights Christian Church, 5100 Lake Road, will assembly at the church Saturday morning, April 18, for the annual Spring Work Day. Beginning with breakfast at 7 a.m., the inside and outside of the church and grounds will be cleaned and repaired, including painting as needed and repairing cracks in the parking lot. If time allows, an unused storage shed will be razed. Workers should bring whatever tools and equipment they have on hand to accomplish the job they choose. The church also has tools and equipment available. Plans include being finished by noon, based on a large attendance.
'Come Let Us Reason Together'
The Hartford Avenue church of Christ invites the public to share God's Word with them every week. Sunday Bible classes are at 9:30 a.m. with worship at 10:30 a.m. Sunday evening service is at 6 p.m. and Wednesday at 7 p.m. Classes are available for all age levels, nursery through adult.
Folks at Hartford Avenue point out "Christian men and women who are considered great are usually those who go out of their way to show an interest in others. This does not take away from their own honor, but rather makes us appreciate them even more. The Hartford Avenue congregation are those people."
Bible thought: "Love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10.
St. John Baptist Celebtating Anniversary
St. John Baptist Church will celebrate on Sunday, April 19, 1998 the fourth anniversary of their pastor and wife, the Rev. Robert and Lois Palmer. The theme for the day is "A True Servant of God." Speaker for the morning will be the Rev. Floyd Coburn.
The afternoon service will begin at 3 p.m. with the Rev. James Williams of New Life Baptist Church bringin g the message .
Everyone is invited to join with members of St. John Baptist for this celebration.
By Sandy James
With a heart of music and a soul of cotton these bunnies are one source of comfort and joy for many abused children. Local resident, Jane Storrusten, has been creating these rabbits for six years - over 1,100 of them.
Every single unique bunny has been given away - a gift and message from the heart for abused children so they might know that someone does care.
Storrusten was an abused child. She wanted to give something back, to let children know in some small way that they are special and that someone does care about them. Sewing rabbits is her gift back.
The bunnies she creates initially called the Ponca City Police Department home but now take residence in many area locales - Office of the District Attorney, Kay County Department of Human Services and the Domestic Violence Shelter.
Storrusten has only one request when she leaves the rabbits - once given to a child a rabbit can never be taken away - it is the child's to keep.
Her personal ministry now has assistance from a local church and the community. First United Methodist Church has adopted the bunny program as part of their missions and social concerns.
While Storrusten has always received occasional financial and supply assistance from assorted sources, the formation of a Bunny Task Group at FUMC has provided increased support and awareness of her bunny project.
Each rabbit has a number, its existence unique among many brothers and sisters. Storrusten wants each child to know their rabbit was made special just for them, with no other one just exactly like it.
This Sunday, April 19, First United Methodist Church will hold its second annual Blessing of the Bunnies services. The bunnies Storrusten makes will be blessed.
The following guest speakers from the community have agreed to speak at one of the services: Mayor Marilyn Andrews, city of Ponca City; Sherrie Cookerly, Jodie Frazier, District Attorney's office; Andrea Gifford and a foster parent from Department of Human Services; and Margaret Goldman of Domestic Violence.
Services will be held at 8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
The Ceres Christian Christian Church will be 100 years old this weekend - April 25 and 26 - and former ministers, former, current and prospective members will gather to celebrate.
An informal reception is planned for Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. in the meeting room at the Noble County Farm Bureau office in Perry. The celebration will continue on Sunday, April 26, according to Gary Hill, church minister.
The Sunday noon meal is set for the Frontier School cafeteria, and following the meal the gathering will return to the Ceres Christian Church.
Organized in 1898, the church held its first meetings in the shed-type room built onto Wilson's Blacksmith Shop. The Rev. Rader was the first minister. It is noted in the church history, that the first church building was dediccated without indebtedness.
The first church building was blown away by a tornado in 1922, and another building was completed in the fall of 1922.
Ceres Christian Church is an independent Christian Church, not associated with the Disciples of Christ.
Through the years, the building has had many improvements. Addition of a restroom , installation of central heating and air conditioning, paneling the walls, carpeting the sanctuary and adding vinyl siding to the exterior are among the improvement projects.
Much information about the church history was compiled in 1957 by Veva Carpenter. More recent history was completed by Willene Mornhinweg.
