2022 Year in Review: State championships, historic moments among top sports stories

Dec. 31—Three area teams won state championships in 2022 amid a plethora of historic performances, college signings and more in local sports.

McAlester completed a fateful run on the way to winning the Class 5A state championship after a thrilling 53-49 win over El Reno at OU's Lloyd Noble Center in Norman for the Lady Buffs' fourth title and first since 2010.

Stevie Stinchcomb helped lead the title chase in her senior campaign on the way to being named the 2022 McAlester News-Capital All-Area Girls Basketball Player of the Year and all-state honors after averaging 17.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 3.5 steals per game.

Senior guard Elizabeth Milligan averaged 14.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 steals on her way to all-state and first-team all-area honors.

Junior Jayda Holiman averaged 12.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 steals on the way to first-team all-area honors, while senior Mariah Guyer averaged 6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.7 steals on the way to third-team all-area honors.

"You always want to win it, and then I finally get there and think 'it's just a plaque, it's just a trophy,'" said coach Jarrod Owen, an all-area co-Coach of the Year. "What really gets me is the kids, seeing them succeed. That's what the real trophies are."

Pittsburg took a 53-51 win against Lomega to claim the Class B state championship at State Fair Arena in Oklahoma City — winning the first state title in any sport in school history.

"It's just unexplainable," said coach Jim Jenson, an all-area co-Coach of the Year. "It's one of the most awesome feelings there are."

Junior Catyn Graham averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.4 steals on the way to being named to the all-area first team.

Senior Trinity Wiseman averaged 9.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.1 steals on the way to all-state and second-team all-area honors.

Freshman Tori Kilburn averaged 13.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 2.5 steals to earn second-team all-area honors, while junior Camryn Graham averaged 6.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 steals to earn all-area honorable mention.

Stuart also won the Class B fast-pitch state championships with a 5-3 victory over Whitesboro at the USA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The title was the second for the program and the first since 1964.

"I never dreamed I'd be coaching high school softball. And (winning state) sends me back," coach Chance Chapman said. "It's just kind of like reassuring, saying, you know, you went the right path. This is what you were meant to do."

Chapman, Haili Igou, Geralyn Haney, and Kira Meaders each earned all-state honors.

The area also saw individual title clinches, as Stuart's Drevon Colbert and Erin Underwood brought home the school's first track state championships in program history. Colbert earned gold in the high jump and long jump events, while Underwood was also named as a long jump champion on the girls side.

McAlester football makes history — again

McAlester played in back-to-back state championship games for the first time in school history.

The Buffaloes finished as the Class 5A runners-up after playing in its sixth-ever championship appearance after overcoming many trials and tribulations during the season.

"I'm just super proud of (the team), and super proud of how they responded during adversity," coach Forrest Mazey said. "It would have been easy to fold and listen to the naysayers...I'm just very proud of their effort."

McCarty breaks records, signs with Sooners

Erik McCarty set records and helped McAlester make history before he signed his National Letter of Intent on Dec. 21 to play college football for the University of Oklahoma, where he is set to report in January.

The McAlester running back set the career rushing touchdowns mark in September and brought the total to 88 by the end of the season.

McCarty also rushed for 929 yards this season, bringing his career total to 4,627 yards — the second all-time in McAlester history behind Kevin Brown's 4,661 career yards.

James Singleton named McAlester athletic director

McAlester Public Schools named James Singleton its newest athletic director after long-time former McAlester coach and educator John Homer retired.

Singleton first came to McAlester to helm the Buffalo football program from 2015-2018, and spent the last four years as the district's Director of Alternative Education.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to get back in, and maybe live vicariously through the coaches," he said. "Just helping them in a supportive role, getting them everything that they need to stay competitive and keep winning championships."

Teams qualify for state competitions

Multiple area teams and student-athletes qualified for the state's top competitions.

Teams making state tournaments included McAlester spring baseball, Kiowa fall baseball, Stuart and Kiowa in fast-pitch and slow-pitch softball, McAlester boys and girls golf, and McAlester Pom.

Dozens of individuals also qualified for state in their respective sports spanning golf, wrestling, tennis, track and field, wrestling, and more.

Hutchison places at state wrestling tournament

McAlester's Nate Hutchison added his name to a historic list of Buffalo wrestlers with a fourth-place finish in his division at the 2022 state wrestling tournament.

Hutchison took a win on the opening day, lost in the next round, and battled back to force his way into the third-place match in an overtime bout.

McAlester golf sends both teams to state

McAlester qualified for the girls golf state tournament as a team for the first time since 2014 and finished in the top 10. The team included golfers Aubrey House, Emily Shelton, Abigail Brown, Taylor Fox, and Katie Limore.

The Buffs also qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 2019. The team included golfers Zane Owens, Landen Ragan, Shawn Perkins, Kaiden Duke, and Hayden Graham.

Lady Buffs volleyball cracks top 10

McAlester volleyball got a hot start and earned a top-10 ranking for the first time in a decade. The Lady Buffs went on to take a win in the regional tournament, capping off a successful season with 17 victories.

"The girls work hard day in and day out, committed to that 'total' and 'do more' mindset," coach Laurie Smith said. "I'm just really proud of the girls."

McAlester wrestling fields girls team, wins first tournament

Girls wrestlers doubled from last year in both junior high and high school that led to the program fielding a girls team and full schedule for the first time in school history.

"I think it's great for little girls that want to wrestle," McAlester wrestling coach Kydel Billy said. "I'm fully invested, my Takedown Club is fully invested, my athletic department and Singleton are fully invested."

McAlester opened the season by winning the Glenpool Tournament — with Makenna Manning winning her division, Rilee Philips taking second, Cathy Navejar taking third, and Taylor Fox and Madi Lynch each placing fourth.

Area athletes sign to play college athletics

More than 25 student-athletes held signing day festivities in multiple sports — including baseball, basketball, football, fishing, golf, soccer, softball, wrestling, and more.

Colleges chosen range from junior colleges such as Eastern Oklahoma State College and Seminole State College, to Division I and II programs such as University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Emporia State, and the University of Oklahoma.

Contact Derek Hatridge at dhatridge@mcalesternews.com.