! Sports
THE JOURNAL, Thursday, April 5, 2012 - B3
Cowgirls crowned
WNIT champions
In a season that was
marked with tragedy, the
Oklahoma State Cowgirls
completed a storybook
ending with a 75-68 win
Saturday afternoon over
James Madison to win the
program's first Women's
National Invitational
Tournament title in Gal-
lagher-Iba Arena.
The Cowgirls traveled
the least of any team in
any tournament this season
as every WNIT game was.
played in the friendly
confines of GIA. And as
the wins kept coming, the
crowds kept growing, A
crowd of 6,157 cheered
OSU to the win. Hopefully
that kind of support will
carry on to next season as
the Cowgirls will return
the entire cast that made
this emotional run.
As you remember,
OSU lost head coach Kurt
Budke and assistant coach
Miranda Serna to an air-
plane crash that also killed
pilots and supporters Olin
and Paula Branstetter on
Nov. 17. Associate head.
coach Jim Littell took over
in the interim but was later
named the head coach.
And to give the situa-
tion a much more personal
side, Littell recently lost his
father as well.
"I'm so proud of this
group, (and) what they've
accomplished this year.
When you're talking in
terms of the heart, it's
been a long tough year.
When you're talking in
terms of basketball, this
group has accomplished so
much, and gotten so much
better," Littell said after-
ward. "They were excit-
ing to watch. The stretch
in the WNIT has done so
much for this program: the
confidence level, allowing
a young group to continue
to play, a chance to build
our fan base. I'll be honest
with you. Coach Budke,
Coach Serna, the Branstet-
ters, my dad have been on
my mind a lot. As I said out
there, our group decided in
November that we were
going to pay honor, and I
don't think that there's any
question that these ladies
paid honor and did things
right."
During the ceremonial
cutting down of the net,
coach Budke's widow
Shelley was bestowed the
honor of cutting the last
strand of the net that sepa-
rated it from the rim. Littell
added it was only fitting to
allow her to be a part of the
celebration.
Against James Madison,
junior Toni Young poured
in 25 points to lead the way
for the Cowgirls. This was
on the heels of her Season-
high 27-point performance
last Wednesday night
against San Diego. Young
averaged 20.6 points per
game during the tournament
and secured most valuable
player honors. This was the
same player who broke her
arm in first round WNIT
action and was still ham-
pered by it this season.
She more than doubled her
season average of 10 points
a game.
Freshman Liz Donohoe
was also selected to the all-
tournament team.
Cowgirl Fever began
gaining momentum within
the past few games. Crowds
steadily increased as the
Cowgirls continued to win.
One can look at it as jump-
ing on the proverbial "band
wagon" since this team
was having some success,
especially since the Cow-
boys didn't even get a NIT
consideration.
Last Wednesday night's
semifinals crowd was
listed as just under 3,500
and all those cheering on
the Cowgirls made their
presence known through-
out the contest. And when
the game came to an end,
it was announced the ticket
office would be open for
fans to get their tickets for
Saturday's game. The lines
were long and busy.
It was then announced
that Cowboys head coach
Travis Ford and wife
Heather would purchase
400 student tickets and
give them away Saturday.
Two more nameless donors
added 100 tickets each to
that total. What a way to
show support to a team that
endured what it did.
With this tournament
win, and the number of
folks who followed the
team along the way, here's
hoping the fan base will
continue to grow.
Their performance has
caused us to take a look at
increasing coverage next
season. We're planning to
do that with the assistance
of the dandy OSU media
relations group.
SOFTBALL
Continued from Page
eliminated following a 9-6
loss to Chisholm.
P-T opened the week
with a pair of triangulars.
The Lady Demons traveled
to Prague last Tuesday and
lost to the host Lady Devils
6-5 and Varnum 6-1. The
season opened last Monday
at Kellyville with losses to
the Lady Ponies 8-1 and
Henryetta 15-2.
For the week, McKenzie
Martin went 12-of-19 at the
B1
plate with four doubles for
P-T.
Sponsorships are now
being taken for the softball
booster sign located behind
the first base bleachers. A
contribution of $30 will
get the donor's name on
the sign. For more infor-
mation, contact Hart at the
junior high at 547-5715.
Proceeds will be used for
the softball program.
Oklahoma State's Liz Donohoe (left) tries to steal the ball away from a San Diego player
during last Wednesday night's WNIT Final 4 game at Gallagher-lba Arena. The Cowgirls
cruised to a 73-57 win. Moving in to assist is Lindsey Keller (25).
Journal photo by Kyle Lomenick
JH baseballers lose
first games of year
Perkins-Tryon's junior
high Demons lost their
first games of the season
last week.
The week ended with a
10-1 loss here last Friday.
P-T's lone win was an 18-0
thumping of Frontier here
last Thursday. The week
began with a 9-2 loss at
Cushing last Monday.
Against Kingfisher, the
visiting Yellowjackets put
the game away with five
runs in the top of the fifth
inning. Kingfisher was
already holding a 5-1 lead
before the rally.
P-T's lone run came in
the bottom of the fourth
inning when Dillon Long-
brake led off with a single
then later scored when
Bryce Well reached on an
error.
Kingfisher scored two
runs in the first, one in the
third and two more in the
fourth.
Longbrake and Brady
Davis had P-T's only hits.
Zeke Dougan was the
losing pitcher.
Against Frontier, the
Demons exploded for 11
first inning runs that led
to the three-inning run rule
finish.
P-T used 10 hits in
sending 15 hitters to the
plate. Zane Long and Reed
Aldridge had multiple hits
in the inning. Long clubbed
a single and triple while
Aldridge followed with a
single and double.
The Demons countered
and later scored.
Cushing• cut the deficit
in half with a run in the
bottom of the first. The
Tigers added four runs in
each the third and fourth
frames for the win.
Zeke Dougan, Zane
Long, Wells, and Nash
Long each singled for the
with
bottom of the second.
Joining Long and
Aldridge with a pair of
hits were Longbrake, Nash
Long, and Scott Howard.
Every player in the lineup
got at least one hit and
scored at least one run
each.
Davis was the winning
pitcher in two innings of
work. He gave up two hits
and walked four but struck
out three. Brady Dougan
worked their third inning in
relief and allowed just one
hit and struck out one.
P-T's first loss of the
season came last Monday
at Cushing when the Tigers
gained a 9-2 triumph.
The Demons' lone runs
came in the first inning
with two outs. Longbrake
seven runs in the Demons.
Longbrake was the
losing pitcher giving up
five runs on seven hits and
one walk. He did strike out
four. •
Kingfisher 10, P-T 1
KJH 201 25-10 17 0
P-T 000 10- 1 2 0
Smith and Hokins. Zeke
Dougan, Reed Aldridge (5 )
and Bryce Wells. W - Smith.
L - Dougan.
P-T 18, Frontier 0
FJH 000 - 0 3 0
P-T (11)7x-18 14 0
Brady Davis, Brady
Dougan (3 ra) and Bryce Well.
W - Davis.
• Cushing 9, P-T 2
P-T 200 00-2 4 4
CMS 104 4x-9 10 0
Dillon Longbrake, Reed
Aldridge (4t"), Zeke Dougan
(4 th) and Bryce Wells. Patter-
walked and later scored son and Kelly. W- Patterso0.
while Zane Long singled L- Longbrake.
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