Meals on Wheels board members held their quarterly meeting April 7 at the First Presbyterian Church. This is a project of Church Women United that was started in August 1973. In anticipation of the 25th anniversary, the following committees were formed to organize a celebration for all Meals on Wheels volunteers.
Committees include Joan Jones, Ann Kennedy and Marlene Gregory, Site Location; Ruth Ritter and Joan Jones, Program; Nell Barnard, Velma Ealick, Resource; B.J. Cohenour, Phyllis Luton, Ann Kennedy and Alice Evens, Decorations.
The celebration will be held in October.
A Logo contest was held in March for all volunteers and their spouses to submit a design that would be easy to recognize and that would reflect the integrity of the organization. Fifteen designs were received. The board members selected the entry by Monte Evens as the preferred design.
Dennis Kincaid of Grand Avenue Cafe furnished a gift certificate for the person submitting the Logo selected by the board members.
If you were to die today would your loved ones be left with a financial mess and a multitude of legal entanglements? Is there anything you have materially that has not come from God? Does God hold you responsible for what you do with what He has given you? Does Christian stewardship involve one's estate? Can a Christian plan for retirement, learn to save, and continue to serve God until the end of time?
These questions and others will be answered by Melinda Warren, Vice President and Estate Stewardship Counselor of The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma on April 26, 1998, at 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
Those interested in knowing more about Financial Planning and other such matters are invited to attend the Financial Planning seminar. It will meet in First Baptist Church Assembly Center.
Melinda Warren joined the staff of The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma in l974. She is a graduate of Putnam City West High School, Oklahoma City University and Central State University, Edmond. She is certified in estate planning and planned giving management by Resource Development, Inc. Springfield, Mo. Warren is also a certified financial planner from the National Endowment for Financial Education Institute.
Those desiring financial planning assistance may register with Ms. Warren
at the seminar. There is no charge for this service.
SPORTS
By MATTHEW KOENIG
News Sports Writer
ENID - Is there a cardiologist in the house?
The Ponca City Wildcat baseballers may need one after dropping their second heartbreaker in a row Thursday night, falling in eight innings to the Enid Plainsmen, 5-4.
The Cats (8-16), after going down 8-7 in a see-saw battle with Tulsa Union on Tuesday, raced from behind with three runs in the fifth inning to snatch the lead on Thursday, 4-2.
But two runs by the Plainsmen in the bottom of the sixth tied things at 4-all, and after a scoreless seventh, sent the game into extra innings.
After the Poncans failed to produce a run, Enid made the most of their at-bat, with third baseman Cody Fleming rifling a shot up the first base line to send in the winning run.
Senior Chris Koenig, in his first start since April 1 because of a shoulder injury, went 6 1/2 innings for the Cats, gave up six hits, struck out six and walked two.
It was the Plainsmen getting off to a hot start, however, picking up one run off three consecutive base hits in the first inning, and another in the second on a fielding error by the Poncans.
The Cats narrowed that gap with one run in the fourth. First baseman Dean Hemenway got on with a fielders' choice, advanced on a single by Koenig, and after second baseman Brian Benson was hit by a pitch, the Cats loaded the bases. Hemenway was then driven in by nine-hole hitter Daniel Denny to put the Poncans within one.
After a nice play by shortstop Justin Thomas and a couple of strikeouts by Koenig to silence the Plainsmen in the bottom of that inning, the Cats came through again in the fifth to catapult into the lead.
Thomas started things off by beating out the throw to first, and third baseman Jay Bentley followed with a bunt to get two runners on. After two straight outs, then, Koenig stepped up with a rocket to the center field fence, scoring two. That brought up Benson, who sent Koenig in with a single to up the Poncans' ante to 4-2.
After going 3-and-out in the bottom of that inning, the desperate Plainsmen figured things out in the sixth. A base hit, another fielding error by the Cats, an RBI single and a hit batter drove Koenig from the mound with no outs and the bases loaded.
Hemenway took over, and after giving up an RBI single to the first batter to tie the game, the Cats' defense dug in.
Thomas started off with another excellent stop and a throw to catcher Jerrod Spears to get the first out and prevent an Enid run. The bases loaded again, Bentley - doing a phenomenal job at third base - then fielded a sharp rip up the third base line, touched the bag and fired a shot to first base to complete the double play.
After a scoreless seventh inning, Benson got things going in the top of the eighth by getting on with an error, and advanced to second on a passed ball. Denny also got on after getting hit in the head by a pitch, and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. The Cats couldn't bring them in, however, bringing up the Plainsmen once again.
