Southmoore band director, student receive 2023 National High School Heart of the Arts Award

Southmoore band director, student honored with national award

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) announced on Tuesday director of bands Adam Mewhorter and band member Casey Hubbard of Southmoore High School as the recipients of the 2023 National High School Heart of the Arts Award.

The National High School Heart of the Arts Award was started by the NFHS in 2014. Over the past decade, the NFHS has utilized the honor to commend those individuals who exemplify the ideals of the positive heart of the arts and represent the core mission of education-based activities.

Hubbard, who was born with spina bifida and has endured more than two dozen surgeries in his lifetime, began his involvement in performing arts when he became a member of the Southridge Junior High School band in seventh grade. He chose the trumpet as his instrument.

Mewhorter worked with choreographers to design drills – the placements and movements of the band throughout the show – that would allow him to push Hubbard around the field in his wheelchair while keeping him synchronized within the formation.

Hubbard continues to navigate a daunting schedule of surgeries, already having completed a major spine surgery this school year with a spinal fusion for severe scoliosis coming this spring. After his most recent procedure, Hubbard’s top-of-mind question for the neurosurgeon was, “when can I start playing my trumpet again?”

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Sooners lose another to transfer portal

C.J. Noland became the second OU men's basketball player to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday, one day after reserve guard Benny Schroeder announced his intention to transfer.

A former four-star prospect, Noland showed promise as a freshman in 2022. He averaged 3.9 points and 1.5 rebounds in 12.6 minutes, which earned him a spot on the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.

Noland then entered this season as a starter, but he ultimately lost his spot to Milos Uzan.

Noland didn't appear in any of OU's final four games. He finished with averages of 3.2 points and 1.3 rebounds in 14.5 minutes.

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Edey, Jackson-Davis, Wilson headline AP All-America Team

Purdue’s Zach Edey and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis have given the Big Ten Conference a third straight year with multiple first-team Associated Press All-America picks. Kansas had a second straight first-teamer in Jalen Wilson. The 7-foot-4 Edey appeared on all 58 ballots as a first-team selection from AP Top 25 voters. He was the lone unanimous pick in results released Tuesday. Houston’s Marcus Sasser and Alabama’s Brandon Miller were also first-team picks. The second team included UCLA's Jamie Jaquez Jr., Kentucky's Oscar Tshiebwe and Gonzaga's Drew Timme. The third team included the Kansas State duo of Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson.

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Sooners run-rule South Dakota State

On a rare Monday evening game at Marita Hynes Field, No. 1 Oklahoma made quick work of South Dakota State, run-ruling the Jackrabbits 8-0 in five innings.

The Sooners started hot off the bat of senior Alynah Torres. After back-to-back walks to Tiare Jennings and Haley Lee and a hit by pitch to Jocelyn Erickson, Torres launched a grand slam for her first home run in the Crimson and Cream after transferring to OU this offseason. It was the senior’s 38th career blast and OU’s third grand slam of the season.

OU put up two runs in the second courtesy of senior Kinzie Hansen. Following singles from Jayda Coleman and Jennings and a walk to Lee, Hansen ripped a two-run single to right field to plate a pair.

The Sooners pushed one run across in each the fourth and fifth innings to walk the contest off in run-rule fashion. In the fourth, a sacrifice fly RBI from Jennings scored redshirt freshman Quincee Lilio before a bases-loaded hit by pitch to junior Alyssa Brito ended the game by mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth.

Junior right-handed pitcher Nicole May (7-0) continued her impressive season in the circle before giving way to sophomore Jordy Bahl in the fifth. May fanned seven batters and allowed one walk, while Bahl struck out one in one inning of work with one HBP. It was the pitching staff’s 15th shutout in 22 games.

Torres paced OU with four RBIs in a 1-for-3 showing while four other Sooners had a hit in the contest and Hansen followed Torres with a pair of runs batted in.

—Staff and wire reports

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Southmoore band director, student receive 2023 NFHS of the Arts Award