By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
ENID – The Warriors fought their way through the Area Tournament and gave themselves a chance.
But with a spot in the 2019 Class A State Tournament on the line, Okarche’s luck ran out in a 55-35 loss to No. 5 Hyrdo-Eakly Saturday at the Central National Bank Center.
The Bobcats jumped out to a 18-5 lead after the first quarter. Okarche cut the lead to five points going into halftime, but it wasn’t enough. Hydro-Eakly dropped a 19-13 run in the third and an 11-6 run in the fourth to end the Warriors’ season.
“Hydro may be the third best team in the state,” Okarche coach Kelli Jennings said. “They’re good, no question. We lacked in attacking offensively. We knew they would foul us if we did and we didn’t attack well until late in the fourth quarter.”
Junior Rachel McDowell led the team with eight points while freshman Karsyn Vallerand finished with seven. Senior Jade Owens scored six points and senior Kassidy Rother and junior Raegan Robinson each chipped in four.
The Warriors took a tough draw into the postseason and after a first-round loss to Shattuck in the Regional Tournament, Jennings’ team battled back for four wins with its back against the wall.
They fired back with a 77-64 win over Laverne in the Regional Tournament before knocking off Glencoe in the first round of Area. Okarche knocked off Shattuck, 43-30 in a rematch in the second round in order to reach the finals against Hydro.
“Our goal with Glencoe and Shattuck was to shut down their biggest offensive threats and make other score,” Jennings said. “What I love most is for the majority of both of those games we had two completely different defensive schemes and the girls executed them perfect. It says a lot about your team to be able to adjust and play in less than 24 hours and executed what they need to.”
Okarche jumped out to a 22-10 lead over Shattuck Friday at the CNB Center before shutting out the Indians in the second quarter to all but seal the victory. Rother led the way with 17 points while McDowell chipped in nine. Vallerand, Robinson and sophomore Madison Owens each scored four points.
“Nothing about our playoff draw was easy,” Jennings said. “The girls simply showed the grit they had in them to get the four wins the way they did.
“In reality we only lost one more game than we did last year, so I’m very proud of the team.”
The Warriors graduate three seniors, including Cydnie Hull, Rother and Owens.
“I had three amazing senior girls,” Jennings said of the trio. “They worked so hard all year long, led every day and fought through more trials than most people know. What I told them and everyone needs to know is how there was no questions each of those girls will go on to be successful, caring adults.
“They are going to do big things in the real world and I cannot wait to watch them conquer it with confidence and purpose.”
Okarche finished with a 26-6 record, going 1-0 against Class 3A, 10-3 against Class 2A and 9-3 in Class A.