First basemen Scott Hibbets got on with a fielders choice, advanced to third on a double by Kevin Schwandt, and was sent in by Fleming's game winning rip up the first base line.
In the game, Koenig was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI's, while Benson was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
The Cats play again tonight, traveling to Stillwater to take on the Pioneers.
Enid 5, Ponca City 4 (8 innings)
Enid 110 002 01 - 5 9 1
Ponca City 000 130 00 - 4 8 2
Jantz and Smith; Koenig, Hemenway (6), and Spears.
Ponca City's junior High golfers continued to roll through their opposition, sweeping two varsity tournaments and winning a JV title this week.
The two varsity teams f inished first and second in the Pawnee Tournament Tuesday and repeated the sweep in the 18-team Enid Invitational Thursday.
As an extra added measure, the Ponca City JVs won at Ark City Thursday.
"We're on a roll," a pleased coach John Maddox said. "The kids had a great day at Pawnee. All five members of the Red team shot in the 70s and so did one Blue team player. I was pretty proud of their effort."
Nathan Coates of the Ponca City Red team and Chris Upchurch of the Blues shared medalist honors at Pawnee. Both posted 73s.
Brad Whitsett fired a 74, Luke Cobb a 75, James Anderson a 77 and Matt Ellis a 78.
The other Blue players were Andy Romine with an 82, Aaron Cohenour with an 82, Louie Girardi with an 84 and Ben Dickey with an 85.
The Red team took first place with a 299 total while Blue shot a 321.
The Pawnee "A" team was third at 343, followed by Blackwell at 367, Perkins at 381, Pawnee "B" at 408 and Cushing at 437.
The Reds were first again at Enid with a 330 total and the Blues were second with 335. Enid Waller finished third at 339.
In that tournament, Whitsett was third on the medalist list with an 80, Ellis posted an 82, Cobb and Anderson each had 84 and Coates 88.
For the Blues, Girardi scored an 81, Dickey an 85, Upchurch and Cohenour each had 85 and Matt Bond 87.
At Ark City, the Ponca City JVs won with a 439 total, outdistancing second place Augusta, Kan., by four strokes. Ark City was third with 461, followed by Rose Hill at 488 and Winfield at 545.
Steven Wolff was the tournament medalist with an 84, Romine had 85, Robby Harrell 90, Kevin Clinton 91 and Kiel McCall 99.
The Poncans play Ark City in a dual here Monday and enter the Sand Springs Tournament Tuesday.
Another day brought yet another tournament championship for the Lady Wildcat tennis team, as they rolled over most of the competition in the Wildcat Invitational to win in the point standings.
The Lady Cats finished with 32 points, edging out second place Enid, with 28. Edmond Memorial came in third, with 23, followed by Edmond North with 19, Bartlesville with 15, Broken Arrow with 13, while Moore and Stillwater tied with nine each.
"That's a nice win for us," said coach Don Lambring. "Some of the doubles competition wasn't as tough as I thought it would be, but overall everyone played well."
Romi Foreman and Melissa Collogan were again indomitable in No. 2 doubles, spending more time off the courts doing homework than they did on them. The Ponca City duo didn't drop a game en route to the finals, blanking Birk and Manning of Bartlesville, and followed that with a rout of Broken Arrow's Briane Jones and Melody Sarkey.
Foreman and Collogan then swept Reddy and Williams of Enid in the first set of the finals, and held on in their only tough set of the day to prevail in the second, 6-4.
In No. 2 singles, played at the Ponca City Country Club, Emmy Hufnagel also suffered little damage, sailing past Hilary Huber of Stillwater, 6-1, 6-1, and Gina Burkett of Memorial, 6-0, 6-3, to launch into the finals.
Once there, Hufnagel wasted little time finishing off Joy Whitehead of Enid - a player she'd never encountered - 6-0, 6-0.
Natalie Lindsay and Abby Frick also had a virtual cake-walk into the No. 1 doubles finals, pounding Clothier and Clothier of Moore, followed by a rout of Edmond Memorial's Cari Ashlock and Angie O'Dell, 6-1, 6-1.
But in yet another finals duel with Enid, the Poncans faltered to Smith and Breece in split sets, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
Ponca City will dual Enid April 30, however, which will offer Lindsay and Frick a chance to beat Smith and Breece before the state tournament seeding meeting.
Ashley Roussel, playing No. 1 singles, had perhaps the toughest day of any of the Lady Wildcats. After crushing Vanessa Fries of Moore, 6-0, 6-0, Roussel had a fight on her hands with Landra Pierce of Bartlesville, nipping the Lady Bruin in split sets, 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
In the only final without Enid, a fatigued Roussel then fell in split sets to Memorial's Kristen Chumley, 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-1.
"Ashley really worked to get by Pierce," said Lambring. "She played a great match, but she was just physically and emotionally drained after that."
The Lady Cats will get a chance to repeat their performance - with a few shots at redemption - on Monday, when they host the Frontier Conference Tournament. Other teams in that tournament will be Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Stillwater, Jenks, Sapulpa, Sand Springs and Owasso. Jenks is the only team the Poncans have not faced this year.
Ponca City's Lady Wildcat golfers apparently have made some strides in the right direction with the Frontier Conference Tournament and the first regional qualifier set for next week.
The Poncans finished sixth at the Bartlesville Invitational Wednesday with a 415 total, their lowest score of the season, "on a pretty difficult golf course," according to coach Jerry Orr.
"I think we made some improvement this week and hopefully it will carry over to next week's conference tournament at Sapulpa and the first qualifier at Owasso."
But Orr warns the Poncans still have some more work to do.
"We will need to below 400 by next week to qualify for the state tournament."
Jenni Nimmo and Calyn Howe paced the Lady Cats at Bartlesville with a pair of 98s.
Heather Staires shot 104, Jessica Freeman 115 and Courtney Fredricks 116.
Broken Arrow's Heidi Brown and Stephanie Quinn of Bartlesville shared medalist honors as each shot 81.
Broken Arrow took the team title with a 357 total with Stillwater second at 374.
Team Scores
Broken Arrow 357, Stillwater 374, Cushing 381, Bartlesville 401, Jenks 402, Ponca City 415, Sand Springs 442, Tulsa Union 467, Owasso 515.
Ponca City's Wildcat netters went up against some of the toughest competition in the state Thursday in the Ponca City Invitational and will face even more talent when they host the Frontier Conference Tournament Monday.
"We had five of the top seven teams in the state in here for this tournament," Po-Hi coach Steve Larimer said after the Wildcats tied for sixth place with Moore.
Edmond North took the team title with 26 points while Enid was second with 25 points. Bartlesville was third with 22 points followed by Broken Arrow and Edmond Memorial with 20 each, Ponca City and Moore with 16 and Stillwater with 7.
"The kids played well in a tough, tough tournament," Larimer said. "I was pleased with then way they played. We had a couple of kids out of the lineup."
But he warned that several of theses teams, plus top rated Jenks, will be in town Monday for the conference tournament.
The No. 2 doubles team of Micha Alexander and Tim Frick had the best finish for the Cats. They finished second, losing a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Enid in the finals.
"Enid's doubles team is No. 1 or 2 in the state," Larimer said. "Micha and Tim did a great job. They beat the No. 3 seed (Michael Blevins and Justin Johnson of Edmond, 6-1 6-3) in the first round."
The Poncans then outlasted Moore's Andy Nguyen and Cullen Morrow, 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, in the semifinals.
In the No. 1 doubles, Matt Stuemky and Jason Nigh fell in the first round to Moore's No. 2 seeded Randy Polk and Ashley Parker, 6-1, 6-1. They came back to beat the Edmond duo, 7-5, 6-3, before losing 7-6(7-4), 6-1 to Enid.
Larimer had to do some substituting in the singles, but both Wildcats finished sixth.
Bilal Agha, moved up from his No. 6 position on the team, to play the No. 1 singles and played some of his best tennis of the season , according to the coach.
Agha lost a 6-0, 6-4 decision in the opener to Bartlesville's Matt Pregler, but came back to beat Moore's Colby Gilbert, 6-1, 6-1, before losing in the consolation finals to Nate Fleming of Edmond North, 6-1, 6-0.
Freshman Josh Pitts stepped into the No. 2 singles competition, "and did real great," Larimer said.
He lost in the first round to Court Roushea of North, 6-0, 6-1 but then beat Moore's Kenny Frazier, 6-4, 6-1, before losing to Bartlesville's Ben Newby, 6-1, 6-3.
"We are playing the good teams tough," Larimer said, noting the Cats just haven't pushed over the hump yet. "We're losing a lot of three-setters and tie breakers."
Wentz Tw0-Man Scramble
Pairings
Saturday
9:00 - Mike Hunsaker-Ron Colberg, Billy Bussey-Johnny Bowline
9:07 - Brad Baumert-Jon Wohletz, Mitch-Jay Casey
9:15 - G. Hadley-J.D. Nash, Dick Bell-Monte Keating
9:22 - Wayne Brownfield-Glen Hocker, Mel Knight-Mike Mott
9:30 - John Maddox-J.R. Dixon, Tawn Senseman-Olie Blackstar
9:37 - Joe Harger-Aaron Gard, Phil Carey-John Clark
9:45 - Doug Revard-Bill Walker, Stewart Cales-Mike Nolan
9:52 - Gary Wood-Loren Ruckes, Randy Trant-Monte Rozell
10:00 - Paul Kreuger-Don Gabbert, Russ Donald-Kenny Altn
10:07 - Stan Dillon- Danny Creed, Ollie White-Dale Beall
10:15 - Dennis McCreary-Gary Reed, Mike Morgan-Randy Kendrick
10:22 - Dave Bryant-John Merle, Dale Thompson-Tom Delaney
10:30 - Mack Harris-P.C. Taylor, Brandon Anderson-John McCloud
10:37 - Barry Roller-Jim McSmith, Frank Lessert-Wayne Mitchell
10:45 - E.J. Wilson-Clint Kirchenbauer, Dale Sligar-Carl Reutters
10:52 - Lyle Evans-Jim Brown, Earl Isenberg-Bob Spore
11:00 - T, Underwood-Rick Sober, Terry Moore-Steve Vidrickson
11:07 - Brad Kirchenbauer-Kenny Gartside, Rob Dick-Joe Congram
11:15 - Steve McConnell-Mike Stolhand, David Cooper-Doug Kiser
Lew Wentz Masters Pro-Am
(Combined score of Wentz golfer and selected Masters competitor)
Friday
1 - (134) Greg Hadley-Fred Couples
Saturday
1 - (139) Dan McGregor-Pauil Aziunger
1 - (139) John Maddox-Justin Leonard
1 - (139) Brandon Anderson-Tiger Woods
---
Phil Carey collected a hole in one on the Wentz No. 5 hole, 192 yards, using a 7-iron.
He was playing with John Clark, Dan McGregor and Junior Dixon
Ponca City American Legion baseball tryouts will be held Sunday, April 19, at the high school baseball field.
Majors registration/signin will open at noon with tryouts beginning at 1:30 p.m. Registration/signin for the AAA/AA teams will open at 2:30 with the tryouts beginning at 4 p.m.
Each player should bring his own playing equipment and register at the press box upon arrival at the field.
After a weak start, the Wildcat junior varsity baseballers have come on strong lately, winning seven of their last nine match ups to draw close to a .500 record at 10-12.
Monday, the JVers topped Newkirk in three, consecutive, five inning games. Chad Whitsitt started on the mound in the first two games and prevailed both times, 6-5 and 7-1. Teammate Wes Day took over in the third game and also came out a winner, 8-5.
On Tuesday, the Cats came close to sweeping the downsized - but still extremely potent - version of Owasso's nationally ranked varsity squad.
Behind Stephen Michael's 2-for-4 hitting and three RBI's, the Cats took the first game, 8-7. In the second, despite a one-hitter by pitcher Brian Coppock, the Cats fell on errors, 3-2.
In the Ponca City JV Tournament, which started on Wednesday, the Cats sailed past Stillwater in the first round, 9-1. Whitsitt was again the winner on the mound, while a number of the Cats' lineup had an impressive outing with the bat.
Anthony Stark was 2-for-4 with an RBI, Buddy McCoy was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's, while Barry Geheb was 1-2 with 2 RBI's.
The Cats then mauled Blackwell in the second round, Thursday,13-4, with Day as the winning pitcher. Coppock was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI's at the plate this time, Stark was 2-for-3 with an RBI, Jeremy Runnels was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Geheb was 1-for-3 with 3 RBI's.
The Cats now meet Edmond North in the finals, Saturday, at 5 p.m.
"We don't really have anyone who really stands out right now,"
said coach Mark Huster. "These are just a bunch of guys who are coming
together as a team, and they're playing well right now. They're a bunch
of good young kids."